Ein Khadra

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Tucked away between yellowish sandstone cliffs not far from the road linking St Katherine with Nuweiba and Dahab is one of Sinai's most scenic oases. Its Arabic name Ein Khadra (Green Oasis) perfectly describes this attractive locale where gushing fresh water springs nourish date palm gardens in the seemingly barren desert.

When approaching from the south you'll be greeted by a splendid panorama view of the small oasis glaring brilliantly in the distance below. If you enjoy observing dramatic geological landscape, a walk through the White Canyon that flows into Ein Khadra from the southeast is surely worth the effort.

More than just a pretty spot, Ein Khadra is also historically significant. It acted as an important stopover for pilgrims traveling the St Katherine-Jerusalem route. Ancient writings and drawings on the nearby Rock of Inscriptions testify that Nabateans, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Christians of the Crusader period passed through here. Have your camera ready!

Although not as dramatic as Sharm el Sheikh's walls or Marsa Alam's offshore reefs, the Taba coast offers some very rare marine life in an uncrowded environment. Typical to the area, for example, is a rare species of frogfish, and many species of seahorses, hardly found anywhere else in the Red Sea, making a diving holiday in Taba a unique one.

Most of the dive sites in Taba are situated along the Red Sea coast, in the fringing reefs which adorn the Taba shoreline. They are mainly reachable by boat, but some have shore access from the hotel, and others and can be reached by car or jeep. Local dive boats leave every day for day or half-day diving excursions. The Taba dive sites are, in general, also easily accessible to snorkellers.

The Taba marine area is protected, as many other areas in Egypt, and diving centres here operate under environmental-friendly procedures. This year, a group of local investors have sponsored a mooring buoy project for the diving boats in the region, installing a total of 16 buoys in the most frequently visited dive sites.

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Places to see in Egypt

» Cairo & Giza » Alexandria » Sharm El Sheikh » Hurghada » Nuwebie » Saint Catherine » El Arish » Safaga » Mersa Alam

» Ras Sedr » Sinai » Luxor » Aswan » Mersa Matrouh » Oases » El Ain El Sukhna » Dahab » Taba

» The Red Sea » Sahl Hasheesh » Port Said » Rasheed » Siwa » The New Valley