Find information on Nuweiba in our Travel Guide covering sights, foods and nightlife plus more...
Nuweiba lies in the Sinai Peninsula on the Gulf of Aqaba, sixty kilometres south of Taba Airport and has a transfer time of eighty minutes. The area has dramatic mountains and deserts, as well as a wonderful coastline on the gulf. With modern accommodation, a large number of shops and restaurants, and a wide range of leisure activities, it is no surprise that Nuweiba attracts many holidaymakers every year.
With year-long sunshine and invitingly warm waters of the Gulf, beach lovers and aqua sports enthusiasts can enjoy a Nuweiba holiday at any time of year. The water conditions, its clarity and its wealth of marine life are perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving. Nuweiba is quiet in the evenings with most entertainment being hotel based. There are only a few places that are licensed to sell alcohol.
A Nuweiba holiday has wide appeal. It is an ideal destination for those who want to relax by a pool in pleasant surroundings, or to bask in the sun on bleached sands. Water sport enthusiasts will enjoy the wide range of sports that are available.
Although December to March is the most popular time to take a Nuweiba holiday, when the temperatures lie comfortably in the twenties, holidays can be taken there at any time of year.
Nuweiba, on the Gulf of Aqaba on the Sinai Peninsula, is renowned for the beauty of its sunrises and sunsets when the sky is transformed into a palette of rose, magenta and crimson hues.
Nuweiba lies in an area of contrasts, surrounded by desert, backed by rugged mountains and facing glistening white sands and clear blue seas. The beach is dotted with palm-roofed sun shades and lined with cafes and small restaurants offering day long refreshments. The translucent water, with its shallow reefs, is ideal for scuba diving and snorkelling as they are filled with a myriad of tropical fish, stunning in their variety and colour. There are also many opportunities for water sports activities. The Marina is north of the centre in Tarabin and it is from here that boat trips can be taken. Tarabin is a Bedouin village with many traditional restaurants and market stalls where you can buy local crafts.
With the desert on the doorstep, it is worth taking a trek into it either on camels or by jeep. The Coloured Canyon is one of the most popular visitor attractions. Another popular excursion is to St. Catherine’s Convent which is said to have been built at the spot where Moses was given the Ten Commandments.
Nuweiba nightlife is fairly understated with much of the entertainment being hotel based. There are restaurants and cafes, many of them on he beach, where you can enjoy a meal but there are few licensed premises and only the occasional disco.
Nuweiba shopping is limited to holiday essentials and gifts and souvenirs. The best place for souvenirs is the Tarabin Beach area where there are many small shops selling silver jewellery, leather goods, Egyptian artefacts and handmade rugs as well as the inevitable stuffed camels. Remember to barter for your goods as the asking price can be twice the item’s worth.
The Nuweiba restaurants cater for most tastes as they serve a wide variety of food from traditional Egyptian to international cuisine. Local dishes are often seafood which is fresh from the daily catch. Served with aromatic rice or couscous it is delicious. Lamb and chicken are the most widely used meats.
Drink only bottled water which is cheap and plentiful. Always make sure that the seal is unbroken.
