Must-see attractions in Red Sea Coast

  • Bell towers of Saint Anthony church, Eastern Desert, Egypt.

    Monastery of St Anthony

    Red Sea Coast

    This historic monastery traces its origins to the 4th century AD when monks began to settle at the foot of Gebel Al Galala Al Qibliya, where their…

  • Pilgrim church of the monastery of St. Paul the Anchorite, Egypt.

    Monastery of St Paul

    Red Sea Coast

    Dating to the 4th century, the Monastery of St Paul began as a grouping of hermitages in the cliffs around the site where Paul had his cell. The complex's…

  • Shaab Samadai Reef is a breeding ground of spinners dolphin in the Red sea, in Marsa Alam, Egypt.

    Sha’ab Samadai

    Marsa Alam

    This lagoon 18km south-east of Marsa Alam is home to three dive sites with a reef system full of interesting coral pinnacles and fish life. What makes…

  • Gota Abu Ramada

    Hurghada

    A mind-boggling abundance of marine life is on display here, 5km south of the Giftun Islands, making Gota Abu Ramada a popular spot for underwater…

  • Hurghada Marina

    Hurghada

    Hurghada's marina is a pleasant, car-free place to stroll, especially in the evening. When you get tired of staring out to sea or dreaming about owning…

  • Ottoman Fortress

    Red Sea Coast

    This small fortress was built in 1571 to provide Ottoman troops with control to the port and therefore passage to Mecca. Modified several times by the…

  • Underwater scene with a lionfish and a group of scuba divers at the famous Elphinstone at Egypt.

    Elphinstone

    Marsa Alam

    North of Marsa Alam, Elphinstone has steep reef walls covered with soft corals and is washed by strong currents that make it ideal for spotting sharks –…

  • Cave of St Anthony

    Red Sea Coast

    Perched about 300m above St Anthony's Monastery on a cliff just outside the monastery walls is the cave where St Anthony is believed to have spent the…

  • Wadi Gimal Protectorate

    Red Sea Coast

    The starkly beautiful desert of the Wadi Gimal Protectorate extends inland for about 85km from its coastal opening south of Marsa Alam, and is home to a…

  • Sharm El Luli

    Red Sea Coast

    In the middle of the Wadi Gimal Protectorate, 60km south of Marsa Alam, lies a pristine sand beach with azure water and excellent coral and fish viewing…

  • Umm Qamar

    Hurghada

    Umm Qamar, 9km north of the Giftun Islands, is highlighted by three coral towers that are swathed in beautiful soft, purple coral and surrounded by a…

  • Giftun Islands

    Hurghada

    These islands, among the closest to Hurghada, form part of a marine reserve and are surrounded by a number of spectacular reefs teeming with marine life,…

  • Rocky Island

    Marsa Alam

    A sandy island east of Berenice, Rocky Island has a range of dive possibilities, including a 25m drop off the east side of the island. Plenty of coral and…

  • Sha’ab Al Erg

    El Gouna

    Ease of access means this is an excellent dive site for beginners, though veteran divers will still enjoy the towering brain corals and fan-encrusted rock…

  • Shedwan Island

    Hurghada

    There is some fabulous diving off this island, which sits in the straits between Hurghada and Sharm. Pilot whales and large pods of dolphins have been…

  • Berenice

    Marsa Alam

    Founded in 275 BC by Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Berenice was one of the most important harbours and trading posts on the Red Sea coast from about the 3rd to…

  • Wadi Hammamat

    Red Sea Coast

    The main route between the Nile and Red Sea for thousands of years, Wadi Hammamat runs from Qift, just north of Luxor, to Al Quseir. Inscriptions, remains…

  • Mons Porphyrites

    Red Sea Coast

    These ancient Roman porphyry quarries were the only source for the precious white-and-purple crystalline stone associated with imperial grandeur. Porphyry…

