10 - 16 May 2001
Issue No.533
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 10 - 16 May 2001 Issue No.533 |
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
Charm: discreet and brazen
Five-star resorts, fabulous snorkelling and Italian masseurs -- Fatemah Farag tells (almost) all that Sharm Al-Sheikh has to offer
Sharm Al-Sheikh is both praised and condemned on the grounds of its booming five-star-oriented development. What were once pristine stretches of beach have been transformed into sprawling complexes to beat the band -- complexes which arguably could dominate any beach in the world and look pretty much the same.
I never saw the virginal version of the place, and my attitude towards the modern Sharm Al-Sheikh had always been rather ambivalent. Many of my visits had been for work -- including the Peacemakers Conference in 1995 when I shared a room with five male reporters, the worst part of which was having to share the same bathroom; my Laura Ashley make-up sachet looking very odd amidst five sets of shaving gear -- but that is another story. Up to my last visit, my evaluation of Sharm Al-Sheikh was reduced to the question of whether or not I liked the hotel in which I happened to be.
But this time was different. As I headed last week to this most famous of south Sinai's resort towns I felt responsible for the happiness and welfare of my travel companions: a friend, a little boy and my four-month-old Pekinese puppy, Sushi. I was stressed to say the least -- would the town be able to fulfil our diverse needs, while giving us things to do together? It was a big bill to fill, but Sharm Al-Sheikh succeeded in coming through for me. My feelings for the resort town changed forever.
Getting there
One option is to drive. Go up Horreya Street in Heliopolis and you will eventually hit the Suez highway. It takes little over an hour to reach the Ahmed Helmi Tunnel, via which one crosses the Suez Canal into Sinai. From there on it is approximately a five-hour drive. The road is good, and the police checkpoints are far between.
The bus is a convenient if less comfortable road option. There are two companies serving the area: Superjet and East Delta. The former is more comfortable, the latter a little cheaper -- whichever, one is in for a long ride in a very narrow chair with a bad movie blaring loudly overhead, even at night.
Whenever possible I opt for the plane. For Egyptians and foreign residents the fare is about LE300 for the round-trip and, when the plane is on time, these one-hour flights are comfortable and a great time-saver. Of course there is the hassle of dealing with our national airline. Arriving at Cairo Airport we checked-in to Sharm Al-Sheikh under a sign which said "Hurghada". "It is the right one," the baggage assistant assured us. We had to take his word for it. On out return journey, we checked in at the counter which said Cairo but once we were on board the hostess announced we were bound for Alexandria. Shocked out of our wits, and thinking we should have looked for the Alexandria counter to reach Cairo, we were then informed that the plane would head for Cairo after a stopover in Alex. No one had mentioned this small detour to us, not at the ticket office, nor at the check-in counter -- what can I say? Plenty of people disembarked in Alexandria, so they must have been in on the secret.
But with domestic flights one learns to expect almost anything. The new experience for me came with Sushi. Travelling on EgyptAir with a pet is both very easy and very difficult. When buying our tickets we were told we could take her on board in a handbag. At the counter this was confirmed, and we were instructed to buy her a LE15 ticket. So far so good. From then on, at every checkpoint, at the foot of the stairs leading up to the plane and even when we were ensconced in our seats, troubled looks would follow us and various airport and flight attendants would pursue us with queries such as, "Is she allowed?" and, "Shouldn't she be in a carrier?" The only friendly face among the questioners was the officer who, upon seeing Sushi, started giggling before saying, "Oh, a dog. And so ugly!" Hmph. On the way back it was the same story, but this time I had to take my puppy into the cockpit for examination and approval before we could settle down. Sushi, however, took it all in her stride and she even approved of EgyptAir food, wolfing down that inevitable piece of cake on both journeys.
Where to stay
As a Sharm hotel veteran let me lay out the land for you. Your choices are divided roughly between staying within the vicinity of Na'ema Bay, the newly developed Shark's Bay or Ras Umm El-Sid. Places that have drawn my attention favourably in Na'ema are the Mövenpick (of which there is also the Mövenpick Golf Course outside Na'ema Bay, voted by parent friends of mine as the best place to go if you want to keep kids entertained) and the Fairuz Hilton. Among the other well-known choices are the Marriott and Sonesta (which has water-gym and Kids Club). Among the better known and somewhat cheaper options is the Sanafir, one of the first hotels to be set up in Na'ema Bay and famous for its Hassan Fathi-style architecture (a style emulated later on by other Sharm hotels). We had been beguiled by one Sanafir old-timer with stories of evenings spent in the hotel's courtyard gazing at the stars beyond the domed horizon. With such images in mind, the Sanafir was our choice of hotel.
