Beach bars, bedouins and bikinis

BY NADA EL SHEIKH

Say the word summer and one auto­matically imagines lighter hair, longer nights and the beach, with the sound of the waves cascading against the shoreline.

The summer season is when most Egyptians traditionally head to the North coast to sit on the beach and en­joy their time with family and friends.

Although the North Coast along the Mediterranean is always a popular des­tination, there are many other areas in the region that make for the perfect spot to summer this year.

At the top of The Caravan list to go to places was Ras Sedr. Ras Sedr is only two hours and forty-five minutes away from Cairo and is known for kite surfing. Tourists from all over the world visit Ras Sedr just to surf their way into the sea. Helmy Marwan, a regular Ras Sedr visi­tor, says he loves the “vibe” there.

“You can go kite surf … it’s a good sport, or just relax with the rest of the people,” he says.

There are many hotels and huts where one could stay in Ras Sedr. One of our favorite hotels is Kite Loop Egypt Camp. We wouldn’t really call it a hotel as its more like a bungalow. It is appeal­ing to us because anything other than the standard hotel room is always an experience.

The Kite loop Camp also offers kite surfing courses and equipment. Rooms start from EGP 324, and all rooms of­fer you bed and breakfast. They have a small Egyptian café located at the front of the beach where the hotel guests hang out.

For those who would like to stay in a hotel instead of a bungalow, Ras Sedr offers many hotels including the Mari­na Cedr. The Marina Cedr is a four star hotel with a pool for those who would like to go for a relaxing weekend. Prices at Marina Cedr start from EGP 300 for those on a tighter budget.

Another place The Caravan discov­ered was Sidi Heneish hidden in the NorthCoast only half an hour away from Marsa Matrouh. Sidi Heneish of­fers by far one of the best beaches in Egypt.

The water is crystal clear and almost still. For those who want to spend a summer relaxing in a beautiful haven, Sidi Heneish is the ideal place.

Sidi Heneish is almost a compound, so you could rent a house, or opt to stay at the boutique hotel, Peace Spa hotel. The hotel is small and clean; they have an outdoor pool and spa for those who want to be pampered. Many Italians vis­it Sidi Heneish because of its gorgeous beach. Sherine Abd el Wahab says: “I own a house over there and barely go anywhere else in summer because it’s relaxing, yet so much fun.”

And then there is Dahab, a word syn­onymous with the elite-du-jour of AUC who for more than 20 years have made this Sinai town hipsterville.

Dahab is like a community, with lots of Bedouins who really take care of their community. They recycle and keep their community clean. The nice thing about Dahab is that everyone is free to do his or her own thing; there isn’t a certain mood to it.

You can go to chill out, but there are also other activities available.

There are several bars for those of you who would like to take a weekend and party, and you could also go diving to see the beautiful fish. For those who like adventure, there is Abou Ghaloum.

Abou Ghaloum is a gorgeous island, accessible by boat. You can also go hike there as its only four kilometers away from the main area. Tamima El Kahal, an alumna, said: “It was my first time in Da­hab this Easter, I absolutely loved it, Abou Ghaloum is out of this world.”

Dahab has many affordable hotels with prices starting at EGP 160.