Red Sea

Separating the coasts of Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea to the west, from the eastern Saudi Arabian and Yemeni coastline, the Red Sea spans traditional fishing communities to billion-dollar luxury leisure developments. Egypt’s Red Sea’s expansive offering includes the modern resort of El Gouna, near Hurghada. Spread across islands, lagoons and beaches with a wealth of exciting leisure activities to enjoy. Do check out Mangroovy Beach, a popular kitesurf destination and, for onshore downtime, Abu Tig Marina is a great spot for sundowners and after-dark fun. Golfers can tee off from the Gene Bates and Fred Couples-designed championship course at El Gouna Golf Club, although they may be distracted by the breathtaking sea and mountain views.

Sail from North Africa to the heart of Arabia to visit the Saudi coastal port city of Jeddah. The perfect blend of tradition and modernity, mix and match a shore trip with a visit to the Al-Balad heritage district and the chic Jeddah Yacht Club and Marina to see the best of both worlds. A Maldivian doppelgänger, the small coastal town on Umluj is one of the Kingdom’s hidden gems with its beautiful waterfront vistas and reputation for serving up mouthwatering seafood dishes at any of one its authentic local eateries.

Another Egypt highlight is Wadi el Gemal National Park, Translating into English as ‘valley of the camels’, the 5,000-square-kilometre park is located to the south of Marsa Alam and is home to diverse ecological habitats, including mangroves, and a rich variety of flora and fauna, including several endangered species. And culture mavens should absolutely not leave land until they’ve stood awestruck at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Giza (the only remaining ancient seven wonders of the world still standing) or travelled more than 600 kilometres south to the legendary Valley of the Kings where the boy king, Tutankhamun, is buried. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, this is a Red Sea highlight among many.