We set out with some trepidation, given the hostilities in the Middle East. But the advice from the Foreign Office was that Egypt was safe… and still is.
So, we (my wife, Montserrat, and our youngest daughter, Sofia, 15) decided to keep calm and continue our trip to Soma Bay, near Hurghada on the Red Sea Riviera.
Our Wizz Air flight from Luton was almost full, so it was reassuring that many British travelers felt the same way.
Safety at Soma Bay is a top priority.
It is a gated and guarded complex on a privately owned peninsula 40 minutes from Hurghada Airport, accessible only by road, requiring a pass to enter.
Richard Eden travels to Hurghada (pictured) in Egypt with his wife and daughter
The family is staying on the Red Sea Riviera, with turquoise waters, as this image shows.
The coral reefs of the Red Sea are considered one of the seven wonders of the underwater world, with hundreds of colorful sea creatures, Richard writes. Pictured: a nearby snorkeling site
The family stayed in a newly built two-bedroom, serviced Stayr apartment upstairs with sea views and a large pool shared with other residents (archive image)
Soma Bay has five hotels, but we stayed in a newly built, two-bedroom Stayr apartment with amenities, sea views and a large pool shared with other residents.
The company has one-bedroom apartments from just £94 per night.
Golf, go-karting, paintball, kitesurfing and a water park were offered, but the biggest activity was free: a 1,500-foot wooden jetty with an “end of the pier show.”
In the photo: The El Mina Masjid mosque next to the port of Hurghada.
Although they had self-service facilities, the family ate most meals at the restaurants near the marina, pictured.
Red Sea fans: Richard photographed with his wife Montserrat and youngest daughter Sofia
You don’t need a ticket to enter, just a swimsuit, snorkel and mask.
The coral reefs of the Red Sea are considered one of the seven wonders of the underwater world, with hundreds of colorful sea creatures, from clownfish to schools of sergeant major damselfish.
While Montserrat and I snorkeled, Sofia signed up for a three-hour diving class where she went down to 22 feet. “Unbelievable,” she said.
Although our apartment had self-catering facilities, we ate most meals at the restaurants near the marina.
In Hurghada, a meal for a family of four costs around £30.
While some canceled after the Gaza conflict nearly 300 miles away, numbers have been boosted by the recent devaluation of the Egyptian pound.
So go ahead with your vacation. You’re in for a bargain.