Egypt isn’t just about the crumbling ruins sprawled out across the deserts, there is plenty more than crumbling going on there. Some of the world’s most bucket-list worthy dives and water sports are in Egypt’s Red Sea, and the modern beach resorts themselves are more than enough reason to head there for your lads holiday to Egypt.
When it comes to Egyptian beach resorts one of the best known names and thus one of the most popular is Sharm El Sheikh. If you want clubbing, diving, or if your gang want some dirty, desert-based activities, then this is the resort for you. There are a mixture of bars and clubs to check out before you get into anything more strenuous, including some big names.
Dotted around town you’ll find the only Egyptian arm of European super club brand Pascha, Little Buddha (the Arabic little brother of the French-owned Buddha bar chain) for a classy dinner and drinks, and plenty of ‘Brit bars’ for cheap beers and sports TV. If you’re lucky enough to stay in the Jolie Ville resort in Sharm, you’ll even have access to their lush green golf course as part of your stay.
Golf, Diving, and More Activites!
Sharm El Sheikh has over a hundred diving schools, and it isn’t too short of other activities to try either. Head into the desert for some quad biking, a camel ride, or even take a trek up the Sinai to St Catherine’s monastery and the mountain where Moses is said to have received the 10 commandments.
Though it’s a pretty long way out, why not take a day trip and see some of Egypt’s more ancient sites? In around 4 hours you can make it all the way across the desert to Cairo and the Pyramids. The day trip down to Luxor, the Nile and the temple of Karnak is a longer, but much more worthwhile trip.
Once you’ve had a go at snorkelling, you’ll want to go that little bit deeper. On a Dive in Egypt’s Red sea you’ll get up close to sharks, dolphins, turtles and a whole host of amazing wildlife - but if you’d rather spend some quiet time above water - pick up some golf instruction at the Jolie Ville course. This 18-hole course is one of the best in Egypt, rivalling even the Hilton in Cairo which overlooks the Pyramids. (XEGP for a day’s golfing) IMG Also on the Sinai Peninsula, but with a different vibe altogether is Dahab. Dahab is an old hippie haunt, with everything you might expect to find (yes everything), from yoga in the desert to craft classes and meditation retreats. What you might not expect from what was once a flower child’s paradise is a thriving water sports community rivalling the likes of that in Turtle Bay, Hawaii.
The ultra-fast wind speeds in Dahab’s resorts mean windsurfing was popular in the area since as early as the 1970s. Beach resorts like Dahab all along the red sea have experts on hand throughout the year, to teach beginners or simply provide you with the gear you need if you’ve come unprepared. Unlike the sprawling resorts which sprang up on the Sinai’s south, Dahab has formed organically (how apt) over time, with small ‘strips’ of bars and restaurants to check out. Park yourselves in one along the shoreline, and you’ve got a great vantage point to sit and watch the sun come down, beer in hand.
Hitting the Beach in Egypt
Whichever you choose, most of the hotels in Egypt’s coastal resort-towns have excellent beach access. If you just want to chill at the beach, there’s usually a bar and waiter service to allow that. But if you’re looking for something more then you can snorkel away to your heart’s content and marvel at what’s down below.
If you’ve dismissed the possibility of all-inclusive holidays to Egypt, consider this: your hotel is likely the owner of its own little stretch of private beach, meaning you’ll be able to get towels, drinks, and even food down there, as well as a free lift back up to the hotel.
Once you’ve had enough of your hotel’s beach you can pay a little entrance fee to visit the Ras Mohammed national park on the southernmost tip of the Sinai. Here the wildlife is particularly amazing because the waters are hardly disturbed by boats and divers. In Ras Mohammed there are also stretches of beach where you can lay undisturbed for hours – the downside, you’ll still need your tour guide to get you home.
