Seriously ?

Looks like English to me

LOL!! ..not funny!! .....Zia has decided to take Arabic lessons so better watch out when we come back!

Just thinking Sheba.... I reckon you better watch out !

If she wants to try and learn such a complicated, confusing language as Arabic, ( well it is to me at my age ), then she might have her eye on some smart looking Egyptian prince or something !

then she might have her eye on some smart looking Egyptian prince

You mean the one who wears the white socks?

This seems like another 'rambling' topic??"!! Have trawlled through three or four pages and cant find any info that I want!!!!

Can any of you tell me what to expect in Nuwebia - is it a resort, is it a hassle free resort, do you have to go AI as there are no restaurants around the hotels as in Sharm? Is the nearest airpot Taba? How does it compare to other resorts, ie El GOuna, Sharm, Makadi Bay?

Whilst we're firing off questions, may I add the following:

- We will of course spend the majority of our time in the hotel. Are there any bars/hotels local for a change of scenery? If so, are they within walking distance?

- The missus loves her shopping (yeah I know ) and is asking if there are any shops nearby? Please let there not be any.

- What excursions would be recommended bearing into mind that we don't particularly want to spend hours going to them on a sweaty hot coach.

Mark

What to expect in Nuweiba? Hmm, let me see... peace. It is not a built up area like Sharm, far from it as you can see HERE.
You do not have to go AI, but it certainly helps. Not sure on how many restaurants there are, but you could probably count them on one or two fingers!
Taba is the closest (and easiest) airport to travel to. It takes about an hour driving straight down, Sharm would take about 1¾.
Can't comment on El Gouna & Makadi Bay, I haven't been there. But it is a lot quieter and less built up than Sharm.

As for shops Mark, take your cards. Sainsbury, Harrods, Argos, Dixons, ToysRus - you name it, they haven't got it! Just the local shops, so you won't go bust. You could always take her to Eilat for the day!
Most excursions are done using air-conditioned coaches/minibuses/cars. White or coloured canyons and St Katherines are popular. Swiss does excursions from his place, so you'll have a range to choose from.

Nuweiba is a very peaceful, quiet and relaxing destination with beautiful surroundings and a very natural authentic feel to it, as opposed to the man-made resorts of Taba Heights and El Gouna, and is much, much smaller, less crowded and tranquil than the huge international resorts of Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh, the latter having more than 200 hotels, and well over 20000 guest beds, stretched out over 40 km of coast line on the southern tip of Sinai.

Nuweiba is basically a flat flood plain, measuring some 20 - 25 square km, sticking out into the sea, sandwiched between the mountains of Sinai, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Saudi mountains across the sea, and having been formed over the millions of years by the sand and silt washed down by floods coming down the valley called Wadi Watir which is located due west of Nuweiba.

Hundreds of years ago, two of Sinai's most important bedouin tribes settled in Nuweiba - the Tarabeen who settled on the northern banks of Nuweiba and the Maizena who set up home in the south west corner of the flood plain. These settlements have to this day given Nuweiba a strong bedouin characteristic, as opposed to the large mass market resorts elsewhere.



During the Israeli occupation in the 70s a town, Neviot, was founded on the northeast tip of the flood plain. This was the original Nuweiba Town, ( or Medina as the locals call it ), and, after the Egyptians had regained control of the Sinai, this town spread inwards and up towards Tarabeen. The Egyptians then established Nuweiba Port on the southern banks of the flood plain, and a small town, known locally as Mina, grew up and spread west towards Maizena.

Whereas Nuweiba Town and Tarabeen have some shops, a few restaurants and small hotels and camps aimed at the tourist, Nuweiba Port is mainly aimed at the local person or for persons using the port. In between the two are a sprinkling of mid sized and small hotels and camps.



Nuweiba has some of the best beaches in the whole of the Sinai, as well as excellent snorkelling and dive sites. But it also has a superb location, so close to almost all of the key tourist sites in Sinai.... Moses Mountain, St Catherine Monastery, Coloured Canyon, White Canyon, Pharaohs Island and Salah el Deen Castle. It is also served by two airports, Taba some 75 minutes or 85 km away to the north and Sharm el Sheikh, some 100 minutes or 155 km to the south, and it has a ferry port with frequents daily sailings to Aqaba in Jordan.

Thanks for the feedback gents - very much appreciated
Mark

Swiss,

On the picture of the area, what is the big rectangular building to the left of the hotel (the one to the left of the boxed out bit)?

Mark

Its not a building... you have first the old farm and then west of that the water treatment ponds.

Thanks to both for a most informative reply! Elle

water treatment ponds

In other words Mark, it's the extra toilets for when someone puts too much paper down the loo at Swisscare.

Swiss..I fear that you are right about Zia looking for a dashing Egyptian Prince to sweep her off her feet! She has done nothing but complain about the boring British boys since she got home...don't suppose you would like to employ her as a chambermaid next Summer would you, keep her ot of my hair!!

water treatment ponds

Aha - I wonder Could this be where the dragonflies breed?

Mark - Swiss and Ev have about said it all. If Mrs wants to shop she should pack a copy of the Tesco online catalogue, though the internet connection might timeout before she completes the order. There are some retail units in the Swisscare but I don't think anybody has rented one yet (? Swiss). There are also gifts shops down the way at the Hilton, or perhaps next door in the Tropicana - but Swiss said recently that hotel was shut.

If you want a change of scenery just turn your sunbed around - instead of looking across the sea to the mountains of Saudi Arabia you will see the Sinai mountains.

Could this be where the dragonflies breed?

Definite possibility, Alan. Doesn't look too much of a stroll from Swisscare, so maybe worth a look. Who knows what other creatures inhabit that area?

Mark, take no notice of Swiss' measurements!

Nuweiba is basically a flat flood plain, measuring some 20 - 25 square metres

It may be a tad larger than that!
Actually, Tarabeen is quite an interesting place to go for a wander around the shops, although they are all "touristy". You do need to take a taxi but its as cheap as a bus fare over here. As for Alan's suggestion about turning your sunbed round, even I had never thought of that! The wonders of an academic mind eh?

over 20000 guest beds, stretched out over 40 km of coast line

It's just my inquiring mind - but why don't they put the beds inside the hotel rooms

Classic return!

Received notification from Longwoods of a very special reservation coming in early July

Sheba... need receptionists, waitresses and chambermaids who are daft enough to face the Wild Bunch on a hot summer's day !

Carrot.... yes.... good job for the edit button.

The ponds are actually a fair walk away from me... reckon it would take almost an hour. But Russel said he saw the flamingoes there in January so it might be quite an interesting walk.