Come Back to Egypt

I remember climbing Mount Sinai at dawn and seeing the early sunlight illuminate the desert below. There are happy times spent snorkelling off the Red Sea Coast and being mesmerised by the spectrum of colour beneath the waves. And most of all I remember the warm welcome and hospitality of the Egyptian people.

Egypt is a beautiful country steeped in history and with some of the best diving sites in the world. It is heavily dependent on its tourism industry and recent events have led to the people of Egypt shaping the nation they want to see which has meant tourists deserting the country for a while. Now it seems the ordinary Egyptian people are in a position to welcome back visitors to their country and it may well be the perfect time to visit. Look around at the holiday companies and at Facebook sites such as Come Back To Egypt there are many special offers and discounted vacations around. Many are personal requests from the Egyptian people keen to kickstart the tourism industry in a country with a real new beginning.

My top ten reasons for visiting Egypt would be:

1. Scuba diving in the Red Sea where there are spectacular reefs and wrecks, or off Alexandria where you can dive to see Cleopatra's Palace.

2. The River Nile where just observing life on the banks is an experience and a cruise can be a luxurious boat or a simple felucca where you sleep under the stars.

3. Luxor and a visit to the Valley of the Kings where Tutankhamun's Tomb can be visited. History really comes to life in Egypt.

4. Abu Simbel at Aswan.

5. The chaos of Cairo with the souks and traffic.

6. The Egyptian Museum where many excavated treasures of Ancient Egypt can be seen.

7. The Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza and a chance to see one of the most iconic sights in the world.

8. The still of the desert in Sinai, perhaps staying at a Bedouin camp.

9. Mount Sinai where Moses received the ten commandments, and St Catherine's Monastery with its icons and the story of the burning bush.

10. Meeting the people of Egypt wherever you go.

So Egypt is open for visitors and now is the time to visit before everyone rediscovers this beautiful country.