The gentle crashing of waves lapping up metres from my bed is what woke me. Through the cracks of wooden cabin walls, I could see a deep red glow emerging in the distance. As I stepped outside moments later, I was hit by the warm rays of sunrise over the Red Sea and the soothing sounds of the morning. For the first time in a while, I felt completely alone.
It sometimes feels impossible to truly get off the beaten path. To experience the excitement those first beach dwellers may have felt decades before the hotel chains, crowds of tourists, and beachfront bars came rolling in.
But I was on the outskirts of Nuweiba, one of a scattering of camp locations in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula that still promise an authentic taste of beach life.
A far cry from the exciting chaos of Cairo and the luxury resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada, the beach camps dotted along the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba promise the ultimate escape. These rustic settings, framed by golden mountains, are sold on the promise of simplicity — a no-frills outdoor escape where you have all the time in the world to snorkel, read a book, and marvel at everything but your phone.
Beach camps in Sinai hark back to an easier, more laidback way of life. Inspired by the Bedouin communities who have sat around fires on the oceanfront for aeons, they allow guests to disconnect and embrace the rhythms of life where the desert meets the sea.
While you’re largely left to your own devices, most camps also add just enough comfort to make your stay relatively stress-free. Many provide basic amenities like toilets, showers, simple wooden cabins, hammocks, and a campfire. Electricity isn’t always guaranteed, but a warm dinner and simple breakfast are usually included, prepared by welcoming host families.
As for everything else, you’ll have to bring it with you. So pack a deck of cards and a speaker, and don’t forget the mosquito repellent. Here’s some of the best rustic getaways of the South Sinai Peninsula.
Nuweiba
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Just over an hour’s drive from the beach town of Dahab lies Nuweiba, a small Sinai trade hub with frequent ferries to…
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