If you can name an activity that takes place in or on the water, then the Red Sea is inarguably the best place to do it. Hardcore divers and windsurfers as well as more laid-back sailing and deep-sea fishing enthusiasts will find this stretch of pristine coastline, with its soothingly warm waters and endless coral reefs teeming with unmatchable marine life, the perfect watersports getaway.

For those who feel more at home on terra firma, the Red Sea’s newer destinations offer holidaymakers an ideal package of gorgeous relaxing beaches, five-star luxury and hip nightlife.

So close to the capital it’s nicknamed Cairo’s Beach, Ain Sokhna is barely an hour’s drive from Cairo at the end of one of the nation’s best highways. Perfect for a weekend break from the hustle and bustle of the city, the developing holiday favorite is fast becoming a year-round destination, not just a popular winter retreat.

Ain Sokhna, which today has come to include the mountainous stretch all the way to Zaafarana, is a resort destination through and through and, save for a quickie trip to its namesake sulfur springs flowing from Gebel Ataqa in the Eastern Desert, Ain Sokhna offers precious little to see.

Instead, this perennial haunt is all about basking in the sun and lounging around the hotel. Among the best places to lounge: the Stella di Mare (km 46 on Suez-Hurghada Rd. Tel: +2 (062) 325-0100 www.stelladimare.com) which boasts its own 400-meter stretch of pristine golden sands, impressive landscaping, golf course and Thalasso center. If you’re up to a little action, there are also watersports and recreational facilities on hand.

Egypt Today Archives The tempting Red Sea at Hurghada

A less expensive family favorite is Palmera Beach Resort (Tel: +2 (062) 341-0816 www.palmerabeachresort.com) which is always fully booked on national holidays.

Looking for something more permanent? Chalet ownership opportunities abound.

A few short decades ago, one fortunate businessman had the bright idea of waking up the sleepy little village of Hurghada and transforming it into a thriving waterfront destination. Today, it has become the premier tourist resort on the Red Sea coast and an international center for aquatic sports to boot. Its veritable underwater paradise holds a special place in many a diver’s heart, particularly since Hurghada is blessed with warm waters, drawing many varieties of rare fish and coral reefs.

Hurghada is famed for its diving, but it’s still ultimately a beach resort, with most holidaymakers coming for the sun, sea and great beaches. There are literally hundreds of dining and clubbing options to choose from and in town you can also swing by the Museum of Marine Biology (Tel: +2 (065) 350-0032, LE 1 entrance fee for Egyptians, LE 5 for foreigners) and take a look at their complete collection of Red Sea flora and fauna.

Dana Smillie Breathtaking beauty in El-Gouna

Outside Hurghada proper are a number of islands that offer all kinds of exciting watersport activities. Take a day trip to the natural protectorate that is Giftun Island for snorkeling and a fish barbecue. Alternatively, you can always explore the marine world from inside the safety of a submarine. Other nearby islands and destinations include Shedwan Island, which is perfect for diving, snorkeling and fishing but not swimming, Shaab El-Erg, Careless Reef and Abu Rimata Island.

Safaga, south of Hurghada, has made a name for itself as a natural spa. Its black-sand beaches are famed for their healing powers, as is the highly saline, mineral-rich seawater, believed to be good for the skin. If burying yourself in the sand is too tranquil an activity, get in on the real action and dive Tobia Arbaa, Abu Qifan or Panorama reefs. Shark and manta ray spottings are very common here.

There’s very little sightseeing to be had in Safaga, but a good starting point is a day trip into the Eastern Desert to check out the granite quarries of Mons Claudianus (a guide and four-wheel-drive are strongly recommended). Visit www.goredsea.com for more information.

A little farther south lies Quseir, where Queen Hatshepsut launched her expedition to the Land of Punt, as depicted in the reliefs at Deir El-Bahri temple in Luxor. Legend has it that the expedition returned with two live panthers and 21 incense trees. Still standing is the sixteenth-century fortress of Sultan Selim, but visitors go for Quseir’s sandy beaches, clear waters and coral reefs. The town’s narrow streets are lined with colorful bazaars which have a decidedly Bedouin accent.

