The
Sharm El Sheikh Red Sea Resorts
Sun, Sea & Shisha – Isis Basnayaka presents an
alternative winter destination
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When
all that is surrounding you is rain, wind and freezing
temperature, thoughts turn to blazing sun and crystal
blue seas. So, when planning a short break, consideration
for mid-haul destinations that seem a million miles
away come to mind.
Isis
Basnayaka
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Sharm
el Sheikh is a resort destination which holds some of the
best diving and water sports in the world. Easyjet fly there
regularly and flight time is only about four and a half
hours. The experience was great for budget airline. It is
advisable to purchase the priority pass (to jump the queue
at the airport) and speedy boarding (to make sure you are
one of the first half on the plane). For a budget airline
the seats were surprisingly spacious and I found out that
the Easyjet fleet is under two years old making it one of
the more eco friendly airline. The flight attendants were
gracious and attentive. A top tip when feeling peckish while
flying is to enjoy the cheese and ham toasties! It seemed
that nearly everyone around me was eating them and I felt
I had to give them a try; and they were really quite nice.
When
you arrive in Sharm El Sheikh during the early evening
you can feel the heat immediately as you step off
the plane; the temperature box checked off my winter
destination checklist! Sharm is set on the striking
Sinai Peninsula, giving you both desert and mountains
on one side and beautiful clear seas on the other.
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As
you drive up to the Marriott Resort you are greeted
by two halves: the mountain side and beach side. I
would recommend staying on the beach side, as everything
you require is there and I’d say it is definitely
the better half though the Marriott are going through
a major refurbishment next year and are upgrading
everything). The room I stayed in was basic, spacious,
comfortable, and provided all amenities you would
expect from a Marriott. The food at the Marriott was
absolutely delicious and the service unfaultable.
The beautiful Kona Kai, Teppanyaki and Sushi Bar Restaurant
are situated amongst a calm flowing indoor pond. If
that does not whet your appetite there is always the
Parmizzano Restaurant which offers delectable al fresco
Italian food. A lovely finish to the evening was had
at the Al Tekeya bar by the beach, whose traditional
Egyptian musicians (from the Royal Academy of Music
in Cairo) were the perfect accompaniment to the smoothest
shisha!
The Marriott is conveniently located strolling distance
from Naama Bay; the local town which holds a range
of bars, a casino, restaurants and shops. It is a
typical resort town: rather tacky and much of the
sameness - I imagine it is like what an eighteen to
thirty-five age group holiday would sometimes be like.
On the plus side the major clubs such as Pacha and
Buddha Bar are situated there and really whatever
you are looking for you’ll find it.
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Destination
Hurghada
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From
Sharm, Hurghada is a short fifteen minutes flight.
Leaving to get our coach was an initial shock; the
unexpected craziness at the amount of people and all
the coaches at the airport were similar to arriving
in a town in India.The Marriott Hurghada is the premier
hotel in the area and prides itself on being the only
non-inclusive establishment – on arrival you
can see why; |
you
feel like you are in a calm luxuriant oasis cut off from
the rest of the world. The rooms are beautiful and contain
all the sumptuous touches you would expect of a 5* hotel.
The vista from the room of the sandy beach, island and the
yachts on the sparkling blue sea is stunning. Having a drink
at the island bar, amongst the modern wicker beach furniture
after swimming the short distance from the beach, you could
be mistaken for thinking you were in a tucked away beach
bar in Ibiza
Their restaurant Tuscany continues the high quality food
and wine Marriott prides itself upon. It has also been independently
recommended and the food combined with view of the sparkling
lights highlighting the bridge and island - you can see
why. The seafood salad was fresh and simple whilst the duck
was succulent and a delight to eat. I was also very impressed
with the quality of the wine and beer which is produced
in Egypt
The town is Hurghada itself is larger and more of a proper
town, though the place to head to is probably the Marina.
There are plenty of places to eat and they also have a Ministry
of Sound and a Hed Kandi: the only one outside of Ibiza.
The club is circular so you can observe all that is going
on and the best bit about it is the retractable roof –
you can’t beat dancing under the stars to the latest
house tunes! Snorkeling heading out on the yacht
Both destinations offer a wide range of activities, including,
quad biking, camel and horse riding, desert safaris, Bedouin
nights and of course the amazing diving and water sports.
As long as you are aware of what to expect and do not anticipate
experiencing a real slice of Egypt, Sharm is a good destination
for a short winter break.
A winter weekend
in Tallinn, Estonia
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