That pulsing sensation: a vibrant nightlife is one of Sharm's major attractions -- at the Bus Stop youngsters dance the night away
photo: Thomas Hartwell
The Sanafir is not on the water, but is well situated in the town and has charming domed rooms with built-in beds. At the centre of the hotel is a small but nicely-designed pool with waterfalls and a Jacuzzi. The pool, we discovered, is accessible 24 hours a day. A relaxing evening swim beneath Sharm Al-Sheikh's star-studded sky is an experience not to be missed.
As we were staying at a B&B rate we headed for the breakfast buffet every morning, but found this was not a changeable feast -- the rather uninspiring dishes were the same day after day. However, the Sanafir makes up in character and comfort for what it lacks in ostentation. It can, though, be unnervingly noisy at night. Since it is home to one of the resort's most popular night spots, many of the rooms reverberate with pulsating music. The only solution is to join the revellers and groove at the disco -- there'll be plenty of time to catch up with sleep later.
An even cheaper -- and quieter -- option is to stay at the Pigeon House, which is on the highway at the edge of the desert behind the town. The thatched huts and rooms are cheap and clean and the food is reasonable and very good.
The plus of staying in Na'ema is that one is centrally located to the market, restaurants and night life. There will be more of that later, but to give you a quick idea of what it's like it is sufficient to say that the town centre is spotlessly clean and closed to motor vehicles, so that walking and shopping are pleasant pastimes. The Bay boasts a lengthy boardwalk, a very pleasant place for an evening stroll. At night, singers perform at the hotels' sea-front restaurants and one can enjoy the music while walking, taking time to linger at the stalls where young men are hand-painting T-shirts or henna-tattooing visitors. It was on one of the first of these walks that our nine-year-old and I discovered a common penchant for ice-cream cones; creamy versions of which can be bought from several vendors on the way. And although the child was not really into long walks, battery-run scooters which can be rented in town saved our evenings, with each of us puttering away on the wheels of our choice.
But nothing is perfect, and the main drawback of staying in Na'ema Bay is that the water in the bay is not as clean as the Red Sea should be. The success of the tourism industry has killed off much of the underwater life, and the major hotels have appropriated what was once a public beach. We tried to access the beaches of both the Hilton and the Mövenpick, and were refused entry. We asked if we could buy a ticket for the day and were turned down, and then we asked if we could buy lunch and drinks on the beach. We were once again rebuffed. "If you want to eat, you go to the hotel. This beach is only for our residents," we were told in no uncertain terms. Old Na'ema Bay hands tell me they have fond memories of when anyone could lie on this beach, eating lunch at a kiosk. Alas, no more.
With the water so close at hand, the child was getting cranky. The Ghazala, next to the Hilton, does offer day use of the beach for LE15, and further down there is a very slim strip of "public beach" for a nominal fee. We finally opted for the Tiran, a café at the very tip of the bay which allows Sanafir residents in free of charge. The beach was cramped and the only diversion we could find were glass-bottomed boats, which allow one a limited view of the reef at an immense cost to the corals and other marine life forms. Having been forewarned of the damage these boats do, we refused to give them our custom. We also ignored the equally environmentally-unfriendly banana boat rides (inflated "bananas" pulled by power boats) at LE25 per person. Well, beaches are heaven for dogs, and Sushi had a good time.
East of Na'ema Bay, towards Shark Bay, lies the Hyatt Regency Hotel, where the rooms are extremely well-appointed and one can spoil oneself with bath salts, shampoo and shower gel from the Dead Sea. It has a decent gym, an amazing three-tiered pool -- one tier of which has simulated water currents -- three outdoor Jacuzzis, two of which overlook the sea, and an enormous water slide.
The breakfast buffet here was excellent. However, one can't have everything, and we found the mood somewhat restrictive. Everywhere were notices admonishing women against topless sunbathing, and the beach itself was poor, with nothing for snorkellers to see.
