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Taba Attractions:
General Information
Taba is
about 429km from Cairo, located at the tip of the Gulf of El-Aqaba,
considered to be a meeting of borders town, as it overlooks Jordan ,
Israel and Saudi Arabia . The weather at Taba is fine round the year;
sunny in the Summer time and mild cold in the Winter, while moderate
with nice breeze in both Spring and Autumn.
The
coastline from Taba to Nuweiba is characterized by its majestic
mountains, magnificent bays, coves, & lagoons; as well as it has the
most picturesque coastline with dramatic mountain backdrops that
stretches across the golden beaches in that area .
Some of
the restaurants and hotels in this area are overlooking the natural bay
in outstanding scenery. On the island known as Gezirat Pharaon
(Pharaoh's Island) lies the most significant sight of this area which is
Salah El-Din Castle , which has been restored by the Egyptian
Antiquities Organization.
Between
Taba and Nuweiba a huge tourist project - the Egyptian Riviera - is in
development, which will provide tourists with the most attractive and
luxurious accommodation in the very near future .
 The
future for tourism in Taba looks promising and Egypt has major plans for
this area as a tourism Center . Nowadays, Taba has good restaurants and
beach cafes, also borders can be crossed on foot, or with bus service
into Eilat .
Since
November 2000, Taba Airport was opened to charter flights which make a
visit to this part of Sinai even more attractive. Due to the Peace
Treaty of 1979 an agreement allows visitors to enter South Sinai on a
14 days visa. This visa covers the area from Taba to Sharm el Sheikh (Ras
Mohamed excluded) and St. Catherine.
Not
only that but also Taba has one of the best diving sites which are;
Pharaoh's Island with its magnificent fish types rich coral slope, vast
colorful coral patches & glassfish, also Marsa el Muqabila with its
large barracuda & batfish areas.
Tourist information
A
journey into the mystic wilderness is a worthwhile and authentic
adventure experiencing the desert in a different way, through the eyes
of the Bedouins. The Bedouins are proud of their ancient culture and
independence, and they are known for their hospitality. Tourist and
travelers will enjoy a camel trek experience, during the trip Bedouins
will invite you to be their guest/s. It is a legendry journey, where you
will experience the desert in its pure beauty, and stunning nature.
Amongst the marvelous destinations that worth a visit is Habiba village
at Nuweiba which is build along the sea shore, a place that remains
intact and well preserving nature and at the same time offering high
quality services.
Pharaoh's Island & Salah El-Din's Castle
One of
Taba's main attractions is simply breathtaking. The island, surrounded
by outstanding blue and turquoise water was once a Phoenician port.
Later occupied by Crusaders and then taken under control by Sultan Salah
El Din. The island and the castle remain intact. The reef around the
island is popular with snorklers and divers alike.
Pharaoh's Island , also called Coral Island or Geziret Faroun, lies
eight kilometers south of Taba and 250 meters off the coast. The
Phoenicians were the first to make use of this island's fine natural
harbor during the 10th century BC to foster trade with Egypt . Much
later the small rocky island came under Byzantine control.
Early
in the 12th century the Crusaders built a fortress there to protect
pilgrims traveling between Jerusalem and the Monastery of St Katherine
and to harass Arab trade. Sultan Salah El Din (Saladin) evicted the
Crusaders from the island and significantly strengthened the fortress
later in the 12th century. The Mamelukes and Ottomans probably further
fortified it when they became the dominant force of the region.
Today
you can follow in the footsteps of the legendary Lawrence of Arabia and
explore the fully renovated fortress of medieval character with its
towers, arched doorways, sleeping quarters, baths and kitchens .
Diving:
Most of
the diving in Sinai is done with a shore-based, day boat dive operation
or a live-aboard dive boat. The currents vary from no current to very
strong ones, so it is strongly advised to dive or snorkel with guides or
with experienced divers who have dove in the area before and are
familiar with the conditions.
PEACE TREATY BETWEEN
ISRAEL AND EGYPT March 26, 1979
 Sixteen
months after Sadat's visit to Israel , the Israel-Egypt peace treaty was
signed in Washington . It contains nine articles, a military annex, an
annex dealing with the relation between the parties, agreed minutes
interpreting the main articles of the treaty, among them Article 6, the
withdrawal schedule, exchange of ambassadors, security arrangements and
the agreement relating to the autonomy talks. The latter issue was
contained in a letter addressed by President Sadat and Prime Minister
Begin to President Carter.
The Egyptian Riviera
The
Egyptian Riviera comprises five tourism planning sectors within the Gulf
of Aqaba zone: Taba , Nubia, Dahab, Wadi Kid, and Sharm El-Sheikh. Among
the five sectors, Taba and Nubia were given top priority for tourism
development and were combined to an area known as the Egyptian River .
Moreover the Gulf of Aqaba on the Egyptian Riviera offers a variety of
tourist attractions, from a dramatic mountain backdrop to stretches of
golden beaches. Underwater coral reefs and marine life offer a
spectacular time for divers and snorkels. There is much room for
tourists within a diversity in marine life species that includes 250
different corals and 1,000 species of fish.
Historical sites are also available in the area. Saladin's fortress is
one such site, as well as the Bedouin culture, scenes and handicrafts.
In the Riviera , adventurers and sportsmen will find a heaven with lots
of activities, including desert safaris and mountaineering .
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