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In the last twenty five years, many changes have taken
place in Sinai. A number of towns that were small and
undeveloped have gained importance; new towns and cities
have grown up and tourists have discovered the numerous
places of interest and things to do in this ancient
part of Egypt.
Among the most important changes in Sinai there has
been the establishment of protected areas. The scenery
and wildlife of the area are fragile and must be nurtured
in order not just to survive but to thrive. There are
now seven protected areas: Zaranik and el-Ahrash Protected
Areas on the Mediterranean coast and on the coast of
the Gulf of Aqaba there are Taba, Abu Galum, and Nabq.
At the southernmost tip of the peninsula there is the
Ras Muhammad National Park. Ras Muhammad is a marine
park and attracts many thousands of divers every year;
they come to see the spectacular reefs and to watch
dolphins. Visitors also come to watch the spring and
autumn bird migrations because Ras Muhammad is a bottleneck
for large soaring birds. St Katherine Protectorate lies
in the center of South Sinai and attracts more than
a million visitors each year. They come as tourists,
as nature watchers and as pilgrims to the many religious
sites of which the Monastery of St Katherine is the
center.
In order to serve all these places, there is now a network
of modern roads and many former fishing villages now
provide comfortable hotel accommodation and the most
modern facilities. A good example of this is Sharm el-Sheikh. |
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The Painted
Desert |
The palace
of Abbas Pasha. |
The town
of Port Fuad. |
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