Hotels in Hurghada are far too many to list, but one of our all-time favorites is the Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort on the Corniche Road (Tel: +2 (065) 344-6950 www.marriott.com). Also recommended are the Coral Beach Rotana Resort (Tel: +2 (065) 346-1610), the Grand Seas Resort Hostmark Hotel (Tel: +2 (065) 305-7970) on the Corniche Road and the Steigenberger Hotel Hurghada (Tel: +2 (065) 358-0140). Also popular are either the InterContinental Resort & Casino Hurghada (Tel: +2 (065) 346-5100) or the InterContinental Abu Soma (Tel: +2 (065) 326-0700).

Dana Smillie Calm and serenity in the desert

The Pyramisa Blue Lagoon can also tailor-make a package tour to include Luxor (contact the head office at +2 (065) 336-7000, or log on to www.pyramisaegypt.com). There are three Hiltons to choose from: the Long Beach Resort (Tel: +2 (065) 346-1501), the Hurghada Plaza (Tel: +2 (065) 354-9745) and the Hurghada Hilton Resort (Tel: +2 (065) 346-5036).

In Quseir, opt for the tried-and-true Mövenpick Resort El-Quseir Sirena Beach on El-Quadim Bay (Tel: +2 (065) 333-2100) or check out the new Radisson SAS Resort El-Quseir on the Quseir-Safaga Road (Tel: +2 (065) 335-0260 www.radisson.com/elquseireg).

In Safaga, stay at the Holiday Inn Safaga Palace (Tel: +2 (065) 326-0100) or, for somewhere even quieter, venture off to nearby Sahl Hasheesh’s exclusive Oberoi resort (Tel: +2 (065) 344-0777 www.oberoihotels.com). In Sahl Hasheesh you’ll also find the just-opened Pyramisa; contact the head office at +2 (065) 336-7000, or log on to www.pyramisaegypt.com for more details.

This place is a slice of heaven, manmade, but heaven nonetheless. As different from the Hurghada-Safaga-Quseir stretch as chalk is from cheese, El-Gouna was perfectly planned to incorporate dramatic natural scenery with eco-friendly five-star luxury. Modern arabesque architecture and unique landscaping serve to create an upscale yet totally traditional ambience. To help keep the complex pristine, El-Gouna created Green Gouna, a grassroots voluntary environmental organization to develop the area into an ecotourism destination. Founded in 2002 by a group of concerned and caring residents, Green Gouna works at involving the entire community in the protection and preservation of the delicate Red Sea environment through education, recycling, clean-up campaigns, environmental festivals and the establishment and enforcement of environmental rules and regulations throughout El-Gouna.

Dana Smillie Soma Bay Marina

El-Gouna is a dream destination for vacationers, and today travelers from all over the world flock to its sun-soaked beaches. With its year-round sunshine, lagoon-linked islands and breathtaking Eastern Desert mountain backdrop, it offers the widest range of leisure options available on the Red Sea. In addition to scores of dining and entertainment options, El-Gouna has its own 18-hole golf course, world-renowned spas and great shopping.

In addition to golf, there are numerous watersports and leisure activities to be had. First-time divers can begin their diving experience in El-Gouna’s heated pools, then venture out to the calm reefs, walls and wrecks. A meeting with a dolphin is more than likely. For excursions, contact ProTours (Tel: +2 (065) 358-0085/86 www.protourstravel.com) who can tailor-make you a trip to Luxor and Aswan (a short plane ride away), help you hook up with Bedouin guides to take you into the Eastern Desert, or plan yachting trips to nearby islands.

There are several accommodation options to choose from here. Recommended are the Mövenpick Resort & Spa El-Gouna (Tel: +2 (065) 354-4501), Miramar Resort El-Gouna (Tel: +2 (065) 354-5606 www.sheraton.com/elgouna) and the Steignerberger El-Gouna (Tel: +2 (065) 358-0140)

Newer than El-Gouna, but just as carefully planned, this is the Ministry of Tourism’s pet resort project. The marketing gimmick here is simple: all-inclusive. At most resorts visitors enjoy full-board accommodation, better translated into sheer bliss where you won’t need to lift a finger to do anything.

When you feel up to venturing off hotel grounds, be sure to check out Souq Makadi, which has a variety of shops as well as health and nightclub facilities. This beautifully designed souq has everything from gold jewelry to pure perfume oils and high-quality cotton clothing. Basic services including a pharmacy, supermarket, bank and a playground for the kids.

