Article originally published at www.egyptianstreets.com
The hustle and bustle of Cairo – from the political tension that has gripped every Cairene to the incessant use of car horns by Egyptians – can often be hard to cope with. So, it is no surprise that many Europeans and foreigners tend to avoid Cairo all-together, and instead flock to Egypt’s turquoise Red Sea during the winter and summer holidays. Along the Red Sea there are many renowned resort towns.
Traditionally, tourists have chosen Sharm El-Sheikh – arguably the oldest resort town along the Red Sea, but is well known for its stellar diving conditions – as their primary destination along the Red Sea, while other resort towns, such as Taba (popular among Israeli tourists) and Dahab, also attracted high numbers of tourists. However, with the development of a fairly new resort town by the Sawiris Family (owners of Orascom), tourists have been ditching the livelier Sharm El-Sheikh for a quieter – paradise – along the Red Sea: El-Gouna.
What defines Paradise? Religiously, paradise is defined as a ‘heavenly’ location where one experiences timelessness, peace, comfort, and an abundance of happiness. El-Gouna captures each of these characteristics of ‘paradise’. Whether you spend your time at the five-star hotels, such as the Sheraton Miramar Resort (where the majority of my time was spent), the Movenpick, or the Steinberger Golf Resort, or at four (or lower) star hotels, such as Club Med, you are bound to experience ‘paradise’.
The Sheraton Miramar uses the beauty of El-Gouna excellently. All rooms – including the dining areas – have spectacular views of the Red Sea"s crystal clear, turquoise water.
Even while simply walking from one location to another inside the large sprawling resort, visitors are treated to stunning images. The Architectural design throughout El-Gouna – regardless of the hotel – seems rather uniformed: buildings are inspired by Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern architect and tend to be characterized with specific earth and sea-color tones.
Although there is this visual-uniformity throughout El-Gouna, each hotel and area of the town provide their own unique flavor. The result: a perfect blend of traditional and modern elements that allows El-Gouna’s natural landscape to standout above other locations across the Red Sea and the globe.
At the hotels, there is plenty to do: from canoeing and snorkeling, to simply soaking up the sun on one of the many relaxing beaches or unwinding on one of the many chaises-longues that are dotted around the pools.
This article was written by Egyptian Streets. Read original here.
*Image of El Gouna resort via Shutterstock
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