I love visiting places with historical meaning and culture. When I got the chance to visit Egypt I was so excited as straight away I had in my mind – The Pyramids! I decided to stay in the more tourist destination in the south of Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh. It was known as a fishing village but has now extended to being a major port. This was recommended to me by other travellers as they said the beaches were beautiful and the nightlife was good.
Well the beaches certainly were beautiful. The sea it resides on is the Red Sea, the views were amazing! I stayed in the Royal Albatross Moderna Hotel. This is a 5 star hotel situated on the beach called Napq Bay. It was about 17km from the main centre Naama-Bay.
The hotel was large and very nice. The front reception was glamorous, the staff were friendly but unfortunately the room I had was not up to standard. I was given a ground floor room when asked for a sea-view but as I arrived in the middle of the night I decided not to kick up a fuss and just enjoy myself regardless. The room was rather small but it had all the commodities I needed, TV, hairdryer and complimentary toiletries.
The hotel was of course all-inclusive. I do highly recommend this for Egypt as there is the warning of having an upset stomach due to the water. I ate at the hotel most days unless I ventured to Naama-Bay to visit other friends staying there. I also suggest taking precautions like not using the tap water to brush your teeth, use bottled water always and ask for extra water to be stocked in the room.
The hotel food had variety, chefs that cooked in front of you and a lovely desert range. There are also separate restaurants you can visit or the Pizzeria for lunch. There are even Crepes in the afternoon. Food-wise this restaurant is definitely up to scratch! Just be aware there are some restaurants that are included and some with extra charge.
Poolside was lovely. There were always enough sun beds available so don’t worry about getting up at the break of dawn to reserve one! I have now seen that there have been some developments to the hotel since my visit. They have an Aqua Park and a new Irish style bar that has up to 39 combinations of coffee, all still inclusive in your stay! There is also a kids club so this is a great place for families.
I have to say the beaches look beautiful but please be aware of sea urchins as they are everywhere! I noticed many people purchased special shoes to enable them to swim in the sea and not hurt their feet! I do recommend taking the snorkelling trip provided at the hotel for extra charge. This is a great day out. You get to venture into the depths of the Red Sea with a group of other tourists and see all the colourful coral reefs. You also get to visit a shipwreck, there are plenty of wrecks but on this particular one it is raised above the sea for clear viewing near the Tiran Island.
Naama-Bay has to be my favourite part of Sharm El Sheikh as it is the hotspot! There are markets, shops, perfumery (which is big in Egypt) as well as Shisha! There are plenty of Shisha places to go to with a variety of flavours. I adore Shisha so I made the most of my visits and made some friends with the locals! Be aware when shopping that the locals do tend to haggle and try and get you to buy so don’t get caught up in conversation unless you are seriously interested! Also the nightclubs reside here in Naama-Bay and I recommend going to Pacha!
My friends stayed at the Hilton Hotel in Naama-Bay so I got to have a look around the hotel and would definitely recommend it! It is in the centre of all the hustle and bustle, it has great restaurants and if I went to Egypt again I would stay there.
Near the end of my trip I visited Cairo as I had to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx. It is a very long trip. You wake up at 3am to board a plane to Cairo and do not arrive until early hours of the next morning. There is a coach option which is cheaper but significantly longer. Once in Cairo there is a major difference from Sharm; it is far more crowded and intense. On the trip they do take you to a local Perfumery, the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch and The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. You even get a chance to have a look at King Tutankhamun's tomb and gold head mask found mostly intact.
They are all great to visit but for me the cherry on top of this trip was seeing the Pyramids. I have never been so excited. It is one of the seven wonders and so impressive. You can see them in the surrounding towns and the thought of the locals waking up to this sight everyday is amazing. There are three main pyramids to visit. However there are many scattered around Cairo which can be viewed if you explore Cairo in further depth.
The three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis are a true spectacle. You get to actually touch them, go inside one of them and visit a market next to them. The largest of the pyramids was thought to be built for the fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu[1].
The Sphinx is the next visit on this trip which is a short walk from the Pyramids. It is a human head on a lion’s body and stands on the Giza Plateau. The Sphinx’s origin is still debated as there are conflicting views about who built it and who it was for. There are so many chances to take photographs but again be aware of people and young children trying to sell you items, and watch your bags!
This visit also allows you to see the Nile. It runs through 11 countries and is approximately 6,650 km[2]. There are forest-like areas on the banks of the Nile and it does make a noticeable impression on the scenery.
My view: Egypt is worth the visit, just to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx. I was so happy to have seen the sights I saw but due to the trip I had to take to see them I wouldn’t go back too soon! The weather is boiling so you get an amazing tan, the scenery is lovely and it is a once in a lifetime visit.
Note: All photos are my own
1 comment:
I liked reading your post about Egypt, and hope that you have the time to pay a second visit and this time go to Luxor and Aswan on board a Nile Cruise and then head to El Gouna in Hurghada these are marvelous destinations. A trip to Luxor and Aswan on board a Nile Cruise is as if you are traveling through history with the ancient temples lying on the banks of the River Nile.
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