Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

By | December 15, 2022

The Sinai Peninsula is an absolutely unique and amazing place in every way. You can start at least with a geographical location: Sinai is the border between Asia and Africa, the peninsula itself is considered part of the Asian continent. Its nature is also unique – the mountainous and desert regions of Sinai are almost uninhabited, which means that the flora and fauna have been preserved in an absolutely original form. I haven’t heard about coral reefs and diving in local waters, perhaps only lazy. Well, of course, the historical and cultural role of these places for all mankind is extremely important. After all, it was here that the people of Israel wandered with Moses, and immediately the prophet received a divine revelation.

The Sinai Peninsula is a controversial place. Ancient cities and centers of civilization flourished here, but terrible and bloody wars also flared up.

How to get to the Sinai Peninsula

According to clothesbliss, the largest air hub in the Sinai is located in Sharm el-Sheikh, whose international airport receives hundreds of flights a week from all over the world.

Directly on the peninsula, it is most convenient to travel as part of an excursion group. As an option – by bus, but it is better to take tickets for the 1st class and for the so-called tourist buses, and not municipal ones, as they take a long time, they almost do not follow schedules, and in general their appearance leaves much to be desired.

Entertainment and attractions

Of course, the Sinai Peninsula, like the whole of Egypt, is known largely due to its beautiful beaches, comfortable hotels, a fairly good level of service, and, most importantly, the warm sea, where underwater life literally boils. It seems that this is some kind of compensation for the picturesque in its own way, but at the same time the monotonous nature of the land. However, despite the appearance of the desert, there is something to see. There are three national parks in Sinai – Ras Abu Galum, Nabq and Ras Mohammed. The latter, for example, is a reserve, which simultaneously includes 5 ecosystems!

Another amazing natural monument of the Sinai Peninsula is its hot springs. The most famous of them are the Springs of Moses. They arose at that legendary time when Moses led the Jews out of Egyptian slavery. Having passed along the bottom of the Red Sea, they were exhausted, many were tormented by thirst. Then the prophet struck several times with his staff on the ground, and immediately water gushed out of the ground.

To the south of the Springs of Moses, at a distance of about 100 km, there are other thermal baths – the Pharaoh’s baths and the Moses’ baths.

Another unique attraction of the Sinai Peninsula can be called Colored Canyon. It is located just an hour’s drive from the popular resort of Nuweiba. What is a place with such an intriguing name? The canyon stretches for about 700 m in length, and the height of the gorge sometimes reaches up to 100 m. This place will be very interesting for those who have dreamed of being on the moon all their adult lives.

Of course, the main historical attraction of the peninsula is St. Catherine’s Monastery. Its appearance is associated with the name of the Byzantine emperor Constantine the Great and his mother Helena. In 330, a small church was built in Sinai, as well as a fortification so that the monks could survive the raids of the nomads. The life of the first inhabitants of the monastery was not easy: they spent the night in caves, earned their own food and prayed earnestly. In addition, the monks were active in missionary activities and over several centuries they managed to convert a significant part of the inhabitants of the Sinai Peninsula to Christianity.

By the way, the monastery arose here not by chance. After all, not far away is Mount Sinai, on which the tablets with the ten commandments were given to Moses.

Sinai Peninsula, Egypt