(Open daily 9:30am-4pm. Admission LEI.) On the ocean side of the peninsula, just past the marine Fouad Hotel, is Rommel’s Beach, where, according to legend, the Nazi general skinny-dipped every day. ALso on the ocean side of the isle, the rusting wreck of an old U-boat juts out of the water. You can rent a surf kayak to paddle out to the wreck; head toward the red buoy on your left. The sub lies parallel to the beach 20m toward the mosque from the red buoy; you’ll need a diving mask to discern it.

To the west of the main town beach, the Beach of Lovers fondles the western horn of the bay. You can easily reach this beach by foot or kayak. Inconsiderate visitors have recently begun to desecrate the sand while worshiping the sun, and the heaps of litter float out daily. Farther west on the ocean side of the bay you’ll encounter more wind, less trash, and Cleopatra’s Beach, on the far right-hand side of which lies a dwarf cove called Cleopatra’s Bath. The queen and Marc Antony partook of the legacy of Ramses here. The farthest and most spectacular spot of all is Agiiba, about 24km from Marsa Matrouh. Agiiba, which means “wonderful,” is an inlet in a series of rocky cliffs interrupted with caves. Bring your own food; there is only a soft-drink stand. Stop along the way at the ruins of the tiny Temple to Ramses II which lies neglected in the sand. There is a sandy and crowded beach, but it is also possible to find a private spot below the cliffs and spend the day swimming off the rocks looking tor latex.

To reach these beaches take a shared taxi or minibus from the bus station (LE2-3 per person to Agiiba), or catch the open-sided tuf-tuf bus (LEI.25 to Cleopatra, Ubayyad, or Agiiba). The bus shuttles to and from the bus station whenever enough passengers want to go, usually every hour from 9am to 4:30pm (summer only).