Taba Excursions
Opportunities for dining and sightseeing outside of the immediate Taba area are limited, except inside the main hotels themselves. There are however, a few interesting places to visit and some fun activities for the more adventurous….
Excursions
The following excursions are easily organised by any of the hotels in the region:
Taba Salt Cave
The first of its kind in Egypt, this is a small but beautiful place to escape to for an hour, in the heart of Taba Heights. You don’t have to be a guest, just tell the security guards at the gate that you are going to the Wikala for the Salt Cave.
You will find it at the far end (south) of the shopping mall, near the bank. There is a small shop selling items made form salt and a cool and fragranced atmosphere when you enter. You are greeted by a complimentary hibiscus iced tea, and then led into the cave itself. This is a beautifully designed room, caked with salt from Siwa Oasis and the Dead Sea, said to infuse the air with minerals, which may promote health and energy.
Each session lasts 45 mins, and all you need to do is to lie on a reclining chair with soothing music and soft lighting…not a bad way to recharge away from the busy beach and the heat outside. It costs approximately 100le per session and you are advised to book your time slot in advance.
Pharaoh’s Island/ Salah El-Din’s Castle
As you travel from Taba towards Nuweiba, you may be surprised to see a castle looming up out of the sea not far from the coast. This is the 12th century castle of Salah El-Din (see image above) and is well worth a visit for a few hours.
There are boats which will take you across to the island either from the Helwan hotel (which sadly has been built right across the bay from the island) or the beach alongside. There are constant rumours that the castle itself will reopen soon, however at this point nothing has materialized.
Taba Fjord/Laguna
An incredibly beautiful spot on a bend in the road from Taba to Nuweiba, this natural lagoon is a wonderful place to hang out for the afternoon. Officially it is free, although there are a few police who stay there and will try to ask for money and take your passports, so do not forget to collect them again when you leave!
Expect to be asked for between 25 and 100le per person. Take a snorkel and a picnic and walk around the south side (right) of the water, where there are many beautiful spots for swimming and snorkeling. There are NO facilities here at present so make sure that your taxi waits for you.
Activities
All along the coast you will find centres for more active pursuits. In Taba, the most reliable are the Waterworld centre in Taba Heights, offering everything from snorkeling to banana boats and windsurfing, and Canyon Safaris, who will take you into the desert on quad bikes for a louder and more energetic experience than the usual camel treks!
All the hotels will work with local Bedouin to provide desert trips and camel rides, just ask them to book for you.
Dining Out
The Tobya Boutique Hotel is worth checking out during busy season, although out of season they close the second restaurant. They pride themselves on using qualified chefs from Cairo and feature a variety of dishes from across Egypt and international dishes.
Every 5* hotel has its range of restaurants of course, and it is worth looking to see what is available. Most offer an international bistro and a more ‘traditional’ venue, sometimes with local music and dance. Bear in mind that out of season, many of the hotels reduce their service so some of the smaller restaurants may close- get your hotel/camp to phone ahead and check.
There are not any other options currently although as business picks up some of the local camps on the coast may reopen and offer more local food at lower prices. As it stands now however, your best bet is to travel a little further south towards Nuweiba to find places outside of the 5* resorts.
Further Afield
Visitors to Taba are also within reach of many of the attractions of the greater South Sinai. These include the friendly, laid back beach resorts of Nuweiba and Dahab, the ancient walls of St Catherine's Monastery, and the rugged peaks of Mount Catherine and Mount Sinai.
For More Information:
Egypt's First Salt Cave - The Taba Salt Cave
