Life is returning to normal -- and getting cheaper -- in Sharm El-Sheikh. Rasha Sadek provides the proof It was as if nothing had ever happened. Tanned bodies relaxed on the soft sands, grinning two-year-olds tickled by the mild waves washing their tiny feet, and black suits with air tanks on their backs approaching the shore, leaving a silent spellbinding underwater world behind. It was Sharm El-Sheikh all over again. Although three areas in the city were blasted in terrorist attacks over a month ago, life seems to have picked up speedily in this top-notch resort on the Red Sea. There is occupancy of 55 per cent in hotels -- and steadily rising, especially after the Italian Embassy in Cairo lifted the warning against travelling to Sinai. Safer now than ever, with security measures taken seriously, Sharm El-Sheikh is offering its multinational holidaymakers discounts reaching up to 15 per cent in hotels and resorts and 30 per cent in its leisure pursuits of safaris and seafaris. While August has been a golden opportunity for Hurghada -- Sharm El-Sheikh's rival -- to attract travellers who changed their plans and their flights after the blasts on 23 July, the Red Sea resort of Hurghada skyrocketed their prices. For example, the five-star Steigenberger Golf Resort in El-Gouna, for August and September, put up double rooms for LE700. With a noticeable increase of the foreign market in El-Gouna, the majority of four- and three-star hotels are fully booked. However, by early October, Sharmers and property owners expect things will return to normal to make up for the setback of July. October is regarded as the premium month to enjoy the finest weather and the most pristine water perfect for diving or snorkelling. Thus, occupancy is anticipated to rise to 90-95 per cent. Egyptians are out of the equation in October, though, because of schools and universities. Re-promoting Sharm El-Sheikh is not difficult for the people in the tourism industry since it is a city that sells itself by using just its name. "Sharm will regain its strength on its own, and soon," Bahaa, a Sharmer, believes. Renowned for its diving sites that many regard as the best in the world, Sharm boasts Ras Mohamed, Tiran and Sanafir islands, to name but a few locations. Another charming aspect of Sharm El-Sheikh is the Bedouin adventures that will take you from camel trekking, quadrunning and horseback riding to starlit dinners. At night, allow yourself to go loud and wild in Sharm's many discotheques, casinos and pubs. The bustling hive in Sharm is Neama Bay, the heart of the city. Its promenade is packed -- half-packed these days -- with a cocktail of nationalities. Aligning the promenade are beach restaurants, Oriental and Bedouin cafés which entertain their guests with live bands, animation shows and oud singers. Not to mention the malls and bazaars the style of which is unmatched anywhere. HOTELS: Accommodation in Sharm is generally flexible. From five- to one-star hotels, besides camps, you'll find a good deal whatever your budget is. Sharm El-Sheikh is normally one of the most expensive resorts in Egypt, but now is the perfect time to make use of the discounts on offer. Lying on Neama Bay is the five-star Jolie Ville Mövenpick Resort (+2069 360 0100) offering foreigners double rooms on bed and breakfast basis for $150 instead of $230, and Egyptians a discount of approximately 15 per cent on the same rooms for LE650. The Sheraton Sharm Hotel, Resort and Villas, a few kilometres from the airport, has a special promotion for Egyptians and foreign residents throughout August and September. With a 50 per cent occupancy expected to increase to 60 per cent by early September, the hotel has adopted a new policy, under the management of Jose Pinto, to diversify the market. Portugal, Spain, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic are new markets in addition to customary Italy, Germany, the UK and Egypt. Guests are to be well looked after with parties on the beach, animation shows, belly dancers and a discotheque. The five-star Sheraton (+2069 360 2070/81), with 835 rooms and 11 pools, offers singles for LE350, doubles for LE425 and triples for LE525, on bed and breakfast basis. Chalets are offered for LE320, LE370 and LE470 respectively. Lunch buffets are offered for LE80 while dinner is for LE90. The Egyptian market is well taken care of at the Sheraton since its occupancy rates prior to 23/7 was 1,700 room nights as opposed to approximately 800 in July 