Soft Beach

November 28 2007: So life can't get much better than when you spend the evening curled up in a hammock reading a book in the glow of the bonfire only to suddenly awake to the brilliance of the sun rising over the red sea. Soft Beach isn't necessarily a hotel, and the area around it looks a bit run down, but neither mattered at all to me. While at this camp, I felt totally and utterly relaxed. I switched off between reading my book in a hammock, swimming in the red sea, eating local seafood, and just dozing off here and there.

One thing to note is that this place is about a 5 - 10 minute drive north from Nuweiba (actually in the village of Tamarin I think) so you'll need to get a taxi if coming from Nuweiba itself (or the port). As for the facilities, the "hotel" is actually a set of about 20-30 bungalows. The rate was about $10 a night if I remember correctly (if not cheaper) for each bungalow. The hut was pretty small and it basically served as just an enclosed space to put a small mattress. I was there with a friend, and neither of us ended up actually sleeping in the hut. I slept in a hammock and he slept in a semi-covered open area with mattresses and pillows. If we were to have slept in one bungalow together, it would probably have been a bit too cozy (it is literally like an 8ft by 8ft space, if that). If I had been with my fiancee, it would have been fine. You can also pay a bit more for a "double sized" bungalow if space is an issue. There is a separate building for sinks, bathrooms, etc. and they aren't the most luxurious facilities you'll see. If you're one to fret over having good bathrooms, a place to do makeup, etc., you'll either have to put that aside or look elsewhere.

Soft beach has a very nice little dining area (everyone sits on the ground around a low table) and decent food. Make sure to get the local fish as it's very good. The rest of the meals are above average but not the best you'll have in Egypt. The food is actually where the hotel makes most of its profits. Though still cheap by Western standards, it's much more expensive than you'll see in Cairo or other large cities in the middle east. Last but not least, the staff was very friendly and knew how to achieve the balance between being there when you need something but not being overly attentive when you're just relaxing.

As for things to do, there's a volleyball net (though the sand's too hot to use it during the middle of the day) and there are locals offerering to take you on horse rides along the water's edge. You can also set up treks into the Sinai desert at the front desk. One thing that this place doesn't have is very good snorkeling (it does rent out gear but not much to look at) or scuba diving. You'll have to head down to Dahab/Sharm or over to Aqaba in Jordan to do so.

After a week or two of running around trying to see all the sights and sounds of Egypt and Jordan, Soft Beach was exactly what we needed. I've been to many beaches in the Carribean and have never felt as relaxed or care free as I did at this beach camp. I highly recommend it. If you're traveling from fast paced Cairo, it's a great place to take a breather!

Date of stay: August 2007
Purpose of stay: Leisure (With Friends/Group)