Exploring for fish in the Red Sea
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Coral gardens off
Hurghada. Picture: Tim Nicholson
by Jamie Stephens
Usually the only fish I come across are on a plate or the tiny
glass bowl in my niece's bedroom.
So I was somewhat taken aback to see hundreds of
electro-coloured fish going about their daily business, seemingly
unperturbed at the sight of a lanky Brit flailing uncontrollably
and imbibing litres of seawater through a inadequately positioned
snorkel.
Diving off a Red Sea reef taught me two things fairly quickly;
Finding Nemo has nothing on the countless species on show
in Egyptian seas; and drinking brine is liable to make you cough
and gag uncontrollably. Which is not good when you're
underwater.
The Red Sea is renowned for some of
the best diving in the world with over 1000 species of fish and 150
different types of coral to get your teeth into (not
literally).
The most famous underwater explorer
of them all, Jacques Cousteau, was said to know his onions and
maintained it was his favourite place to dive; the Sinai Penisula
is a veritable playground for those blessed with a pair of flippers
and the will to explore.
In the shallows, table reefs
teaming with shoals of psychedelic sealife threaten to puncture the
surface of the water, whilst vast yawning canyons harbouring huge
coral forests welcome the braver diver.
Historically the area's also been a
navigational nightmare, resulting in a number of jaw-dropping
shipwrecks that have drawn scuba specialists the globe over.
Coral encrusted cargo of
the SS Thistlegorm. Picture: Tim Nicholson
For example, the coast off Hurghada
is the last resting place of the Thistlegorm - a World War II
freighter sunk by a German bomber before it could deliver its cargo
of military hardware, jeeps, tanks and motorcycles.
The sight of coral-encrusted
rifles, boots, bikes and even train carriages offers one of the
most eerie sights imaginable but, given my ineptitude with even the
most basic of diving accessories, I figured marine archaeology was
beyond me, so opted for the shoreline instead.
I'm not usually a beach person
(given that I bore easily and burn even worse) so if, like me, you
enjoy poking about, cross-referencing stuff in tourist guides then
you're most definitely in the wrong neck of the woods. But that's
missing the point when you visit the all-inclusives of Hurghada and
nearby Sharm El Sheikh.
The name of the game here is
RELAXATION. Everything is geared to sheer enjoyment and utter
indulgence, be that dining in luxurious 5 star surroundings,
partaking in all manner of watersports - gentle or otherwise - or
just lazily being able to swim to the side of the bar to pick up a
mojito.
Thirty years ago there was nothing
in Sharm El Sheikh save a small fishing village and miles of
sun-beaten rock.
Since then, dive tourism and those
cottoning on to a cheap alternative to the Med has meant an
explosion of building in a once unforgiving environment.
Little outposts of opulence hug
hard desert bordered by some of the most crystal-clear,
picture-perfect water you will ever clap eyes on.
Sure, once inside any of these
sumptuously styled mini-villages you could forget you were even in
Egypt, but who cares when they're that pretty.
Pretty is admittedly pretty hard to
do when you're a 511-room hotel, but the Makahdi Palace pulls it
off in some style.
Lazing on Giftun Island.
Picture: Jamie Stephens
A more aptly-named hotel you could
not hope to find as it is truly grandiose when lit up at night.
Five different restaurants will also ensure you dine like a king
(or queen).
In terms of menu, there's
everything you could possibly want for. Although I did feel
somewhat guilty about tucking into the local sea-life that I had so
giddily been playing with earlier in the day.
Its sister hotel The Ghazala
Gardens in Sharm El Sheikh is an altogether smaller affair but more
than makes up for that with POSSIBLY THE BEST POOL EVER.
Okay call me small-minded if you
like, but being able to do laps through different channels and
under wooden walkways before finishing it off with the
aforementioned cocktail ordered from the edge of the water gets my
vote anytime.
If you do make it out of the water,
winding side passages past fragrant flower beds, small Moorish
accomodation blocks and a sun-trap with mini pool at every turn are
key to breaking up the holiday camp feel so often encountered on
all-inclusives.
The bustling neon of Naama Bay is
just five minutes walk with all the shopping and nightlife you can
sheikh a stick at, if lazing about becomes too tiring.
Slightly further afield and the
Sinai Desert beckons those entrepid enough to brave a
brain-juddering jeep safari.
Desert for me usually conjures
images of Lawrence Of Arabia and rippling sand dunes but there is
nothing of the type here - instead, the most stark beauty stretched
out as far as you can see.
Biblical is the byword here with
stray goat herds wandering the parched earth and cloaked men
watching silently from the canopies of Bedouin camps. Our guide
explains it has rained twice in the last eleven years - bad for
them, great for holiday makers looking for year-round sunshine.
Indeed the only water to be seen is
in the sugary mint tea the Bedouin offer us as we recline in their
surprisingly well-appointed camp and take respite from the 35
degree heat.
Egypt has had a bad run in the face
of recent terrorist atrocities and shark attacks - ironically the
result of boat owners slinging dead chickens overboard to ensure a
good show for excited camera-toting tourists.
But with so much resting on the
massive influx of tourists, it's bouncing back in style with some
of the most impressive hotels I've clapped eyes on, the best
customer service I've encountered anywhere in the world and day
excursions designed to cater to any age and any interest.
Whether it's jeep safaris across
the desert, top notch cuisine or lazing beside immaculately
landscaped swimming pools, the Red Sea is very much back open for
business.
Jamie flew direct to Sharm El
Sheikh from London Gatwick courtesy of Red Sea Holidays and stayed
at the stayed at four-star Ghazala Gardens Hotel in Na'ama Bay,
Sharm el Sheikh and the five-star Makadi Palace in Makadi Bay,
Hurghada.
One week (7 nights) at Ghazala
Gardens, for two adults sharing on an all inclusive basis,
currently starts from £890pp from Gatwick.
The price includes flights, a 20kg
luggage allowance, transfers and late check out. The same at five
star Makadi Palace, currently starts from £739pp.
For those wanting to take children,
Red Sea Holidays offer a guaranteed all-inclusive price of £399 for
kids under 12.
Day trips and excursions can be
booked in advance or from Red Sea reps at the hotel with one or
two-day trips to Cairo and Luxor if pyramids are on your
itineray.
As a guide price, the day
snorkelling excursion and the jeep safari is priced at
approximately £35 per person (including transport, guide, equipment
and lunch).
A day-long diving excursion is
priced from £35 including boat, two dives, tanks and weights
(from £46 per person for an introductory dive).
Late deals are available. For
details visit http://www.redseaholidays.co.uk
or call them directly on 0845 026 5980
Friday, August 12 2011
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