Nuweiba

One of .Sinai’s natural oases, Nuweiba lies at the mouth of an enormous wadi that empties into the Red Sea. For about 10 months of the year the surface of the wadi is just drifting sand-but in winter a sudden, rampaging wall of water 3m high may charge down its banks to the sea. Although Nuweiba’s tourist heyday was during the days of Israeli dominion over the Sinai, the town is poised to begin its renaissance. Development is moving its way up the coast; from Na’ama Bay to Dahab and then on to Nuweiba, the luxury resorts find a beachhead and move in.

The modern city of Nuweiba has little charm, and is sadly reminiscent of the business districts of Sharm ash-Sheikh and Dahab. Tourists are drawn, however, to the Bedouin village of Tarabin, 2km north of town which has a quiet beach and several camps. Nuweiba’s current importance is its role in inter-state travel: a ferry to Aqaba, Jordan runs twice daily. (See Getting There and Away above for details.)