Dahab (it means ‘gold’ in Arabic) was named after its golden beaches and it has a character all of its own that’s reflected in the hotels and accommodation.   Partly because of the Bedouin who settled there, Dahab’s atmosphere is much more laid back than Sharm el-Sheikh.  It’s smaller and quieter and attracts a more ‘alternative’ and younger crowd…

The Bedouins keep to their original traditions and ways of life and you’ll find they usually still wear their traditional dress, the ‘galibia’.  Equally important to the Bedouin tradition is hospitality and looking after guests.  You should definitely take the opportunity to go for a Bedouin dinner if you can. The bars, restaurants, and cafes  that line the beach  and the hotels offer relaxed seating ‘Bedouin-style’ on cushions and low sofas so you can just enjoy the sun and the sea while maybe playing backgammon or smoking a shesha (the traditional Arabic water pipe).

Dahab is the best place in the world for novices or beginners to learn windsurfing, kite surfing and diving.  The waters are free from exhaust and noise pollution from dive boats and there are gentle reef slopes and coral gardens for the beginner.  More challenging sites like the Blue Hole, a 70 metre wide gap in the reef with an archway in the bottom leading to open sea, will test the more experienced SCUBA expert.

Luxor has been a tourist attraction before there were even tourists!  Homer named it the City of a Hundred Gates and the Napoleonic army stopped unprompted and broke into spontaneous applause when they saw the ruins…

Luxor has been called the world’s greatest open air museum because the number of well preserved monuments in the area is unparalleled anywhere else in the globe.  If you are fascinated by the ancient Egyptians and want an excellent holiday to boot, then Luxor is a must.  Luxor is really three different areas:  the City of Luxor on the east side of the Nile, Karnak just north of Luxor and Thebes on the west side of the Nile across from Luxor.

Many public buildings in Luxor, like the National bank of Egypt and the railway station, are designed to appear as “pharaonic” as possible – a consequence of the “Egypt mania” that resulted from Howard Carter’s discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamen.  Luxor has the Temple of Luxor built by Amenophis III, the Temple of Karnak and the Valleys of the Kings and Queens to offer the culture vulture.

Of course, really appreciating these astonishing wonders is made easier if you have a convenient and comfortable base.  We have a range of hotels in Luxor proper and Karnak that offer excellent service and are a good choice for couples, families or singles.   All will provide a haven after a day of exploring the ancient and astonishingly well persevered archaeological marvels that Luxor has to offer.  And as well as the protection of Tropical Sky Ireland’s CAR licence (T.A.0664) we’ll be sure you’re under the watchful eye of the Udjat or the Wedjat  (The Eye of Horus)  to protect from all harm and ensure a stunning Egyptian holiday.

Dara O’Brien has a routine where he says we Irish are useless at Scuba Diving.   Maybe it’s just him.  It’s true that until about 1968 Sharm el Sheikh was nothing more than a quiet fishing community, but since then it’s become one of Egypt’s best known and most visited beach resorts and home to some of the most spectacular diving in the world..

There’s more to Sharm el-Sheikh than diving though.  It is a well developed area that feels more like a European resort with refined hotels, facilities and amenities.  The Hilton Sharks Bay is an excellently priced all inclusive resort with superb facilities.  The Ritz Carlton is set in lush tropical landscape with sparkling pools and cascading waterfalls.  Sharm el-Sheikh also offers the beauty of the Sinai with its majestic mountains and valleys, a number of national parks, as well as historical and archaeological attractions.

Sharm is a real year round resort so any time is good to go.   It’s hot in the summer, but pleasant and warm in the winter and is served by a very efficient and modern international airport.  But the real attraction is the world’s most amazing underwater scenery with crystal clear water, rare and beautiful reefs, and an incredible variety of exotic fish amongst the colourful coral. Much of this can be seen simply by snorkelling off the coast, but Sharm is known world-wide for Scuba Diving.

There are many diving sites between Sharm el-Sheikh and Ras Nusrani.  The corals and the fish life astound every visitor to the area. The corals come to within a metre of the surface and there’s fish life all over the reef.  For Dara’a peace of mind, you don’t even have to dive to see them, but the diving experience is second to none when you do.