THE RED SEA

The Red Sea, in Arab, Bahr el Alhmar, is a closed sea, between Africa and Asia.
It stretches for 2. 230 km and its waters contain some of the most colorful sea beds in the world.

In the Sinai Peninsula, in the Middle East, Sharm el Sheikh has developed along the coast, as a prestigious tourist destination l'.The area offers enormous historical value, such as the monastery St. Catherine or Moount Sinai in the western Red Sea.

Its main features are the very high salinity and the wonderful reef - more developed than the Australian one. The high salinity of the water is due to the scarcity of rain and the high temperatures that make it a tropical sea.
There are many things associated to name of this sea, but this is the most suitable one, and you will see this yourself, during the beautiful sunsets on the coast of Sharm el Skeikh.

A fe numbers on the Red Sea

Maximum depth : 2.850 m
Average salinity : 43 per mile
Fish species : ~1250
Coral species : ~250
Endemic fish species (present only in the Red Sea): ~220

Interesting sightings

The coral reef is the so-called barrier juncture and is home to soft corals: Alcyoniums, Gorgonias as well as hard corals such as the lettuce coral, the brain coral, the gigantic Acroporas, or the famous fire coral.
Regarding the fauna, while snorkelling and diving we can observe various types of reef fish, such as butterflyfish, the surgeonfish, the clown, anemones and so many other creatures of the sea, like the turtles, tuna, mantas and between June and August, you can meet sharks, too!

Special care

There are species such as: rock fish, lion fish, leaf fish, and fire coral which can inflict stings or burns if they are touched, therefore please stay at a safe distance from them.

Areas to visit in snorkelling and diving

One of the biggest tourist attractions is the Marine Park of Ras Mohamed , natural reserve since 1983, then the Island of Tiran and a number of sites spread along the coast of Sharm

Rules to be respected everywhere

1. E' forbidden to take away, remove or damage any material, living or inert, from the Protected Areas or not (corals, shells, fishes, plants, fossils ...).
2. While in a car or motorbike it is forbidden to leave the marked roads or to drive on the beach
3. E' it is allowed to camp only in the camping areas specially equipped (prior authorization).
4. Do not leave litter. The garbage should be placed in the appropriate containers.
5. E' the access to closed areas is prohibited l'
6. E' prohibited to transit or anchor on the reef. Appropriate access points d' and docking have been arranged.
7. E' forbidden to feed the marine animals, to maintain the natural biological balance of the barrier.
8. E' all forms of fishing in the Protected Areas are forbidden
9. All visitors must leave the Protected Areas after sunset. Specific areas are equipped for camping.
10. E' it is recommended l'to access the diving areas d'from the designated points to reduce the damage done to the coral reef.
11. Take note of the information given on the information billboards posted in Protected Areas.
12. Violators are punishable under the Act 102, from 1983. (Egyptian)

The kitchen

The main ingrediants in the typical Egyptian cuisine, are: rice, beef or mutton cooked on the grill or on a spit, onions, fish, and vegetables such as beans and lentils.
There are several traditional dishes, commonly found in the city restaurants, such as vegetable appetizers (mezze), Taam beans, meat cooked on the grill or barbecue (kofta, kibbeh) served with side dishes of vegetables accompanied by typical bread (shami or baladi).

There are only two types of Egyptian cheese, a soft and slightly salty one which is called beda and another one, similar to grana, which is called rumi.
The Egyptian dessert that stands out the most, is the "om ali", a paste made from milk, nuts and raisins.
The local cuisine has Mediterranean and Middle East influences and in general is tasty and not spicy.