During our time in Cairo we heard whisperings of the "scuzzy" Red Sea coast, but after a two day stay in the resort town of Hurghada I am happy to denounce them as untrue. The part of Egypt that butts up against the Meditteranean Sea has long been a popular destination for fun and sun vacations for Europeans and wealthy Egyptians, but resort cities on the Red Sea are much more recently developed. Staying somewhere like Hurghada is obviously not a top priority while in Egypt (we stayed on the way back from an excursion to Luxor), but after just a day and a half of respite from the heat and our chaotic touring schedule, our group feels refreshed and re-energized.
The new-ness of the development and questionable reputation of accomodations on the Red Sea translates into affordability for travelers. Our hotel was beautifully decorated, manicured, clean, and fit into our college budge. Buffet breakfasts and dinners were an added bonus, as was access to a pool and beach area large enough for games of water polo and beach volleyball. Also, through the hotel you can arrange to go on snorkeling and scuba-diving expeditions. For $30 USD I went snorkeling from 9 am until 5 pm, and was also provided with gear, lunch, and a snack. Other members from our group cruised and snorkeled for two hours on a glass-bottom boat for only $10 USD. Seeing the coral reef and so many brilliantly colored fish was unreal, and a knowledgable diver from the UK assured me that this area is widely-accepted to be the second best locale in the world to go scuba diving and snorkeling. (Second only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia).
It makes the most sense to stay along the Red Sea if you are interested in taking in some of the sights of upper Egypt (the South). Before going to Hurghada, our group visited a slew of tombs and temples in and around Luxor. If you want to make more than just a cursory glance through the tombs, I would recommend hiring a guide to dechipher the hieroglyphics and depictions of ancient Egyptian gods that appear ubiquitously throughout all of them. Though we don't have enough time to go on an excursion to Aswan, it is also home to a number of interesting historical sights and close to the Red Sea.
Hurghada at sunrise
Hurgada and the Red Sea were beautiful, but it is good to be back and experiencing authentic Egyptian life in Cairo. Time is passing quickly and it is hard to believe that our month long stay is nearly over. In this last week of class and excursions I am excited to see what more I can learn before heading to India!
