tourism

El Gouna: Egypt’s seaside idyll?

/ mikeosbornphoto / Leave a comment

You need to fly at least five hours from the UK to find guaranteed winter sunshine and warmth.

So I booked a trip to the Egypt’s warm Red Sea coast for some much needed Vitamin D.

But I didn’t choose the ever popular Sharm El-Sheik – I decided to stay in El Gouna, Egypt’s upmarket purpose-built resort which took shape from 1990.

With its series of little islands and lagoons connected by bridges, the town has been called The Venice of Egypt.

How did this safe, manicured holiday idyll measure up? READ MORE BELOW

Tap/click first image to see gallery

I chose the Creek Hotel and Residences as my El Gouna home. Modern and comfortable, with friendly staff and a great buffet breakfast and dinner to graze on.

It was fairly quiet, with plenty of room around the sun-kissed pool area and small stretch of beach next to the furthest reach of lagoon.

A tuk tuk driver and his vehicle in the Egyptian resort of El Gouna

Tuk tuks are El Gouna’s transport of choice

The hotel wasn’t in easy walking distance of El Gouna’s downtown and seaside area. But there was a solution – a fleet of fast and cheap tuk tuks to whisk you around.

With its rows of pastel, white and sand-coloured villas set next to the water, the resort had an architectural purity and neatness that was a joy to photograph.

Zaytouna Beach, next to an ironically blue Red Sea, was full of places to settle and sunbathe and had a stunning boardwalk to wander along.

An unexpected attraction further inland was the Festival Plaza, a tall structure full of symmetry that didn’t seem to be doing anything apart from crying out to be photographed from all angles.

I also wandered around the downtown area a lot, with the shopping area designed like a souk but without any of the hard sell hassle.

Mike Osborn beneath El Gouna's impressive Festival Plaza structure.

The Festival Plaza was an impressive find

And the marina areas were lined with impressive looking crafts, handsome villas, upmarket cafes – and even a pristine white lighthouse.

Maybe El Gouna didn’t pack enough of an Egyptian punch  and felt a little too smooth and perfect.

This is why I took a trip to nearby Hurghada, a larger city which delivered more of an authentic feel with bustling street life and some rough around the edges architecture.

I thoroughly enjoyed my dose of winter sunshine and a refreshing change of scenery in El Gouna. Maybe the answer is to come here to decompress after a more intense visit to Egypt’s vast, chaotic capital Cairo?

Link to the travel directory on mikeosbornphoto

Hurghada: A real taste of Egypt

/ mikeosbornphoto / Leave a comment

Feeling the winter chill and overdue a change of scene, I booked my very first trip to Egypt.

I didn’t choose the Pyramids or a Nile Cruise, but the upmarket sun-kissed Red Sea resort of El Gouna.

But I craved a taste of real Egypt and booked a day trip to the nearby city of Hurghada.

Was this an eye-opening contrast to the beach and sun loungers? READ MORE BELOW

Tap/click first image to see gallery

My day was spent in the company of tour guide Mostafa, an enthusiastic and friendly young guy with a detailed knowledge of his home city.

We visited the city’s impressive waterside mosque, but this was Friday and time for prayers – the biggest event of the week.

Sitting with a throng of male worshippers, carefully following their every move and listening in awe to the Imam’s sermon was a great privilege, thanks to Mostafa.

We moved from one part of Egyptian life to the nearby fish market, bedecked with seafood and locals carefully selecting their catch of the day.

Mike and guide Mostafa taking in the sights

The marina area has been redeveloped for the tourist trade, with a slew of restaurants where Westerners would certainly feel at home.

I asked to head away from here and we went to an ordinary neighbourhood distant from the seafront, with a busy outdoor market and a colourful array of shops and cafes.

It was filled with a hotch-potch of architecture, with some buildings in need of some TLC. But this area of Hurghada felt authentically unmanicured.

A stop for a refreshing sugar cane juice and then mint tea at a sprawling street cafe – the domain of Egyptian men – added a further sense of authenticity to this experience.

My El Gouna base seemed much smoother around the edges but lacking that fizz of excitement when I returned – I’m glad I had this brush with real Egypt.

Link to more posts about travel on mikeosbornphoto

Kazakhstan’s mystical city

/ mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

Kazakhstan is vast. After being wowed by the country’s showpiece capital Astana, it took a two-hour flight to reach my next destination.

Turkistan is a city in the south of the country and the resting place of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a Sufi teacher and mystic revered by Central Asian Muslims.

His mausoleum is a beautiful old building in a place that celebrates ancient traditions. But Turkistan has a thoroughly modern side and is geared up for floods of visitors.

Is this a tourist trap or an essential stop on your Kazakh adventure? CONTINUE READING BELOW

Tap/click first image to see gallery

The Yasawi mausoleum is the star of Turkistan with its ornate blue dome, beautifully tiled exterior and a deep sense of history.

Other roots of Kazakh tradition are on show nearby, including an ancient bath house and a covered bazaar street (now selling an array of souvenirs).

Old gives way to the brand spanking new in the Karavansaray development, a complex offering shops, restaurants serving Kazakh dishes and other leisure pursuits. There’s even a Venetian-style waterway where you can take a boat trip.