2004. Back to Neama Bay, the three-star Kanabesh Village (+2069 360 0184) offers double rooms, bed and breakfast, for Egyptians for LE240 instead of LE325, and for 58 euros for foreigners. Kanabesh is a good barometer; only five days after Italy lifted its warning against travelling to Sharm El-Sheikh, the village received 22 Italians in one go. The three-star Camel Dive Club and Hotel (+2069 360 0700) has built a reputation for diving packages and is famous for its typical English Camel Bar, perfect for a night-time beer. With 38 rooms and 40 per cent occupancy, now constantly on the rise, the Camel Hotel receives most of its guests from Germany and the UK. Egyptians are offered a 20 per cent discount though. Prices for standard rooms, bed and breakfast, are LE200 for singles, LE280 for doubles and LE360 for triples. Superior rooms overlooking the pool are charged an extra LE40. For foreigners, standard rooms are for 82 euros, 101 euros and 135 euros respectively. Superiors are reserved for 96 euros, 114 euros and 145 euros respectively. Dinner is charged at the hotel for LE100 for Egyptians and 15 euros for foreigners. The Coral Bay Hotel, also known as Al-Sheikh Coast, is a five-star hotel considered foreigner-inclusive. A majority occupancy -- 55 per cent -- is from the Italian and Russian markets. Coral Bay receives few Egyptians unlike some hotels that depend entirely on foreigners, like Queen Sharm Vera Club (currently 81 per cent room vacancy) on Um Al-Sid Hill, the quieter alternative to Neama Bay. Coral Bay Hotel (+2069 360 1610) offers Egyptians double rooms on half board basis for LE400 and LE320 for singles. Foreigners can reserve double rooms, half board for 140 euros, bed and breakfast for 120 euros. Neama Bay Hotel, which opened a little over a year ago, is located between Hard Rock Café and Little Buddha, two of Sharm's favourite night outings. The five-star hotel (+202 291 8403) offers double rooms for LE350 and 53 euros for Egyptians and foreigners respectively on bed and breakfast basis. Single rooms cost LE280 and 35 euros respectively. DIVING AND SNORKELLING: The silent underwater world of the Red Sea is undoubtedly Sharm's main attraction. "Divers and vacationers know the blasts weren't meant for them. They are smart enough to know what they want in Sharm El-Sheikh and they simply come to get it. After all, August is the best month to dive," Friday Koehler from the Sinai Divers centre says, pointing to the noticeable increase in the number of divers and professional underwater photographers three weeks after the explosions. Ras Mohamed is unquestionably one of the world's best dive sites. Many -- including myself -- say it is peerless. Right at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula lies Ras Mohamed. A paradise for divers and snorkellers, Ras Mohamed with its spectacular coral formations and rare tropical fish is unparalleled in the diving world. It was declared a national protectorate in 1989. Lying only 12 kilometres from Sharm El-Sheikh and 40 kilometres from Al-Tor, Ras Mohamed Park covers 480 square kilometres. An eye-catcher as snorkellers and divers arrive in Ras Mohamed is the Mangrove Channel. This area is home to nearly 50 per cent of the mangrove trees to be found in the northern hemisphere. The mangrove plant is ecologically phenomenal, as it works to sweeten sea water, thus enabling more marine life forms to exist around it. "Possibly the best wreck dive in the world," is a line constantly associated with the Thistlegorm. Located in the Strait of Global near Ras Mohamed, this impressive site is recommended to those who love making contact with history while diving. The Thistlegorm is a World War II British war vessel which sank in 1941 after being attacked from the air. The vessel was carrying war supplies such as motorbikes, aircraft wings, train carriages and rifles. First discovered by Jacques Costeau in 1956, he filmed the site yet refused to reveal its location until it was rediscovered in the early 1990s. Exquisite marine plants and rare species of fish grow around the 126m vessel which lies 30 metres deep. The Dunraven wreck lies south of Ras Mohamed near the exceptional coral garden of the Beacon Rock. Seventeen metres deep, the Dunraven is a British cargo ship that sank in 1876, on its way from Bombay to Liverpool, to be found in 1977. Rumours abound as to who found the wreck, the most plausible being a German geologist. As with the Thistlegorm, the Dunraven has coral formations