For beach bums looking for a perfect sun and sea holiday where the most effort you could exert would be to stroll along the uninterrupted shoreline, Makadi Bay is an ideal destination. Because of its bay formation (gorgeous desert dunes flanked by mountain ranges engulfing the warmest of blue waters), Makadi is a wonderful place for windsurfing.

For dive enthusiasts, Makadi Bay is a paradise. Gorgeous coral reefs are everywhere just waiting to be explored, replete with an exciting world of marine life. Hotels here also offer day or overnight trips to Luxor if you want to pack in a bit of sightseeing, though the 4-hour drive can be a bit hectic for most. Ask at your hotel for full-package details.

The Iberotel chain has something of a monopoly on Makadi Bay, with the Makadi Beach (Tel: +2 (065) 359-0000), Makadi Oasis & Family Resort (Tel: +2 (065) 359-0050) and Makadi Saraya Resort (Tel: +2 (065) 359-0120) all coming highly recommended. Visitors can also opt for the older Le Meridien Makadi Bay (Tel: +2 (065) 359-0590).

If it’s relaxation you’re looking for, Soma Bay is a piece of paradise boasting some of the most beautiful sandy beaches on the Red Sea, plus the ultimate in luxury resorts. The peninsula is pleasantly removed from air traffic lanes and public highways, but it’s not all about getting a great suntan. Up for some sports and recreation? The area offers some of the best scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing, tennis and squash facilities in the country in addition to snorkeling and diving.

At the end of the day relax in style at Les Thermes Marins des Cascades Spa — the ultimate in luxury and pampering. Contact the head office at +2 (02) 735-7510.

Soma Bay is also a golfer’s haven, with an 18-hole golf course — the Cascades — designed by none other than Gary Player, who, in addition to fashioning over 200 golf courses worldwide, has gained a reputation as the world’s most traveled athlete. But what sets this impressive course apart is its breathtaking ocean backdrop.

In Soma Bay the number-one choice would be the Sheraton Soma Bay (Tel: +2 (065) 354-5915/4015 www.sheraton-somabay.com www.somabay.com)

With its 100 kilometers of pristine coastline, brilliant hard and soft corals, dolphins and rare fish, Marsa Alam, located some 790 kilometers south of Cairo and 300 kilometers south of Hurghada, has become a favorite destination for Europeans, Italians and Germans in particular.

North and south of what was once a remote fishing village, self-contained resorts cater to foreigners arriving daily at Marsa Alam International Airport. You can choose to stay at the posh resorts or in the more simple and environmentally friendly tents, huts and stone chalets.

Book an overnight boat trip to Elphinstone Reef, where brilliant corals decorate the sheer-walled reef. Further afield are Gota Sharm, Habili Gamal and the lush coral gardens of Fury Shoal — all worth a trip. A live-aboard excursion can take you to Zabargad, a mountain rising sharply out of the sea and surrounded by a lagoon and circular reef with plenty of ghostly shipwrecks. If sharks are your thing, hit nearby Rocky Island or the distant Daedalus Reef during the summer months, when hammerheads and white-tips congregate en masse.

If you get tired of spending time underwater, go see the prehistoric rock inscriptions along the Marsa Alam-Edfu road depicting hunting scenes and hieroglyphics documenting trade expeditions. Also worth a look are the ancient gold and emerald mines in the mountains south of town, which are now rich only in phosphate.

You can also visit the tomb of thirteenth-century Sufi Sheikh Sayyed El-Shazli, 145 kilometers southwest of Marsa Alam. Tradition has it that he wanted to be buried in a place where nobody had ever sinned, which clearly required his tomb to be built in the middle of nowhere. A moulid is celebrated there on the fifteenth day of the Islamic month of Shawal and tourists are welcome.

There are two Iberotels to choose from, the Lamaya (Tel: +2 (065) 375-0030) and Samaya (Tel: +2 (065) 375-0040) resorts. Rustic alternatives are the Balbaa Group’s (www.balbaagroup.com) offerings which include Abou Dabbab diving lodge (Tel: +2 (010) 233-9271/2), Amaraya Club (Tel: +2 (012) 745-8801/2/3 www.amaraya.com), Calimera Habiba Beach (Tel: +2 (065) 338-0108/7) and the Kahramana Resort Marsa Alam (Tel: +2 (065) 338-0008/9 or +2 (012) 745-4105/6 www.kahramanaresort.com).  et