While it’s easy to be a little cynical about what Turkistan has to offer, there’s one attraction which blew my socks off.

Housed under a sparkling gold dome, the flying theatre uses spectacular footage and shifting chairs to take you on a magic carpet ride over Kazakhstan.

Two young waitresses photographed at a traditional restaurant in the Kazakh city of Turkistan.

Steppe smiles: Staff at a Turkistan restaurant serving hearty Kazakh food

It was like a thinking man’s thrill ride and an unexpectedly moving experience which you must do if you land in this city.

Turkistan was just a quick stop between Astana and an overnight train ride to Kazakhstan’s biggest city Almaty. 

It broke up the long hours of travel and was a startling contrast between modern attractions and its ancient mausoleum, which is worth seeing if Uzbekistan and its Silk Road treasures are not part of your Central Asia itinerary.

Forgettable travel isn’t worth doing and Turkistan had its memorable moments.

Next time: Almaty, displaced by Astana as Kazakhstan’s capital, but still arguably the beating heart of the country.

Tunisia: Island architecture

/ mikeosbornphoto / Leave a comment

My trip to Tunisia’s Djerba island was intended as a relaxing sunshine break after the long, chilly British winter.

Instead of lying on the beach I decided to hire a bicycle and see some of Djerba’s sights using pedal power alone.

Riding my trusty two-wheeled companion from Djerba Cyclo, I visited a wealth of mosques, saw some of the island’s abandoned buildings and appreciated the architecture of my hotel.

The gleaming combination of whitewash against blue sky was the biggest takeaway from my Tunisian island travels.

Read about my top finds below.

Tap/click first image to see gallery

Fadhloun mosque. Built in the 14th century, this mosque had the colour of Saharan sand when I visited. It’s a little eroded with the passage of time and remains a place of worship to this day. Very different to the loftier, more modern mosques of Djerba. Worth the cycle ride!

Tunisian windows. This became my obsession in Djerba. They’re typically shielded with ornate metal grilles, often painted blue. Instagrammable? You bet they are.

Abandoned architecture. The curious tower along Mehari Beach which may have been a restaurant terrace. And the landmark buildings on the island’s Ras Rmel peninsula, fittingly a nature reserve and home to unspoilt beaches.

Link to mikeosbornphoto's Facebook page

Comoros Islands: Ngazidja

/ mikeosbornphoto / Leave a comment

The Comoros Islands. An unheralded destination in the beautiful Indian Ocean.

If you make the journey to this small country, you’ll certainly set foot on Ngazidja – or Grande Comore – the largest and most populous island of this little-known archipelago.

My initial stay on the ‘big island’ was just for a few days before heading by air to smaller siblings Mohéli and Anjouan.  

Did the return trip save the best until last?… CONTINUE READING BELOW

Tap/click first image to see gallery

Arriving at Moroni’s very small airport is an experience – and an indication that the Comoros aren’t used to receiving hordes of tourists. 

But there’s a lot to see on Ngazidja, from the bustling streets and rustic markets of the capital, where you’ll encounter few European visitors and feel you’re really off the beaten track.

The coastline offers undeveloped beaches, dramatic rock formations and stunningly vibrant mangrove lagoons. Further inland there are ancient baobab trees with trunks mighty enough to hide an entire tour group.

If architecture is your bag, be sure to see medinas of old houses and carved doors. There are also ruined sultans’ palaces to see at sunset as the call to prayer rings out and bats cross the sky.

Author Mike Osborn in his tent on a trip to volcano Mount Karthala in the Comoros.

Staying in a tent was an island highlight

Islam holds sway over this island, so there are mosques of all eras to spot.

An inescapable observation about Ngazidja and the Comoros is the presence of litter. With no waste collections, it’s a blight on the landscape.

The same goes for abandoned skeletons of vehicles, sometimes in the middle of otherwise beautiful countryside. This needs to change if the Comoros wants to attract more visitors in the future.

The return to Ngazidja was dominated by one prospect – a trip to Mount Karthala, the island’s dominant volcano which last erupted in 2007.

From a village in the foothills it was a four-hour hike to the crater and back. There was no swirling, fiery cauldron at the top but a vast landscape buried in volcanic matter.

The truly memorable experience was dinner cooked on the fire in the village and spending the night in tents surrounded by lowing cattle and waking up to an atmospheric, misty sunrise.

Getting to know the pet tortoises in the Comoros.

Travel buddy Corinna greets a pet tortoise

A night under the stars aside, home for this part of the stay was the Itsandra Beach Hotel and Resort, set by a lovely part of the coast with stunning sunsets and even pet tortoises mooching around the lawn.

It had the first sense of developed tourism but was by no means busy. A comfortable base to prepare for the long, drawn out journey back to the UK but possibly the least authentic version of this yet to be discovered country.

If you’re travelling this far, you have to visit all three Comoros islands. They each have something unique to offer and will appeal to your sense of adventure. There’s only one way to find out… 

  • Would you like to experience the Comoros Islands for yourself? My small group tour was with Undiscovered Destinations and operates twice a year. They also arranged air travel with Ethiopian Airlines, from Manchester to Moroni via Addis Ababa with two further brief stopovers in Geneva and Dar-Es-Salaam. Any further questions, please get in touch.