compiled around it. The anchor chain of the wreck is covered with colourful marine plants. Of the most romantic dive sites are Tiran and Sanafir islands. The two are located side by side and are only accessible by sailing boat. The straits of Tiran close off the Gulf of Aqaba in the south and are bound by the Sinai Peninsula to the west and Saudi Arabia to the east. At the centre is Tiran Island, and a little to the east is the smaller island of Sanafir. There are four reefs which you can dive or snorkel around in Tiran; Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse and Jackson. However, because of strict military rules, the islands are off limits. Watch out for the strong currents in this area. The southwestern point of Jackson is a Red Sea highlight offering incredible soft corals, fish and the opportunity to see large pelagics. The islands are romantic for a reason. Besides the azure blue lagoons and the sun rays dancing on the sea bed, a Bedouin legend has it that Sanafir, the Arabian princess, was in love with Tiran. The couple's dreams were shattered when her father separated them on two isolated islands. The brave young man fought the sea to reach his beloved but was surrounded by sharks. The legend goes on: "If you listen carefully, you can still hear the wind carrying the voice of the princess calling out to her lover." Divers are generally more adventurous than snorkelers who prefer the mask, snorkels and fins in a simple tuition-free experience to enjoy the wonders of the Red Sea. I'm one of those. As someone who has been snorkelling in the Red Sea for more than 10 years, I'm still taken aback by the fascinating beauty which stretches below me in the seascape. Neama Bay is littered with coral rocks about 50 metres from the shore which can provide for a peaceful snorkelling time, of charm and adventure. The most famous of corals in Neama Bay is the Brain, or rather the Favia. Located near the Sofitel Hotel, the yellow nocturnal coral looks exactly like the human brain. If you don't want to get your feet wet but still want to catch a glimpse of what goes on down there, simply put yourself on board a glass boat. Diving and snorkelling centres are scattered in Neama. The Red Sea Diving College, Sinai Divers and Ocean College are most popular among Britons and Italians. The Red Sea Diving College offers Egyptians a 30 per cent discount. Two dives at either Ras Mohamed or Tiran cost around 60 euros, three dives at the Dunraven cost 85 euros and two dives at the Thistlegorm wreck go for 115 euros. Other seafaris can be reserved from any of the booths and watersport centres in Neama, Um Al-Sid Hill or directly from your hotel. San Marino is considered the cheapest with a 30 per cent discount on its trips for Egyptians, while foreigners get a special deal if they book more than one seafari. The San Marino booth offers trips to Ras Mohamed, half day, by jeep for LE100. If you prefer to go by boat -- which I strongly recommend in order to give yourself the chance for a serene mind sail -- an all-day trip including lunch and drinks will cost LE120. If you opt for Tiran, all day with lunch and drinks, that will be LE100. The Hot Spot centre will give Egyptians the Tiran trip for the same price but foreigners will be charged 20 euros, while Ras Mohamed, also LE120 for Egyptians, is 25 euros for foreigners. The Hot Spot offer is a 20 per cent discount on the following: a three-hour snorkelling trip in Um Al-Sid Hill costs Egyptians LE70 and foreigners 10 euros and includes drinks, while the one-hour trip in the Near Garden is merely LE35 or five euros. The Jolie Ville Sports Club will offer you snorkelling equipment on your half-day trip to Ras Mohamed for $31.5. If you decide on 90-minute snorkelling in the Near Garden, that will be $7.5. The Red Sea Star booth will offer you a 30 per cent discount if you rent a private boat for seven hours. The boat takes up to eight persons for $300. Hourly glass boat trips are offered at San Marino for LE35, $8 at the Jolie Ville and LE45 at the Red Sea Star. The 90-minute glass boat at the Hot Spot cost Egyptians LE55 and foreigners eight euros. EXCURSIONS: In Sharm El-Sheikh, excursions have an ambiance you can only find on Pluto. Whether witnessing the faint sun rays break on red mountains during sunset or breathtaking brown mountains revealing shades of light beams during sunrise, you're bound to have an exhilarating experience in the Sinai desert. From Sharm you can embark on