The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt. It lies between the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the south, forming a land bridge from Africa to Southwest Asia. Its area is about 60,000 km². The Egyptians call it the Land of Fayrouz.
The Sinai Peninsula is the easternmost part of Egypt between the Mediterranean and the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba, both forks of the Red Sea. The western and northern coasts are practically uninhabited, but several Bedouin settlements-cum-tourist attractions dot the eastern coast.
Above ground is a harsh, forbidding and (in summer) brutally hot desert of parched rock. The reason most tourists come here is the vistas underwater: the Sinai coast offers some of the best diving in the world.
The Sinai Peninsula is currently divided among two governorates, or provinces, of Egyptian administration. The southern portion of the Sinai is called Ganub Sina in Arabic, literally “South of Sinai”; the northern portion is named Shamal Sina’, or “North of Sinai”.
The other three governates converge on the Suez Canal, including el-Sewais, literally “the Suez”; on its southern end and crosses into Egypt-proper. In the center is el-Isma’ileyyah, and Port Said lies in the north with its capital at Port Said.
Approximately 66,500 people live in Ganub Sina and 314,000 live in Shamal Sina’. Port Said itself has a population of roughly 500 000 people. Portions of the populations of el-Isma’ileyyah and el-Suweis live in Sinai, while the rest live on the western side of the Suez Canal in Egypt-proper.
The combined population of these two governorates is roughly 1.3 million (only a part of that population live in the Sinai, while the rest live on the western side of the Suez Canal).
Over the past 30 years the Sinai has become a tourist destination due to its natural setting, rich coral reefs, biblical history, and proximity to Israel.
Large numbers of Egyptians from the Nile Valley and Delta have moved to the area to work in tourism, while at the same time development has robbed native Bedouin of their grazing land and fishing grounds. This clash of cultures has resulted in the Sinai becoming the site of several terrorist attacks targeting not only Westerners and Israelis, but also Egyptians on holiday and working in tourism.
Sinai Major Cities:
- Dahab - the hippie mecca of the Middle East
- Nuweiba - a port city
- Sharm el-Sheikh - where the package tourists hang out
- Taba - at the border with Israel
In 1967, Israel took control over the entire peninsula. The Suez Canal, the east bank of which was controlled by Israel, was closed. In 1979 Israel and Egypt signed a peace treaty. Israel pulled out of Sinai in several stages, ending in 1982.
The tourist cities are built around previous Israeli settlements. While the original population are bedouin, most of the staff and workers in this area come from Lower Egypt and especially the canal cities.
Al Tor is the regional center of Southern Sinai, which includes Dahab, Nuweiba and Sharm. Al-Arish is the regional center of less visited Northern Sinai, close to Rafah and the border to the Gaza strip.
No Egyptian visa is required, as special 14-day Sinai permits are granted on arrival at the Taba border, Taba Airport and Sharm el-Sheikh’s airport. Note that this permit allows travel only on the eastern Sinai coast and the Mount Sinai with St. Catherine’s Monastery. There is a busy border crossing between Eilat, Israel and Taba. See the Taba article for details on crossing in either direction.
Two ferries run between Nuweiba and Aqaba, Jordan. One is a standard speed ferry, the other a so-called ‘Fast Ferry’. For travelers interested in bypassing Israel by crossing the Gulf of Aqaba from Egypt to Jordan directly, these ferries offer some degree of convenience. Patronized mainly by Arab nationals prohibited from entering Israel, the ferries will save other travelers little time and hassle over the land route from Taba through Eilat to Aqaba. There are trains from Cairo to Port Said at the northwestern edge of the Sinai, but no further.
Whether you’re going from the airport to your hotel, traveling from beach resort to beach resort, trekking up to St. Catherine’s Monastery and Mount Sinai, or heading to Nuweiba to catch the ferry to Aqaba, Jordan, the trick to getting around in Sinai is to coordinate all ground transport through your hotel.
If you’re on any kind of reasonable budget, avoid at all costs the local taxis, whose prices are higher than Cairo taxis by a factor of around 10. However, it is possible to use the local taxis if you know the price in advadnce, and haggle a bit before going inside the car. 10 EGP should be considered the maximum payment for any taxi inside the cities (15 for Sharem).
Inexpensive minibuses travel on regular schedules throughout the peninsula. The key to utilizing them is to do it through your hotel. Ask your hotel to coordinate your timetable, pick-up, and pricing. The exceptions to this hotel rule are minibuses traveling to and from Cairo, which leave all day, as soon as they are full of passengers, from Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab. In Sharm el-Sheikh, you can find these minibuses at the west end of the taxi parking lot in front of the strip mall in the center of town.
East Delta bus company: Regular cheap full-sized coaches depart daily for points throughout the peninsula from bus stations in Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab. Be sure to check schedules at the bus station, however, because the times are always changing and even hotels can get them wrong. In Sharm el-Sheikh, the East Delta bus station lies about 2km outside of town on the road toward the airport and Dahab.
Mount Sinai - reputedly the Mount Sinai where Abrahamic scripture claims Prophet Moses received the Ten Commandments, and the neighboring Monastery of St. Catherine, Basata - one of the oldest and most popular Ecolodges in Sinai. Note that Israelis are forbidden from entering the campsite. Coloured Canyon - amongst some of the most beautiful rock formations hidden in the mountains.
Desert Landscapes: Sinai’s mountains and desert are spectacular. Rugged mountains made up of different mineral layers, contrasting with golden sand and blue skies. Trees and lush oases provide a beautiful surprise. Recommended is Wadi Ulrada and the Coloured Canyon. But many more little gems including hot springs and pharonic ruins are also to be found.
Sunrises and Sunsets: Sun rises over the Saudi Arabian Mountains and the Red Sea are a beautiful sight. As are the sunsets from the Sinai Mountains over the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia - when the sea is calm on a clear day you will see the red sea become red!
Underwater attractions: The Sinai peninsula is situated by the Red Sea and as such is an ideal point for diving and snorkeling. Various dive centers operate in each resort town/city to arrange both recreational and educational trips for all levels of experience and budgets.
As is the case throughout Egypt, the language of the Sinai is the Egyptian dialect of the Arabic language and local bedouin Arabic dialects. But in tourist areas you also get by with English, and on the east coast also with Hebrew, because here many Israelis come for holidays.
On Mount Sinai and in other heavy tourist zones, you are likely to encounter multi-lingual bedouin capable of conversing (and negotiating prices) in a repertoire that includes (but is in no way limited to!) French, Spanish, Italian, Russian and German.
If you love hiking, this is the place to be, so many hiking trails, i.e Tarboush Mountain, El Galt el Azrak, Gabal El Banat, bab El Donia mountain (gate to life) Nabateya village, St. Katherine mountain and Moses mountain. Arranging a hike and guides are fairly easy. You can base at El Karm Echolodge or El Sheik Mousa and hire a Bedouin guide and camels to carry luggages to your destination. Bedouins will also arrange dinner for the group.
The Muziena Tribe offer you Coloured Canyon, Ain Hudra, The blue desert and many more beautiful places to visit. Try Sheikhs Travel at Sheikh Salem House for organising tours and safaris in east Sinai. They also offer taxi transfers from Taba, Nuweiba, Dahab, Sharm El Sheikh or St Catherines if you can’t wait for the buses.
Leave a Reply