IMPERIAL C H A R T E R D I R E C TO RY 2019
CRUISING GUIDE EAST MEDITERRANEAN
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D I V E R’S DREAM
... While Alexandria and Port Said on Egypt’s Mediterranean shore attract plenty of international tourism, the Red Sea is a prime region for an exotic yacht charter. Stretching between the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Aden with Africa on one shore and Asia on the other, the Red Sea is a glittering expanse of turquoise waters, replete with internationally acclaimed dive sites. It’s a place of vast reefs, pristine beaches and sun-baked desert; of five-star charter resorts that give way to unspoiled waterfront settlements and ancient desert shores. The Sinai Peninsula in the far north is the ideal starting point for a unique voyage of discovery. S U G G E S T E D I T I N E R A RY
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Region Egypt • Start Port Hurghada • End Port Sharm-El-Sheikh • Distance < 80 Nm • Destinations 5 Alternative route Dahab • Peak yachting season All-year round • Time zone UTC + 2 hours
1 HURGHADA
4 NABQ
The yachting hub of Hurghada on Egypt’s mainland shore enjoys a cosmopolitan nightlife and a reliable tourist throng. Its hedonism is well balanced by the gruff tranquility of the old town and various land-based pursuits like camel riding and desert treks. The prettier town of ElGouna, a short hop north, also warrants a closer look.
Just past Sharm-El-Sheikh, on the eastern shore of the Sinai Peninsula, lies Nabq – an unspoiled Red Sea destination, with spectacular diving and useful shelter on the south side of the outlying islands. If you have the time, Dahab, further north, is a more modern, leisure-ready destination for roaming Aqaba Gulf tourists.
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2 GIFTUN ISLANDS
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Sharm-El-Sheikh International Airport 3
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Sharm-El-Sheikh is the core base for most Red Sea exploration. It provides plenty of first-class beaches, easy-access to various dive sites and a broad choice of luxury waterfront resorts. The main strip at Naama Bay is the partygoer’s heartland, but there are also plenty of waterfront eateries and some atmospheric markets in the old town.
3 R AS M O H A M M E D M A R I N E PA R K
RANGE Approximate nautical miles
If you don’t object to the dive tourists who come for the clear, warm waters, sub-surface caves and astonishing corals, the Ras Mohammed Marine Park is a magnificent place to witness the Red Sea’s sparkling wildlife. If diving isn’t your thing, it’s just as good for an informal snorkel or a beach jaunt in the tender.
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5 SHARM-EL-SHEIKH
The Red Sea is not short of uninhabited islands, but the Giftun Chain is particularly noted for its exemplary waters. There are plenty of places to find a good anchorage in the lee of the prevailing northerlies and although the islands are largely sunbaked desert, the subsurface diversity more than makes up for that.
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Hurghada – Giftun: 20 Nm Giftun – Ras Mohammed: 25 Nm Ras Mohammed – Nabq: 22 Nm Nabq – Sharm-El-Sheikh: 12 Nm
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Hurghada International Airport