short or long desert excursions, and make use of the discounts offered at booths in Neama Bay. They range from 10-30 per cent. Short excursions usually take place in Wadi Al-Aat. Bedouin starlit dinners provide for an unforgettable quality time of charm and mystery. Decorating the background of the Bedouin tent where you will be seated on comfy klims is the Echo Mountain illuminated by candles. And remember this: Bedouin tea is a must. Added to the coal-boiled tea is habak, a mint-like herb that grows in the Sinai desert in winter. No sooner will you take the first sip of your glass than a belly dancer will start the show followed by the whirling dervishes who will present another dimension of tanoura dancing. And before you start your delicious coal-cooked Bedouin dinner you'll be invited to dance to Oriental music along with another belly dancer. Amidst all of this, don't forget to look up to the hundreds of thousands of stars watching you. Bedouin dinner excursions are not daily trips; most hotels and booths arrange them once or twice a week. Prices range from LE100 at the Red Sea Star, LE80 at San Marino and LE120 at the Hot Spot. You can incorporate your dinner in the desert with camel trekking or horse-back riding for 15 minutes for LE10. Otherwise, you can make them an excursion on their own and feel like Lawrence of Arabia, especially as you are guided by the Bedouins behind Al-Aat Mountain, or when your return is punctuated by an ardent sunset or a mystical sunrise among the sand dunes. Horse excursions are usually more expensive than camels. The former range from LE90-120 while camels cost LE70-90 per hour. Quadrunning trips brings out the adventurer in you. Race against the wind and ride the sand and set off into the middle of nowhere. Manual or automatic, quadrunners seat up to two persons. Your guide will tell you that headropes are a must, and they are. As your drive speeds, dust and sand will batter your face, so you need to be covered. You don't want to return with your body all sand-coloured and worn during the two-hour spin. Prices for quadrunning excursions range from $20-30 for singles and $35-40 for doubles at San Marino and Red Sea Star excursion booths, to $42-50 for singles and $63-70 for doubles at the Jolie Ville and Hot Spot centres. Long safaris are those that take you to Saint Catherine Monastery, the city of Dahab, Moses Mountain (where he received the Ten Commandments), the Blue Hole (an x-sport diving site) and the Coloured Canyon. May be you can take a 12-hour trip to Abu Galoum, situated six kilometres from Dahab. The trip starts off at 6am from Sharm El-Sheikh. As you approach Abu Galoum, you can switch to a two-hour ride on a camel to tour the beach, followed by a 90-minute swim and snorkel. The excursion ends with a visit to Dahab, Sinai's largest bazaar, before returning to Sharm El-Sheikh by the afternoon. These safaris usually range from LE190- 250, or $45-63. NIGHTLIFE: It's Las Vegas time. Salsa Club, in Neama Bay next to Cataract Hotel, is one of the oldest discotheques in Sharm El-Sheikh, having opened in the mid- 1990s. Mondays are special at Salsa as they are the hip hop and RnB nights. Hard Rock -- no need for definition here -- is only a few steps away from Salsa, and is giving 30 per cent away on its gift shop. Al-Fanar, on Um Al-Sid Hill, throws open-air, right-on- the-beach parties on Fridays. Word has it that Al-Fanar has the wildest parties in Sharm El-Sheikh. Al-Pasha discotheque, formerly known as Bus Stop, competes with Al-Fanar in fame. The discotheque periodically hosts world- renowned DJs and is highly frequented during Christmas and New Year's. Every Thursday, a House Nations party is thrown -- the loudest of all parties. I know people who take the six-hour drive from Cairo just to attend Al-Pasha's parties. And you, night owl, if at 3am you still feel like dancing, Faces on Al-Salam Road opens after hours. Little Buddha, a sushi bar, pub and discotheque opened some months ago, and is the first of its chain in the Middle East following France, the US and South Africa. Distinctive with decorative arches and Buddha statues, the restaurant plays eclectic international music and sounds and features traditional Chinese cuisine with a touch of French influence. The Little Buddha manager, nicknamed Romeros, was the most high-spirited man I met in Sharm. He was cocksure the 23/7 aftermath was over, days before this article went to print. Flying back to Cairo, I nodded in agreement.
