Guide to Taba

"Less glitzy than Sharm, Taba offers a captivating blend of tranquillity and great watersports, amid soul-lifting scenery."

Imagine Sharm El Sheikh a couple of decades ago and you've got Taba. This small, compact resort is just settling into its stride as a well-equipped holiday centre, making it something of a gem if you fancy the Red Sea Riviera without the associated big resort swagger. Maybe it'll always be this way because of its location. Tucked right up into the northern corner of the Gulf of Aqaba, it's some distance from Sharm, so there's no need to strut its stuff in hot competition. Instead Taba just focuses on what it does best - oodles of picturesque scenery, scintillating diving and enough amenities, shops and restaurants to keep everyone happy. And all of it bundled up in bags of warm Egyptian sunshine. Bordering the beach a series of first-class hotels offer all the facilities to keep you cosseted and entertained from morning till midnight. Here, sweeping feather-soft sands separate the dramatic Sinai Mountains from the dazzling coral waters, creating an idyllic haven for sun, swim and dive aficionados. Offshore, the nearby reefs and lagoons are pure temptation, teeming with billions of iridescent fish and spectacular marine life. When padding between the hotel, beach and sea gets too much, hop on a boat to Pharaoh's Island, topped with an impressive 12th-century Islamic fortress. Journey through the honey-toned, rocky wilds of the Sinai to see stunning St. Catherine's Monastery, one of Christianity's earliest churches. Or take off on an excursion to be hypnotised by Cairo's Giza pyramids or Petra's rose-tinged canyon city.

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