Red Sea Coast

The sea here is a clarity that rewards every snorkeller. A few strokes from the shore brings you to coral formations — fan coral, brain coral, staghorn coral — home to bright-striped damselfish, parrotfish, and the occasional sea turtle passing through. This is the Red Sea at its most accessible: you do not need a boat or certification to swim into another world.

The coast itself runs between rugged mountain ranges and warm, shallow water. Resorts cluster in towns like Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, and Marsa Alam, but step away from the beachfront promenade and the landscape shifts. Fishing boats pull up on sandy slips. Vendors sort the morning catch. Small cafés serve fresh fish with mezzes and flatbread. The air carries salt, and in the distance the Sinaï or Eastern Desert mountains hold their colour long after sunset.

Beyond the coast, the desert draws you inward. Wadis — dry river valleys — cut through the hills, their walls layered in sandstone and limestone that record millions of years of geological time. Coloured Canyon near Dahab threads between narrow rock walls in shades of orange, purple and yellow. Desert excursions take you to natural springs, fossil beds, and Bedouin settlements where tea is still brewed over open fires. At night the sky clears completely, and the Milky Way sits over the mountains.

The Red Sea coast works for short stays or as part of a longer Egyptian itinerary. It is a place to breathe slowly, spend time in the water, and discover what lies behind the shoreline.