Safaga

If you want the resplendent coral gardens and otherworldly fish species of the Red Sea right on your doorstep but aren't convinced by buzzing Hurghada and its sprawling resorts, perhaps smaller Safaga can oblige. It pokes off the Egyptian coast in a nose of beige-hued sands and boat-bobbing marinas, hosting low-key cottages and seaside rentals primed for those who like to dive, windsurf and unwind.

Along with Scuba diving and snorkelling excursions, Safaga tour guides also wax lyrical about their town's ancient history as a Ptolemaic trading post. For this you could find yourself trawling through Bedouin camel camps in the desert, or even driving west to Luxor and the iconic temples that rise above the Nile there. A modern port still bustles in Safaga too, not to mention popular boat links to Mecca when the Hajj pilgrimage swings around.