Hi, my hubby and daughter did the Petra trip from Taba, they left at 5.30am and returned around 8pm, I stayed on the beach, forgot my trainers!!!!. It was a very long hot day but both thought it was the most amazing place and cant wait to return, I had a lovely day snorkelling too!!!!!! elaine.

PS the border crossing to Israel an experience takes anything from 2hrs to get 150yds its amazing, and lots of forms to fill in and security systems to walk thru that go off if you have a metal watch on or coins in your pocket and the looks you get from the guards are quite something.......

From Taba this trip can now be done by boat - direct to Jordan and avoiding the Israeli borders.

As can be seen here...

http://www.longwoodholidays.co.uk/sinai/tours.htm

The guests who have done it have always come back tired but very contented indeed.

We did Taba to Petra by sea last May. Quick and easy to get across the Gulf. However one slightly twitchy moment - you land at the Royal Jordanian Yacht Club in Aqaba which is not a recognised port of entry. You have to surrender your passport to a border guard there. While you visit Petra he takes the passports to the land border with Israel to get them stamped with your entry visa.

When you return to your boat to cross back to Taba, the same border guard is there with your passports, and an exit stamp. He stamps your passport and returns it to you. We had no problems, but you do have to give up your passport for the day!

The border staff back at Taba are jobsworths! We arrived back some 30 minutes early and although the port was deserted they wouldn't let us land until the time we should have been there.

We go to Sharm for two weeks in June, first time in Egypt. Is it better to book trips before you go or wait til you get there. I have priced the trips we want to do with Thompsons and it comes to a whopping £ 864 for two of us.
They are Cairo one day by air, we really wanted to do two.
Petra one day
boat trip
Evening Bedouin Dinner
One day intro dive for my husband. Any advice would br welcome.
Thanks Margaret

hi margret we found it easy and cheaper to book trips when we got there
through the rep or the hotel we did ciro by bus overnight it was well worth it but a long day another one you might waqnt to try is climbing st kathrines mount(mount sini ) its hard going but fantastic views when you get to the top and well worth it jill

has anyone done the petra trip v recently ? we are staying in taba in 3 weeks yay !! and would love to go
my husband was looking at some info the other night a trip with the yacht club - it looked pretty good.
Apparently tho there was an article on the bbc yesterday saying they want to put the treasury forward for world wonder status ! ! and there are now lots of traders/market stalls outside it ??? has that always been the case ?
i haven't read the article myself yet not had chance but if anyone is interested
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/6269207.stm >

I would definately like an update from anyone who has had a recent visit
thanks