The Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea Travel Guide
The starkly beautiful Sinai Peninsula is all about contrasts. Those who venture to this desert interior will discover a region full of history, where Moses received the Ten Commandments en route to the Promised Land; the Pharaohs found gold and searched for their gods; and the Bedouins still camp beside ruins of Crusader Forts. Christianity, Judaism and Islam all consider Sinai a holy land and, over the years, prophets, saints, pilgrims and warriors have crossed this vast nothingness in search of the divine. Mount Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery, at its foot, are frequently visited.
The desert comes to an abrupt end at the Red Sea, where exquisite coral reefs provide a fine underwater playground for divers and snorkelers from around the world. The coral reefs along the Sinai coastline are among the best in the world and 'diving tourism' is the most recent catchphrase on the peninsula. The Red Sea has one of the highest volumes of marine life variety in all the tropical seas. There are numerous popular beach resorts along the Red Sea coast that offer all sorts of activities and sightseeing excursions out into the desert.
Visitors come to Sinai and the Red Sea to experience the simplicity of sun, sea and sand, and surround themselves by rugged mountains, history and modern Bedouin culture. It's a fascinating region and well-equipped for hedonistic resort holidays as well as religious and historical pilgrimages to ancient sites.