  • Mons Claudianus

    Red Sea Coast

    This granite quarry/fortress complex was one of the largest Roman settlements in the Eastern Desert. For Roman prisoners, brought to hack granite out of…

  • Faran Mosque

    Red Sea Coast

    Little is known about Sheikh Al Faran, the mosque's namesake, beyond the fact that he came from the Hejaz (now Saudi Arabia), and that after his death he…

  • Barrameya

    Red Sea Coast

    One of the most impressive rock-inscription collections in the Eastern Desert is at Barrameya, which fringes the Marsa Alam–Edfu road. Here in the smooth,…

  • Salem Express

    Red Sea Coast

    The Salem Express is a stunning yet mournful sight. In 1991 this passenger ferry sank, killing about 1000 pilgrims returning from the hajj. While diving,…

  • Ashrafi Islands

    Hurghada

    The Ashrafi Islands, north of Hurghada, are less-visited than many other dive sites in the area, but have several wrecks in relatively shallow water (8m…

  • Hamada

    Marsa Alam

    Atop an inshore reef 60km north of Berenice lies the wreck of this 65m-long cargo ship. Lying on its side in just 14m of water, Hamada is a fairly easy,…

  • Sataya Reef

    Marsa Alam

    Horseshoe-shaped Sataya, 50km north of Berenice, is the main reef of the Fury Shoals, and has steep walls leading down to a sandy slope scattered with a…

  • Sha’ab Sharm

    Marsa Alam

    Impressive topography and excellent marine life (hammerheads, barracuda, groper and yellowmouth moray eels) mark this large, kidney-shaped offshore reef…

  • Granary

    Red Sea Coast

    Just behind the old police station is the fortress-like facade of the granary. It dates to the early 19th century and was used to store wheat that was…

  • Panorama Reef

    Red Sea Coast

    Panorama Reef is famous for its schooling barracuda, as well as numerous dolphins, eagle rays, grey reef sharks and silvertips, and for its soft and hard…

  • Siyul Kebira

    Hurghada

    The reef’s upper section is home to bannerfish, angelfish and snapper. If the current is strong, you can drift along the wall skirting the edges of huge…

  • Stingray Station

    Hurghada

    The stingrays this dive site is named after are most commonly seen in March and April, but there are plenty of other attractions year-round at this…

  • Tomb of Sayyed Al Shadhili

    Red Sea Coast

    The Eastern Desert is scattered with numerous Islamic tombs and shrines. One of the best known is that of Sayyed Al Shadhili, a Moroccan holy man and Sufi…

  • Bibliotheca Alexandrina El Gouna

    El Gouna

    Also known as the Embassy of Knowledge and linked to Alexandria's modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina library, this peaceful oasis is El Gouna's sleepy…

  • Sikait

    Red Sea Coast

    Sikait, about 80km south-west of Marsa Alam, is thought to have been the main settlement for the workers in the Roman emerald mines. It's about 80km south…

  • Nugrus

    Red Sea Coast

    The ruins of the actual emerald mines for which the region was once famed can be seen on the slopes of Nugrus, where the ground is littered with pottery…

  • El Qadim

    Red Sea Coast

    Located 7km north of Al Quseir in a small bay abutted by the Mövenpick Resort, this dive site boasts a complex network of interconnecting caves and…

  • El Kaf

    Red Sea Coast

    An easy plunge 10km south of Al Quseir that appeals to divers of all levels, El Kaf is a canyon pitted with small caves and passages, and accented by…

  • Hurghada Public Beach

    Hurghada

    Hurghada's public beach is not so appealing – it is often full of litter, and foreign women may feel uncomfortable about the attention they will attract…

  • Karba Matthba

    Red Sea Coast

    The mysterious ruins of what must have once been a substantial villa or complex sit on top of an isolated desert ridge. From here there are incredible…

  • Old Police Station

    Red Sea Coast

    Originally an Ottoman diwan (council chamber), the once grand old police station on Al Quseir's waterfront is now a picturesque but dilapidated shell.