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What to see in the Red Sea, Sinai Peninsula
The Red Sea in the Sinai Peninsula It does not receive as much tourism as other places in Egypt because the region has been involved in conflicts until not too many years ago. Although today it is completely It's safe to come as a tourist, that's why we explain what to see in the Red Sea in the Sinai area.
It is well worth coming and enjoying so much underwater with one of the best preserved seabed and with more life than anything else in the world, like outside of the water, with its desert beaches and historic mountains.
- What to see in the Red Sea, Sinai Peninsula
- Watch the sunrise at Mount Sinai
- Enjoy Dahab and its atmosphere
- Diving in Dahab, the seabed is the best thing to see in the Red Sea
- Visit the Blue Hole in Dahab
- Spend a night in Ras Abu Galoum
- Visit the Blue Lagoon
- Going to a Bedouin dinner, the best thing to do in the Red Sea at night
- The Three Pools, Golden Block's and Morey Garden
- Visit Sharm El Sheikh with everything included
- Snorkeling at Fanar Beach
- Ras Mohamed and White Island
What to see in the Red Sea, Sinai Peninsula
Watch the sunrise at the Mount sinai
The Sinai Peninsula is named after Mount Sinai, the most sacred mountain in Egypt and of the three great monotheistic religions. According to the Bible, at its summit Moses received the 10 Commandments.
That is why many believers venerate it today and climb it almost as a pilgrimage. On the other hand, many of us climb it to enjoy the landscape and a special sunrise. It is one of the best places to see in the Sinai Peninsula.
Is it difficult to climb Mount Sinai?
No, the route is through a enabled trail and very easy to walk, except for a last bit along stone stairs where you do have to be more careful.
The trail begins at the Monastery of Santa Catalina at 1593 meters and ends at the summit at 2.285 meters, so it is about 720 meters of elevation gain in just over 5 kilometers.
Tour to climb Mount Sinai
The most common way to climb Mount Sinai is hiring an excursion from the most touristic cities on the Red Sea coast such as Dahab or Sharm el Sheikh. These toursThey left after midnight to start walking around two or three in the morning. and reach the top at dawn.
You arrive before dawn and spend time in some Bedouin buildings drinking something warm. You can also rent blankets from them to use while you wait and take them to the top. It is very, very cold at dawn. Once you have seen the sunrise, you go down, appreciating the entire landscape until you reach the summit. St. Catherine's Monastery where you are given a short guided tour before heading back. Around 11 or 12 in the morning you are back at your hotel.
How to go to Mount Sinai on your own
Unless you are a good group, it is almost certain that going it alone will work out for you. traditional caror book a tourThe good thing is that it will allow you go to the sunset, something that almost no one does and guarantees you a much more intimate experience.
Access is only possible when accompanied by a local Bedouin guide, So if you don't go in a group, you'll be in trouble.carto pay the fee among whoever is there. And the easiest way to get to the entrance is by taxi from Dahab.
Visit St. Catherine's Monastery
If you want to visit this famous historical area but your physical condition (or your desire) does not allow you to walk to the top of Mount Sinai, you can go only to the St. Catherine's Monastery. This monastery has been a World Heritage Site since 2002 for being the Oldest Christian Monastery still inhabited, was built no more and no less than in the 4th century.
Santa Catalina has some hidden treasures within it, such as its library, which is considered the second oldest in the world after the Vatican.
Please note that the Monastery closed on Fridays and Sundays. Access to the hiking route is always open, but on those days a visit to the Monastery is not included in the tour.
Enjoy Dahab and its environment
In Dahab life goes slowly, it is a calm and bohemian paradise that has nothing to do with Sharm el Sheikh despite being only 90 kilometers away. Ideal to base yourself while you discover the Red Sea and the Sinai Peninsula. Dahab is a former Bedouin fishing village that has become a refuge for backpackers and diving lovers. Here an ideal plan is to snorkel in the morning at some point like Lighthouse, enjoy Arabic food, stroll along the promenade and end the day drinking tea or mango juice in one of its dozens of restaurants, each one more welcoming than the last, with sea views.
Do not forget visit the lagoon south of DahabYou can find it on Google Maps as Magic Lake. You can get there by taxi or on foot, it is about half an hour away along the seafront and is one of the most beautiful places to see in the Red Sea. Here you will find waters of an impossible turquoise and travelers together with locals practicing kitesurfing. If you dare to try there are several schools that offer courses.
Are you visiting Dahab soon? Don't miss our guide with everything what to do in Dahab.
Bucear in Dahab, the seabed is the best thing to see in the Red Sea
A few lines above they told you how Dahab is the refuge for diving lovers and once you get there and walk through its streets you will agree with me. Dahab is full of Dive Centers.
I don't know if they all make a living, but what I do know is that Dahab is the perfect place to start diving, the seabed of the Red Sea is simply spectacular, there are no currents, the visibility is great and the prices affordable, I leave you some examples of average prices that we saw.
We did the Advance + two additional dives with Penguin Divers and everything was great, the instructor was a 10 and we enjoyed it a lot. Our Favorite dives were the Canyon and Blue Hole, each one more impressive than the last. Without a doubt one of the best things to see in the Red Sea.