Thumbs up for the Sheraton, ugly yet so ingeniously structured that one might think it was hewn from the solid rock of the mountain. All the rooms have large balconies with an excellent view of the water and the Straits of Tiran. The pool is small and constantly crowded, but the beach is extensive and the hotel has direct access to some excellent snorkelling. To it's credit, the hotel provides floaties which take one out over the reef to where one can jump safely into the water, and guards who patrol the beach to make sure people use the floaties and do not step on the coral. An active animation team manages to keep many guests busy, especially children. The food is just about OK, but unfortunately the Turkish bath was not functioning during our stay. There is a segregated sauna, and the gym is adequate.
Beyond the Sheraton is the Pyramisa -- too large for my comfort, although fancy enough. Next to Pyramisa is one of the very last outposts of the early Sharm Al-Sheikh, the Shark's Bay Camp. This group of clean, well-kept bungalows with air conditioners and straw huts is basic and pleasant and, of course, very cheap.
But if you have come here looking for luxury with a capital "L", the pièce de resistance, if you can afford it, is said to be the Ritz-Carlton. If you reach the Ritz you have reached the beach of Ras Umm El-Sid, and I would have loved to give you a first-hand account of the large, luxurious rooms with direct Internet access and all sorts of other amenities. However, a short phone call to a very friendly and helpful receptionist informed me that a double B&B is in the range of LE700 per night, which put the Ritz out of reach for me. According to my guidebook, the Ritz in Sharm Al-Sheikh is "the last word in luxury," and as this is the first Ritz in Africa it's probably well worth the money.
Wining and dining
A perk of capital development has been the noted abundance and diversity of restaurants, and Sharm Al-Sheikh is a case in point. This must be the only place in Sinai where you can find branches of such Cairene favourites as La Casetta and Peking, as well as fast-food mainstays -- yes, the inevitable KFC and MacDonald's. But the town also has its own popular eateries. In Na'ema Bay we tried La Trattoria, a sidewalk restaurant run by Sanafir, but although my companions highly commended their choices of fried chicken and seafood pasta, my pasta Alfredo was morose with the promised bacon replaced by cubes of luncheon meat. La Trattoria is on the expensive side. Another basic Italian food alternative, this time on the beach front, is Da Franco, which looks very pleasant with its glass walls and many plants. Very much a restaurant for people with children.
The Hard Rock Café is not only good for dancing and cocktails -- but if you want to focus on food it's best to go before the dancing crowd arrives at midnight. The Hard Rock has an American menu and does great burgers, onion rings and ice creams, as well as a kids' menu with puzzles and a supply of crayons to keep Junior occupied.
If you find Peking too plain for your taste but yearn for Asian food, there is plenty of choice. On the boardwalk, a plaster dragon and large brown bamboo stalks lead you to Kokai, a Ghazala-run Japanese restaurant with an interesting menu -- though, sadly, I have never quite found the time to try it. The Kona Kai restaurant at the Marriott is also claimed to be very good, if expensive. For a fancy oriental meal we opted for the Thai restaurant at the Hyatt. It was an absolutely wonderful experience. Wood-panelled dining-room, waiters who put the napkin on your lap, great food and cigars and cognac after dinner -- who could ask for more? You are forewarned, however: this comes at a price.
Back in town, there are several Lebanese restaurants, the menus of which look rather plain, and several other Italian food options. Most restaurants close by 11.00pm, and so it was one late evening when the friend and I were looking for somewhere to eat that we happened upon the Bakery, adjacent to the Camel Dive Club, the only place still open. We thought we were stuck with the only option in town, but were pleasantly surprised. The rounds of freshly baked bread, tuna paté, calamari salad, pasta with gorgonzola sauce and spinach Florentine were excellent and reasonably priced. We were so impressed that we decided to take the child for breakfast there the following morning, but it seems morning meals are not their strong point. Once again we were faced with an uninteresting buffet which was surprisingly overpriced.
The fish restaurant on the beach in Shark's Bay is excellent -- just don't ask for pizza -- not their specialty -- and do not expect dessert.
