Dahab and Nuweiba
Trip Start
Mar 28, 2009
1
2
3
Trip End
Apr 11, 2009
Where I stayed
The Coachhouse and Nuweiba Swisscare Resort
Dahab, Red Sea and Sinai, Egypt
Friday, April 10, 2009
The snorkelling was excellent both in Dahab itself and from beaches a little further away. On two days we went to Three Pools by Jeep and that wasn't without incident, as the photograph shows. Clutch problem! The driver headed off to find a mechanic and left us in the Jeep (with a Swedish family we had met at the Coachhouse) in the centre of the road, which caused great interest to passing vehicles. One coach even slowed down so the passengers could get a better look and take photographs! Our driver, returning with a young chap approximately 5'3" tall, said, "I tried to get a big mechanic, but could only find a small one." Anyway, 15 minutes later we were on our way again.
Three Pools is so called because about a hundred metres from the shore are three deep crevices surrounded by wonderful coral gardens. We enjoyed a simple lunch under tented shade at a laid-back Bedouin restaurant right on the beach.
One day we walked to a nearby Bedouin village and just wandered around the streets, the few shops (I just had to have some street food!) and past simple houses, some with camels 'parked' outside. We heard noise and clapping coming from the grounds of a large building which, on closer inspection, turned out to be a school. There were children singing and we tried to take some photographs over the wall. Difficult, so we moved towards the front gates. Within seconds we were ushered into the playground, two chairs suddenly appeared and we were seated on the front row right in front of the top table.
It was a celebration for Mother's Day and the pupils were receiving certificates and gifts for their mothers. Not only that, but the ceremony was being filmed for Egyptian television and their cameraman homed in on the two strange foreigners on several occasions!
We got on very well with Nina and Mikkas during our stay at the Coachhouse. They were interested to hear about Turkey and our apartments and one evening invited is up to their terrace on the top floor of the building for wine, coffee and a chat. As they hadn't had a break from early starts for over three months, we offered to take over breakfast duties for two mornings so they could turn off the alarm clock and have a lie-in. They jumped at the chance. We were up at 6.30 a.m. (on holiday?), to prepare fresh fruit, make orange pancakes and warm up the home-made rolls baked in advance by Nina. They were so grateful they took us out for a delicious evening meal at a Bedouin Restaurant right on the beach.
So after eight lovely days we were on our way again, two hours up the coast to Nuweiba. Our next hotel, Swisscare Resort, arranged for one of the staff, Ashraf, and a driver to pick us up at Dahab and drive us to the hotel. On the way we stopped at an ancient granite column which was rescued from the Red Sea in 1978, but inscriptions had been eroded over time.
However, in 1984 an identical column was found directly across the sea in Saudi Arabia and the inscriptions (in Archaic Hebrew) were still intact, indicating that King Solomon had set up these columns as a memorial to the miracle of the Crossing of the Red Sea. Ashraf was doubtful. Although, be believed the story of the parting of the sea, he was not convinced this was the exact site, but historians do agree it was close to Nuweiba.
Swisscare Resort was something else! Located on a fabulous, peaceful beach with a wonderful coral reef just metres from the shore, spacious rooms, breakfast and dinner served at your table in a no smoking restaurant and no music played on the beach or by the pool. In fact, personal music is banned unless you have earphones.
Owned and managed by Alvin who was born in Guernsey but is now a Swiss national and who has trained his staff to be efficient, polite and endlessly obliging but with a relaxed and humorous attitude with guests. He has established a fairly unique concept in hotel management. Can't speak too highly of the place. We simply relaxed here; lazy days on the beach, paperbacks within reach; in and out of the water to explore the coral garden; simple lunches served to our sun-loungers; and views across the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia and behind to the Sinai Mountains.
In my view, one of the most exotic fish to see in the Red Sea is the Lion Fish. So graceful they almost glide through the water. They should be treated with respect, though, and you need to avoid contact with their venomous spikes. Although they are not deadly, they are very painful. However, they are not aggressive toward humans and always keep their distance when given the opportunity. We were lucky to see quite a number of them when snorkelling both at Dahab and Nuweiba.
After five days chilling out, it was off on yet another adventure - to Jordan.
Comments
David, indeed you travelled me and I remembered of my trip to the Red Sea and the snorkeling there.
Popi