SECRETS RED SEA
We end our series on Egypt with a look at three alternative resorts, each offering something different to the more established destinations along the Red Sea
WORDS LIZ ROWLINSON IMAGES THINKSTOCK S
o far in this series we’ve looked at Egypt’s tourism hot spots, covering Sharm el Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula,
El Gouna, Hurghada and Sahl Hasheesh, as well as the ancient Nile-side city of Luxor. But what if you don’t want to
share your holiday home with legions of package tourists and prefer somewhere a little bit beneath the international property-buyer’s radar? Well, on the basis that the country’s
Mediterranean coastline close to Libya might not be an ideal choice right now, a look at some smaller resorts on the Red Sea provides a few more ideas for anyone still seeking inspiration. First up, and arguably the most
well-established and successful of the rest, is Soma Bay, a resort 45 kilometres south of Hurghada (and its international airport). In a great
THE FINAL PART OF OUR EGYPT SERIES!
location on a peninsula that gives it beachfront on three sides out of four, and with a range of internationally famous hotel brands – including Kempinski, Sheraton and Cascades – it’s fair to label it a fi ve-star resort. It’s also close to the large port of Safaga, a dropping-off point for cruise ships with passengers en route to Luxor, 90 minutes to the south-west. Soma Bay’s ten-million-square-metre
site includes an 18-hole Gary Player golf course winding around the headland, a fully operational marina with shops and restaurants, clubhouse for diving, snorkelling and surfi ng, as well as a Les Thermes Marins des Cascades spa. Buyers can choose from a range
of apartments overlooking the golf course, villas by the bay or an apart- hotel if they are motivated less by lifestyle than investment. Marina units
58 A PLACE IN THE SUN JUNE 2011
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