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Top 10 Winter Yacht Destinations: Red Sea, Egypt
Egypt’s Red Sea is for escapists and explorers. A mere handful of superyachts cruise the seas between the Suez Canal and the sands of Sudan. For diving, deserted beaches and year-round sun, it’s the closest thing to the Caribbean.
Jacques Cousteau charted countless Red Sea wrecks and reefs. The kaleidoscopic of open water dive spots midway between Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are only accessible by private yacht.
At Fury Shoals, visibility stretches to 60m. Frequent visitors include jacks, turtles and spinner dolphins. The Brothers are two Red Sea islands surrounded by shipwrecks and undersea cliffs. Expect tuna, grouper and white tip reef sharks. New airports and marinas mean the Red Sea’s ruins and riches are now just a RIB ride away.
Egypt’s coastal airports of Hurghada and Marsa Alam now handle passengers from London to Kuwait. More importantly, each hosts a superyacht-friendly marina a 10-minute drive from the arrivals hall.
Don’t expect Monte Carlo at Hurghada Marina, although it does host Italian restaurants and a nightly pool party. Marsa’s Port Ghalib can berth 1,000 yachts in its Mediterranean-styled lagoon with an Arabian bazaar.
It’s outside these marinas that a superyacht comes into its own. Deserts and dunes may flank the Red Sea, but that won’t stop staff from pairing sea-fresh sushi with Chateau Montrachet.
Younger guests may race the crew around the yacht on jet skis, or break out the fishing tackle. Big kids may screen Lawrence of Arabia alfresco as the lights of Aqaba twinkle beyond. A final blowout barbeque on a deserted Red Sea island will float anyone’s boat.
For more information on chartering a yacht in Egypt or any other destination around the world, contact the Y.CO charter team on [email protected] or visit the Y.CO website for more luxury yacht charter experiences.
Tomorrow Tristan Rutherford, destinations expert at luxury yacht charter company Y.CO, looks at the Brazilian Coast.