Archive for Taba Heights
Snorkelling at Pharoah’s Island in Taba
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Pharoah's Island Snorkelling
In line with virtually all other sea side resorts in Egypt, snorkelling trips are available for visitors to Taba and Taba Heights. The destination is Pharoah’s Island and it is also known as Farun Island. It lies just off the Sinai coast around 40 minutes sailing time from Taba Heights marina. On the island, the most prominent landmark is the old fort built in the time of the Crusades by the Saracens.
The snorkelling trip is operated on a wonderful boat with masts and plenty of deck space so you can soak up the sun. The setting in the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba is wonderful with the mountains of the Sinai on one side and spectacular views across to Jordan on the other. However, the exceptional views are found beneath the clear, warm waters.
Before you put on your mask and enter the water, the guide will brief you on a few points about the snorkelling area. Dive boats also visit Pharoah’s Island so although its easy to just look down and watch the array of marine life, you have to be aware of other boats, divers and where you are.
Once the formalities are complete, your snorkelling group enters the water and you are an observer on a magnificent underwater world full of life and colour. Many people believe that scuba diving is the best way to see the amazing marine life on the coral reefs but snorkelling has one big advantage. Normal scuba gear is what is known as open circuit. In Layman’s terms, this means that when you breathe out using scuba gear, you release a stream of bubbles into the water. This tends to upset the fish so it’s harder to get close to them. However, there are no bubbles when snorkelling and you can drift along in your own silent world and you’ll be amazed at how just close you can get to the little fish without frightening them away.
Clown Fish, Pharoah's Island
The array of fish and things to see while snorkelling at Pharoah’s Island is quite simply mind blowing. Ideally you should try to get closer to the coral as many of the creatures stay close to it but remember not to touch as there are plenty of things such as Fire Coral and Lion Fish that can give you a nasty sting. It is quite possible you will see the little Clown Fish which everyone loves. If you are very lucky, you may even see a Frog Fish which is found in this part of Egypt. Trips to Pharoah’s Island are popular and run on a daily basis.
Taba Heights – Discover This Amazing Golfing Resort
Posted by: | CommentsPositioned in the North East of the Sinai, Taba Heights is a private resort centred all round an 18 hole PGA standard golf course. It’s position on the foothills of the mountains offers remarkable views over the Gulf of Aqaba to Jordan and Saudi Arabia just 6 miles away. The location together with the fact it doesn’t get crowded makes Taba Heights among the most beautiful places in Egypt.
With over three miles of natural beaches there are plenty of secluded places offering excellent snorkelling opportunities. Dive boats head out from the international marina daily and there are a number of shops and places to eat in the area beside the El Wekala referred to as the Uptown. Weekly in Uptown, there is a street festival where guests and residents come together for an evening of entertainment. For anyone staying in the hotels down the sea front, complimentary buses operate shuttling people around the resort.
A variety of hotels are dotted round the golf course making this a wonderful desert setting. The 5* hotels are situated alongside the beach and further up the hills at the highest point of Taba Heights is the 4* El Wekala Golf Resort. It’s an all-inclusive hotel that also has its own section of beach with a bar and pool. There is also a Dine Around Privilege allowing guests to sample the dinner at various restaurants in different hotels in Taba Heights.
The holiday resort is a superb base to explore the surrounding area in addition to excursions to Eilat and Jerusalem in Israel and the spectacular Petra in Jordan. For all those unwilling to travel too far, St Catherines Monastery is a renowned trip and this can be coupled with a trip to the casual resort of Dahab.
For those seeking to explore the coral reefs, there are choices for scuba divers and snorkellers as well. Farun Island (or Pharoahs Island) is a common spot for boats with both snorkellers and divers. There’s an ancient fort on the island built by the Saracen Salahdin during the time of the Crusades. The excursions all leave from the harbour and for divers, there are many outstanding sites suitable for all abilities of scuba diver presenting an amazing array of marinelife. For now, Taba Heights is still a rather unknown gem in the Sinai however with so much to offer holidaymakers it is becoming more and more successful.
