Egypt Nuweiba: Complete Travel Guide to Nuweiba City

Egypt Nuweiba is a great place located in the Gulf of Aqaba, South Sinai. Surrounded by vast areas of desert and mountains plunging to the very edge of the water, this subtropical coastal tourist destination is one of the most deserted places in Egypt. Unlike other popular resorts in Sinai, Nuweiba is less developed and crowded. Its beaches of sand are long and stretched out, and instead of luxury hotels, there are some local Bedouin camps. Egypt Travel Packages introduce you to a piece of the Red Sea that is home to unique diving spots and an untouched natural environment.

This guide will provide you with information on Nuweiba City as a whole rather than a list of things to do. The following information will help you understand if Egypt Nuweiba is right for you: the town’s location, major sights, how to get there, where to stay, and how long to stay.

Nuweiba sits roughly midway up the Sinai's eastern coast, facing Saudi Arabia across the narrow Gulf of Aqaba. The town splits into a few distinct parts. Nuweiba City itself, sometimes called Nuweiba Muzeina after the Bedouin tribe historically associated with the area, is the more developed center, with the port used for the ferry to Aqaba, Jordan, along with shops, a market, and mid-range hotels.

South of the city, Tarabin has grown into the area's most visited stretch for independent travelers, a long beach lined with simple Bedouin-style camps offering basic huts and shared facilities. Further south still, the coastline grows increasingly quiet, with isolated camps and beaches stretching toward Dahab. For travelers combining Sinai's coast with Egypt's historical destinations, the Egypt Vacation Package shows a common structure for pairing coastal time with the country's main sightseeing route.

Nuweiba's beaches are long and relatively undeveloped compared to Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada, which is part of the reason it's a draw for more laid-back travelers: The water is generally calm and shallow near the shore before dropping off to the reef, and the mountainous (Sinai) backdrop offers a dramatic contrast to most other Red Sea coastlines in Egypt.

Ras Shaitan, just north of Tarabin, has some interesting rock formations and more rugged and popular with campers (who have no trouble finding a place to sleep on the beach). Still, the lack of development means few amenities along most of the coast (though these are largely offset by the absence of crowds in this particular area).

Nuweiba's identity is strongly linked to the Muzeina Bedouin community, and sleeping in one of the local beach camps is an immersive cultural experience as much as a holiday. The camps comprise simple palm-thatched huts a few steps from the water, communal seating and eating areas and meals served in family style, a far cry from Sinai's other luxury resort accommodations.

Day trips into the surrounding mountains from the camps, arranged by the camp themselves, include jeep safaris, camel riding and Bedouin village visits, with Colored Canyon, a narrow gorge of striped rock formations a short drive from Nuweiba, one of the most popular half-day excursions available.

Nuweiba's reefs rival Dahab's and Sharm's, but aren't as famous. However, there's good snorkeling right along the shore in a couple of spots around Ras Shaitan and the reefs near Tarabin. The waters here are often more calm than further south, making them ideal for less confident swimmers and snorkelers.

Windsurfing and kitesurfing is also popular along some parts of the coast where the winds are strong and steady (although there are fewer facilities and retailers than dedicated windsurfing spots such as El Gouna). The Red Sea Beaches guide covers the whole Red Sea coast for visitors considering which area is best for them.

Nuweiba is often compared to Dahab for its laid-back, low-key atmosphere, though Nuweiba is generally quieter still, with fewer dive shops, restaurants, and organized activities. Travelers who find Dahab too developed sometimes continue on to Nuweiba for an even more remote experience. Our guide to Dahab City covers that comparison in more detail, and Sharm City covers the more resort-oriented end of the Sinai coast for travelers weighing the full range of options.

Nuweiba's port is also a ferry crossing to Aqaba, Jordan. This ferry provides a convenient connection for those who wish to travel overland into Jordan rather than by plane. Those wishing to extend their trip within Egypt should consider extending their travel south to Dahab and Sharm El Sheikh or connecting to Cairo and beyond. The Egypt Nile Cruise Package Tour is an example of how your travel can extend from the Sinai coast toward Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor if you wish to include the Nile Valley in your travels. For a detailed review of how all of these areas connect, please see our Egypt Travel Guide for details about all of Egypt.

Nuweiba does not have its own airport, so the two main ways to get there are by road from Sharm El Sheikh (about two and a half hours south) or Taba (a little over an hour north), both of which have their own airports. There are bus routes from Nuweiba to Cairo, and private transfers can be arranged from either of the two nearest airports.

Inside Nuweiba, taxis and pickup trucks are the best way to get around between the main settlements because the only practical way to travel from one village to another is by car, due to the great distances between even connected places.

Accommodation in Nuweiba ranges from simple beach camps in Tarabin and further south to a smaller number of mid-range hotels in Nuweiba City itself, with camps generally preferred by travelers seeking the area's laid-back character. Three to four days is generally enough to settle into a camp, visit Colored Canyon, and spend time snorkeling or simply relaxing on the beach. Travelers treating Nuweiba as a stop within a longer Sinai coastal trip often allocate two to three days instead.

1- How many days do you need in Nuweiba?

Three to four days is ideal for exploring the area, but two to three days is enough if visiting as part of a Sinai coast road trip.

2- What is Nuweiba famous for?

Long undisturbed beaches, bedouin-run beach camps, and a ferry link to Aqaba, Jordan.

3- How is Nuweiba different from Dahab?

Nuweiba is quieter and more laid back than Dahab, with fewer dive centers and restaurants, and fewer tourists overall. It makes a great base for exploring the Egyptian Sinai, and for heading to Jordan.

4- Can you go to Jordan from Nuweiba?

Yes, there is a ferry from Nuweiba’s port to Aqaba, on the Israeli-Jordanian border. It makes sense to get a ferry ticket to Aqaba from here if you plan on continuing your trip into Jordan.

5- How do you get to Nuweiba?

The easiest way to get to Nuweiba is probably by bus from Sharm El Sheikh or Taba, which are about 1-2.5 hours from the city. It is also possible to take a direct bus from Cairo.