Taba resort lies in two areas, the original Bedouin village of Taba which is now home to two huge hotel resorts and the recently-opened Taba Heights resort complex, offering a choice of luxury hotels and amenities, and located some 20kms from Taba village. The azure-blue Gulf of Aqaba fronts the region and the arid mountains of the Sinai Desert surround the village and the resort complex. In spite of its remoteness, there are a good number of attractions and things to do, both within the hotel complexes and the region’s dramatic desert scenery.

Pharoah’s Island is just offshore and is a hub for snorkelling, diving and other water sports, all of which are easily accessed by a short boat trip. Here, you’ll find some of the warmest and clearest waters in the world, with coral reefs teeming with marine life including angelfish, puffers, moray eels, parrot fish, octopus and turtles. Don’t miss the tiny 12th century Crusader castle at the peak of the island, once occupied by the historic Arab leader Saladin. The island’s picturesque fjord has featured in many Egyptian movies.

If the mysterious desert attracts you, there are several ways to experience it up close and personal. Quad bike safaris are for the adventurous, with endless dunes opening up as you whiz past at high speed. For a more relaxing desert trip, a Bedouin-led camel safari is a journey back in time to when the comically bad-tempered beasts were the only way to travel. Another option is a jeep safari, travelling with a guide to explore the dramatic, deserted canyons of the desert peaks.

The tiny town of Taba has little in the way of landmarks, but the ancient land surrounding it holds remnants of its long history and areas of dramatic, unspoilt beauty. Set at the foot of Mount Sinai, St Catherine’s Monastery is the most-visited attraction here for its UNESCO World Heritage site status and its fame as one of the Christian world’s oldest still-functioning religious sites. Dating from the 6th century, the monastery contains the Chapel of the Burning Bush, the legendary site where Moses heard God’s voice issuing from the flames.

Castle Zaman, a rebuilt Crusader castle overlooking the Gulf of Aqaba, makes for an enjoyable daytrip from Taba for its magnificent views and luxurious visitor amenities, including a first-class restaurant, a swimming pool and candlelit evening atmosphere. Several hours’ drive from Taba is the Sinai Desert’s spectacular Coloured Canyon with its sandstone hues of red, purple, magenta yellow and gold, a popular visitor destination that is only accessible by guided tour. To the southwest of Taba is a protected area which is well worth a visit for its geological formations and indigenous wildlife.

The desert regions and waters around Taba are now designated as the Ras Mohamed National Park and hold some of the world’s best dive and snorkelling sites. Part of the area is the Waterworld Marine Park and underwater observatory at Taba Heights, the perfect setting for a watery holiday. King Solomon’s Pillars are impressive natural geological landmarks a short drive away, and a fascinating daytrip can be taken to Petra, Jordan’s Rose Red City.

Due to its recent popularity as an international holiday resort, Taba isn’t exactly the hottest nightlife centre in Egypt. Most evening activities take place in the resort hotels in Taba Heights and the village itself. All-night parties and international DJs have yet to arrive, but the hotels themselves organise nightly events suited to most visitors, including traditional dance displays featuring seductive belly-dancers.

Outdoor discos, family-friendly shows, cocktail happy hours, dining to the sound of traditional music while watching the spectacular Red Sea sunsets or even enjoying the Egyptian version of a Broadway musical are all great ends to a day on the beach or a tour around the region.

If you’re feeling lucky, the Hilton Hotel complex in Taba village has its own casino, as does the Hyatt Regency in Taba Heights. All the favourite games such as blackjack, poker and roulette are offered, and there are nightly shows and events at both venues as well as sophisticated bars and cocktail lounges.

Taba also boasts the weekly Friday night El Wakala Street Festival featuring entertainment, food and traditional music, and Egypt’s many national holidays are celebrated in similar fashion. Scattered around the village are restaurants with attached bars and lounges that are perfect for a drink and conversation with friends before heading off to the casinos.

A good spot for early evening alcoholic refreshment is the Hilton resort’s Nelson Village Pub, and the Marriot’s soundproofed Cave Bar is great for contemporary music and dancing. Bedouin nights are offered by several hotels and include displays of belly-dancing.   

Egyptian cuisine is a mix of the diverse civilisations active in the region over several thousand years and is found along with a wide selection of international foods in Taba and Taba Heights hotels and restaurants. Traditional dishes rely heavily on legumes and vegetables, with the fertile Nile Valley the source for many ingredients. Vegetarians will be in culinary heaven here, as will lovers of fresh seafood dishes.

Pita bread, known as eish masri, is the backbone, eaten with every meal and used to mop up dips and sauces. Kushari, a pasta dish flavoured with tomato sauce and containing chickpeas, caramelized onions, lentils, rice and garlic, is the national dish, and ful madames, fava beans served with garlic, lemon juice and oil, dates back to the Pharaonic era. Fatta is a delicious meat dish prepared with stewed beef that is layered with fried bread and rice in a vinegar and garlic stock.

Another dish dating back to the time of the Pharoahs is feseekh, offered during the spring festival and consisting of salted, dried and fermented grey mullet served with lemon and bread. Eaten as a dessert in most Middle Eastern countries but served for breakfast and as a snack here is halawa, made from sesame seed paste which is mixed with pistachios, almonds and pine nuts and served with lashings of honey.

A speciality here is the soft, mild gibna domiati white cheese made with buffalo milk. It’s either eaten on its own with bread or used in dishes such as sambousak, a fried pastry, or the mesh dip, where it’s combined with tomatoes. The cheese itself is aged for up to three years in sealed cans before it’s eaten. Falafel, kebabs and macaroni béchamel are other popular dishes which are well-known to most visitors, and aubergines and vine leaves are widely used in main dishes.