Nuweiba resort in Egypt
Resort Nuweiba on the Peninsula Sinai is a small town that has grown here on the site of the Bedouin village. Bedouins live here today, and they can be called the main attraction of the city. Nuweiba is well suited for a quiet and relaxing holiday. Although it is better to say that this is the most boring resort in Egypt. Let’s tell about everything in order.
Features of the resort of Nuweiba for Russian tourists
Let’s start with the location. The city of Nuweiba is located on the Sinai Peninsula in 145 kilometers to the northeast of Charm El Sheikh. Click here to see the map blue with resorts and airports.
Around the tourists arrive at the airport charm El Sheikh and go here on tourist buses 2-2.5 hours. Such a location is difficult to call a successful.
The name "Nuweiba" is translated from the Arabic language as "raging streams". Of course, there is water here, but the streams even "does not smell", and even more burly.
The next difficulty facing tourists is a language barrier with hotels staff. If the guides with the knowledge of the Russian language in Nuweib are still found, then find the hotel officer speaking in Russian, problematic.
The first idea of this resort is a quiet and relaxing holiday. The idea is good, the implementation is not very. The desire for silence turned from owners of hotels in large-scale savings on all. Do not think that in the evening there will be classical music on the piano. Hoteliers simply eliminated animation and evening entertainment programs in general.
In the evening you can hear only children’s songs and Arab music, which is spewing a cheap music center. The more budget version of the tourist entertainment after sunset did not come up.
But, there are moments that really contribute to a relaxing atmosphere. Hotels in Nuweib are distant from each other. It’s not a Hurghada or charm, where hotels are "each other on the heads". Each hotel has its own area of a few hundred meters long. No crowdments of holidaymakers or deficit space on the beaches there and be can’t.
The sea here is clean, the beaches are covered with golden sand, in which corals are found, and special shoes (see. photo) very recommended. Right after entering the sea on the beaches there are big shallows, which is very pleased with children. Adorable local beaches – this is the only advantage of the resort of Nuweiba.
The second idea of this resort is convenience to visit Sostina, Israel and Jordan.
The main interesting places Sinai is the monastery of St. Catherine and the Mount of Sinai, at the top of which the Prophet Moses received a sign with commandments from God. Mountain is located right in the middle of the peninsula, and there is no big difference, from which resort you will go to her. Neighboring resort Dahab is even closer to the mountain and the monastery than Nuweiba.
If you want to visit Jordan and the city of Peter (see. photo), then Nuweiba is a good option, but not the best. Neighboring toba is right on the border with Israel and for these purposes is much better.
Buy tour to the resort of Nuweiba is now quite problematic. Even before the crash of the flight of the flight 7K-9268 in 2015, Russian tour operators refused to sell batch tours to Nuveuba. Now (April 2021) the more tours no. You can go to rest in Nuveuba yourself.
Hotels and prices
At the time of updating this article (April 2021) there are only 10 full hotels here. Of these, part are temporarily closed due to a pandemic.
The most elegant is the local Nuweiba Coral hotel. In some Russian search engines, it is even marked as "five stars". In fact, it is officially classified as "four stars".
The overall quality of service in local hotels is not very high, the weak competition is affected between them. Probably, hotel owners believe that the high quality of local beaches eclipses all other flaws. Chronic problems with food quality, room cleaning and material work in the rooms.
Prices for tours and accommodation in hotels in Nuweibi available, they do not differ from prices for similar services in Sharm El Sheikh. Even the cost of the bus ride does not greatly raise the price tag for tours. Rather, they did not greatly raised when tours here were still actively sold.
What to see and what to do
Nuweiba’s resort is only two attractions, although sites on the Internet talk about dozens of interesting places. Often, the attractions of the neighboring Dahab and Taba are attributed to the Nuweiba resort.
The first interesting place is local Fortress Tarabini. The fortress is difficult to call it, rather this is a small fort. It was built during the reign of the Mamluk dynasty at the end of the 15th century. Her builder was Sultan Ashraf al-Gauri.