Day and night: where to go and what to do
The joy of Sharm Al-Sheikh is that you can stay in town or at Na'ema Bay with all the commotion of a small resort town, or at a more remote, five-star resort, yet get away from both, expanding the horizons of your vacation beyond what either alternative has to offer. Day boat excursions to both Tiran and Ras Mohamed (see related articles) are popular.
A LE20 taxi ride (the cost to and from any destination within Sharm) to Shark's Bay's public beach, where for a mere LE2 per person you can spend the day at what must be Egypt's best public beach. This is kept very clean -- at one end is a coffee bar (Italian espresso, no less) which also sells fruit for a quick pick-me-up if your blood sugar is running low in the heat, while at the other end is a fish restaurant. A few shops at the back sell basics such as plastic shoes for entering the water without hurting your feet on sharp rocks, suntan lotion and kleems to spread on the beach. The beach is as liberal as I have seen anywhere in Europe, and from the beaches of Sharm let me tell you -- thongs are in.
I am not into diving myself, but for those who are there is no shortage of courses and centres. To mention a few of those recommended by friends I pass on the names of the Anemone Dive Centre, the Camel Dive Club and Oonas. Livaboard trips can be arranged either through the dive centres or by contacting private boat owners (see adjacent directory). There are other water sports, although it is debatable whether any of them, including wind surfing and parasailing, are as considerate of this delicate environment as it deserves..
Through Sushi I met Antonio, the tall, dashing Italian with the fascinating smile. We met on the street: he smilingly asked a few questions about Sushi, played with her a bit and told me he had a dog just like her back in Italy. Later on in the day I went to the Chi Su Massage parlour in the courtyard of Sanafir and, lo and behold, who should emerge like a dream but Antonio in dazzling white and that smile. What luck -- he was the masseur! "How is darling?" He asked with such great warmth that I stuttered with shyness. That is until he dropped the smile and asked in forlorn tones "But where is my sweetie? I would so much like to see her." He was, of course, referring to Sushi, and when I told him she was having her afternoon nap he nodded with great understanding and quickly turned his attention from me to his schedule book: "And you, you want a massage?" Well fine. Yes I would have the massage, and since my nerves were quite taut after this shattering encounter, I chose the "relaxation" option. For the full effect of the experience I direct you to Antonio. You might have to go and pick him up from the bar to meet your scheduled appointment, but heck, it is Sharm, and he does have a great smile.
At night the town really comes into its own. Early in the evening the "bazaar" area springs to life. Everything from T-shirts to gold jewellery can be had, and the selection is far better than the usual run-of-the-mill touristic stuff. I found myself buying bead bracelets, gold earrings, a bright yellow plaster fish made in China which serves as a 'fridge magnet, and receiving a present of two African statues.
To break up the intensity of a shopping spree one can stop for tea spiced with miramiya at one of the many coffee shops in the bazaar, or perhaps sit on the sidewalk and have a henna-tattoo painted on your newly-tanned skin. Between the bazaar and the highway, a group of Medinet Nasr-style malls have taken shape -- grotesque structures home to shops selling sequined evening gowns, Italian bikinis and spices. Or perhaps you would rather go to a movie. On our way out of town we spied a sign which told us we had missed ice-skating and bowling. In short, there are activities to keep the whole family happy -- except for the one in charge of the wallet.
At night the grown-up entertainment kicks off. At about midnight, the Hard Rock Café (guarded by intimidating, though-really-sweet-when-you-get-to-know-them bouncers) and Bus Stop (at Sanafir) start rocking. One evening we peeked into the Camel Dive Bar, and through the smoke watched a very young and friendly crowd take over the floor and start dancing. The Lonely Planet looks that -- very lonely, empty and uninviting. A more cheerful but quiet evening can be had at the Bar Pirates, the Hilton Fairuz Bar which, in spite of the pirate motif, is actually homey in that English pub sort of way. Also courtesy of the big hotels are the Cactus Disco (Mövenpick) and Casablanca (Sonesta).
Oh, and do not forget those long walks on the boardwalk.
As we headed back to Cairo we all sat satiated in our plane seats. The friend and I had great tans, the child had snorkelled for the first time and held on to his guide to Red Sea fish as if holding on to the experience, and Sushi slept in my lap, snoring -- after all she had had her first swim, dug her first beach hole and fallen in and out of love with a large Italian dog called Sailor. Thumbs up all round.
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