Visit Great Blue Hole from Dahab
El Great Blue Hole (blue hole) lives up to its name and is one of the best things to see in the Sinai Peninsula. It is a 50 meter wide sea hole and coral walls that submerge up to 110 meters deep. Due to its shape, it was believed that the cause was a meteorite, but later studies say that it is due to a phenomenon from the last ice age.
In short, it is a giant hole right on the beach with a snorkel and spectacular diving.
Visiting the Blue Hole is one of the most popular tours to do in the Red Sea, although I recommend go on your own, it's very simple and you can stay as long as you want.
The taxi should not cost you more than about €8 or €2 if you go in a shared van or a pick-up truck with cushions in the back.
Happen One night in Ras Abu Galoum
From Blue Hole you also have the option of going to Ras Abu Galoum and Blue Lagoon, both less touristy and very cool.
To get to Ras Abu Galoum You can take a shared boat that leaves from the end of Blue Hole beach or walk 6km, the path is easy, but without shade so do it first thing in the morning or last thing at night if you don't want to melt. Both places have very basic camps where you can spend the night, Without a doubt, one of the best experiences to do in the Red Sea of the Sinai Peninsula.
In principle there are many cabins and it is not necessary to book. We paid €10/night for a very basic campsite reserved there, while other slightly better cabins can be found for €15-€20.
We leave you the link to two camps that are in Booking in case you prefer to have everything reserved:
Don't forget your snorkel goggles and a good book, because Ras Abu Galoum is a paradise of snorkeling and peace, especially at first and last hour of the day when there are no more tours left for those who are going to spend the day.
Visit the Blue Lagoon
One of the best things to do in the Red Sea is to go to the Blue Lagoon which is located 5km north of Abu Galoum, to get there you can do it in about by 4×4 taxi or on foot.
Once in Blue Lagoon, the best plan is to stay in one of its bars with cushions on the floor and good shade (very important) to go for a swim in the lagoon while you drink a juice. It is a lagoon of fine sand that practically does not cover and a good meeting point for kite lovers.
Both sites are beautiful, but unless you are kite surfing I would spend most of the day at Ras Abu Galoum. There are plenty of options at both sites. restaurants and even a small supermarket.
Go to a Bedouin dinner, the best things to do in the Red Sea at night
Another unique thing to do in the Red Sea is to book a Bedouin dinner tour. They cost around €15 and include transportation, dinner, explanations of Bedouin culture and show with fire and music. It usually leaves at dusk and returns well into the night so it is very likely that you will see the sky full of stars.
The Three Pools, Golden Block's and Morey Garden
About 12 kilometers south of Dahab you find these three diving spots that are also ideal to spend the morning or day. Both Three Pools and Morey Garden have beach bars where you can hang out on the sofas and go into the water. They are some of the less crowded beaches in the Red Sea but with very good snorkelling. We dived at Golden Block's and Morey Garden. Between dives we had a great time at a bar.
Visiting Sharm El Sheikh all inclusive
We are not very fond of luxurious all-inclusives, nor their prices. But if to finish your trip through Egypt you want Treat yourself and forget about everything for a couple of days Sharm el Sheikh is your placeIt is also a good option if you have very little time to go to the Red Sea, since Sharm el Sheikh Airport has good connections both internally and internationally and is just a few minutes from the hotel zone.
In this town a core of luxury resorts has been created, visited by wealthy Arabs, Europeans and many Russians. You will find hotels with incredible facilities and direct access to the beach with walkways to enter directly to the coral reef.
If you are in Sharm, don't forget to go to dinner one day in the Old Market area to see sharm el sheikh mosque and have something sunset at Farsha cafe, a giant bar of the most bizarre kind and one of the most famous visits to make in the Red Sea.
Snorkel at Fanar Beach
We have not been to all the beaches, but I think it is justified to say that Fanar Beach has one of the best seabeds in the Red Sea. If you like snorkeling you could stay there for hours without getting bored.
Fanar Beach is private property of a Resort from Sharm el Sheikh so to enter you have to pay an entrance fee that includes a water, sun lounger and umbrella.
The beach is located at one end of Sharm el Sheikh, about half an hour walk from the center and less than 10 minutes by taxi.
Ras Mohamed and White Island
Another best excursions to do at sea is the visit to the Ras Mohamed Reserve. There are daily excursions from Sharm el Sheikh for around €30 that take you by boat to snorkel and explore some of the most beautiful spots in the entire Red Sea. Of particular note is White Island, a bank of white sand and turquoise waters.
The downside is that all the boats usually leave at the same time, so you won't be alone in paradise. But there is the option to visit the best sites of Ras Mohamed from land, which almost no one does. You can hire a private boat to take you to the island. a driver (talk to any taxi driver and agree on a price) to explore the beaches of the reserve.
I hope this guide on the best things to see in the Red Sea helps you organize your route. To continue with the preparations you can read our guides travel to Egypt on your own or check out the featured stories from InstagramIf you have any questions, please leave us a comment and we will help you in any way possible. Thanks for reading!
