Sharm El Sheikh

Mounting a camel on Naama Bay's golden sands feels exactly as dignified as you'd imagine-awkward, lurching, and strangely charming once you surrender to the sway. Historically, camels were the original 4x4s of the Egyptian desert, tirelessly ferrying spices, silk, and travelers who probably cursed their hump-backed taxis just as colorfully as modern travelers do today. But pacing lazily along the tranquil shoreline at sunset-with the turquoise Red Sea lapping gently underfoot and Bedouin guides exchanging rhythmic banter in Arabic-you can almost forgive your unsteady perch. Plan to saddle up in the cooler hours just before sunset, when the winds slip softly past and the skies offer epic, almost offensively photogenic backdrops. Booking a day ahead is usually plenty, and stow around $25 USD (with a couple extra bucks in small bills for tipping your guide). Don't wear flip-flops-the camel won't judge, but your feet definitely will. Pack sunscreen, a sense of humor, and, ideally, a camera sturdy enough to survive being dropped in the sand at least once. Even if your inner Lawrence of Arabia fantasy ends in saddle soreness and mild indignity, it's a remarkably memorable way to experience Egyptian hospitality, sea breezes, and the fine art of looking ridiculous atop nature's grumpiest mode of transport.

Diving into the SS Thistlegorm wreck in the Red Sea isn't your everyday recreational splash-it's like stepping through an underwater wormhole straight into the gritty chaos of World War II, minus the rationed spam and trench foot. Dispatched to the deep in 1941 by German bombers, this British merchant ship now lies sprawled on the seabed, an eerie underwater time capsule complete with trucks, motorbikes, and enough scattered ammunition to worry your nervous dive buddy. Early mornings provide visibility worthy of a National Geographic spread, so peel yourself from bed before sunrise, and you'll beat out the bubbles from boatloads of selfie-stick-wielding aquatic adventurers. Plan ahead by at least a few weeks-reputable dive operators book fast-and budget around $100-$200 for a solid day's dive. Pack your certification card, a decent underwater torch, and your favorite shark anecdote, because marine life here loves photobombing your historical reveries. Ultimately, dunking yourself into the thrilling embrace of the Thistlegorm is worth every salty mouthful of seawater. You'll emerge salty, satisfied, and with a story that permanently elevates your barroom cred.

Clambering up the arid slopes of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula to reach Saint Catherine's Monastery is like trekking to an ancient, slightly cantankerous uncle's attic-if your uncle were a 6th-century Byzantine emperor hoarding priceless manuscripts and an eternally aloof shrubbery claiming to be the Burning Bush itself. Founded back when Emperor Justinian was still flexing imperial muscles, Saint Catherine's is among the oldest continuously-inhabited monasteries in existence, stubbornly perched at the foot of Mount Sinai amid crumbling crimson rocks and endless desert. Arrive absurdly early-think sunrise or shortly thereafter-not just to dodge the bus-tour hordes but also to savor that mercifully brief pre-heatwave moment when the mysticism outweighs the perspiration. Bring along at least $20 to grease palms (and maybe pick up a charmingly tacky icon or two), and pack modest clothing or risk the kind of withering side-eye only Orthodox monks can dispense. Sure, the journey is hot, dusty, and decidedly lacking in Wi-Fi, but how often can you casually drop references into conversations back home about your pilgrimage to inspect Moses' shrubbery? Trust me, it's a detour worth sweating for-if only for the priceless look on everyone's faces at the office on Monday morning.

Venturing into Sinai's Colored Canyon is a bit like tumbling headfirst into a Jackson Pollock painting-if Pollock fancied rocks instead of canvas and painted with nature's whimsical hand over millions of years. Located deep within the Sinai Peninsula, this technicolor ravine dazzles with swirling sandstone brushed generously in vibrant ochres, pinks, crimsons, and ochre yellows-like nature's rebellious teenage phase captured permanently in stone. Set off early, preferably at dawn, when the sun is forgiving and the canyon walls erupt into cinematic colors straight out of a Technicolor fever dream. Don't forget sturdy shoes, a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, and enough water to fend off desert-induced hallucinations of cold drinks and air conditioning. Plan ahead by booking a reputable guide at least a week in advance; spontaneity may be charming in Paris cafes, but Sinai's deserts are less accommodating to last-minute impulse. Budget around 30-50 USD per person, covering guide fees, transportation from nearby Dahab or Nuweiba, and the inevitable local tip. Sure, you'll return dusty, tired, and with sand lodged in places you didn't know sand could reach-but adventures like this always edge you closer to travel immortality, guaranteeing endless bragging rights and at least one unbeatable anecdote for your next dinner party.

If your bucket list involves spiritual awakenings, ancient intrigue, and beds that make medieval austerity look downright luxurious, then a sleepover at the Mount Sinai Monastery is an unmissable adventure. Nestled in the rocky wildlands of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, St. Catherine's Monastery is the oldest continually inhabited Christian monastery, established back in the 6th century, giving you plenty of time to reflect upon exactly how thin your modern comforts really are. To truly appreciate the glorious absurdity of it all, arrive in late afternoon, just when the sunlight shifts from dazzling to reverential, turning rugged mountains into cathedral spires. Book at least a month ahead, bring sturdy shoes, layers of clothing, and a flashlight-it gets cold, dark, and undeniably eerie once the tourists vanish after sunset. Expect to fork out around $50-70 for accommodations that redefine "basic," and include dinner and breakfast with silent monks who make you reconsider the necessity of everyday chit-chat. But trust me-no matter how fitful your sleep or stiff your bones, there's nothing quite like waking before dawn, stumbling bleary-eyed up Mount Sinai, and watching the sun illuminate an ancient landscape steeped in biblical lore. Even if Moses didn't exactly Instagram his descent, you'll cherish this tale forever-if only because bragging rights over having spent the night in an actual UNESCO World Heritage monastery will never, ever get old.