He strongly strengthened the borders with the Turks to prevent the conquest them of Egypt. However, it did not help, he himself was killed in the battle with the Turkish army.
Turkish Sultan Selim reached the Egyptian ruler in the battle of Marge Dabiik. Mamluk Cavalry led by Sultan Ashraf al-Gauri brave broke to the mill of Turkish Sultan, but he was empty, it was a trap.
The ruler of Egypt died, and his country was doomed to Turkish dominion. Now only a few monuments are reminded of those battles, and Tarabin fortress is one of them.
The second attraction of the Nuweiba is Color canyon. This is really a canyon with picturesque landscapes and rich in nature. Rich, if you judge about the rest on the Sinai Peninsula. Part of this excursion goes on foot, and part of the jeep. At the end you are waiting for dinner, visit the flowering oasis Ain-Kudre and return to the hotel.
From the resort of Nuweiba, one-day and two-day trips to Jordan and Israel by bus are arranged by. From here to Jerusalem 400 kilometers.
We do not recommend going to Israel for one day. 5 hours there and 5 back in the bus – a serious test. Better order a tour with overnight in Israel, so you look more attractions and get less.
Very popular excursion – this is the mountain Sinai and the monastery of St. Catherine. Price of this trip – 100-120 dollars.
Also, here you can ride windsurfing, ride on camels or go to safaris in the desert. Simply put, the usual "Gentelmen" set of Egyptian entertainment.
Excursions to the attractions of Cairo and Alexandria are arranged from the nuvehiba with flight by plane. Tourists arrive to Taba Airport and local airports fly to Cairo or Alexandria. It is quite expensive and takes a lot of time and effort, we would not recommend them. Only a two-day excursion deserves attention to spend enough time among the Great Egyptian pyramids, and not to watch them in 20-30 minutes.
About the city of Nuweiba
It is divided into three parts. The first north called Tarabin. Here are the Bedouin settlements, and this is the most interesting place in the city. Here you can look at the life of modern Bedouins. In local restaurants you can taste their national cuisine, which is radically different from Egyptian cuisine, which is fed at the hotel.
If the hotel is poorly fed, you can visit the local bazaar and buy fruits and vegetables. Very interesting for tourists National Bedouin souvenirs, which are difficult to buy on other Egyptian resorts. They are very original, although they don’t look luxurious. All this is perfect as gifts from Egypt.
In the area of Tarabin, there is a beautiful beach and several hotels. If desired, you can book a hotel right in the area via the Internet.
The second part of the south is called "City". Located residential buildings and city administration. Most shops and hotels are also located in this part of the city. Only here you can find at least some fun, there are even a few nightclubs.
The third part is in the south and called "Dune". The name is not by chance, it is a desert with real dunes and hotels built on the sand.
Than the city of Nuweiba is really famous
If you want to dive to coral reefs, then Nuweiba for you. There are few tourists here, and the reefs were not very affected by the human activity. A variety of sea fauna is more than in Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh.
This is one of the most attractive diving places in Egypt, along with Dahab resorts, El Causer, Mars Alam and El Guna.
In Nuweibe, snorkeling (diving with a mask and tube) is even more popular than diving with scuba. Coral reefs are at a small depth and very close to the shore.
More important moments
– Another advantage of the nuweiba (and in general, all the resorts is strong) – here you do not need to pay for a visa. Instead, put a special stamp "SINAI ONLY". Details in our article "Does the Visa in Egypt" need ";
– Many hotels are far from the city. Public transport here is not, and you need to go by taxi. Taxi drivers do not go to the counter, and try to negotiate an overlay price. To bargain with them, it is better to be familiar with the official tariffs. See tariffs in our article "Taxi in Egypt";
– In Nuweibe, it will be difficult to buy an Egyptian SIM card. Better buy it at Sharm El Sheikh Airport. Details in our review "Internet in Egypt".
Is it worth going to the resort of Nuweiba or not? It decide to you, and we told everything about him that we know. Read the other useful reviews about Egypt (Links below).
