St. Catherine’s Monastery (Saint Katren)
Dating back to the 4th century AD and at the base of mountains of which one is believed to be the actual mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God - Moses Mountain, lays this Monastery. Containing various small chapels, a mosque, the second most important collection of Christian manuscripts in the world, the chamber of skulls and, so it is believed, the site of the original burning bush, it is a must see when in Sinai.
Petra – Jordan
One of the most visited tourist attractions in Jordan, and a mere 108 km away from Taba, Petra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that is famous for its rock cut architecture. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2000 years ago, in what is believed to have been the eighteenth dynasty of Egypt (1550-1292 BC), turning this area into an important juncture for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome.
Entrance to the city is through the Siq, a narrow gorge that is bordered on either side by soaring, 80m high cliffs. At the end of the Siq lies
a massive façade, carved out of the pink rock-face known as Al-Khazneh (Treasury). Carved in the early 1st century as the tomb of an important Nabataean king, it represents the engineering genius of these ancient people.
Jerusalem – Israel
Located in the Judean Mountains, between the Mediterranean Sea and the northern edge of the Dead Sea, and just 244 km from Taba lies modern Jerusalem; a holy city and home to three major religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In the heart of Jerusalem is the Old City, which was settled in the 4TH millennium BCE, making Jerusalem one of the oldest cities in the world. Surrounded by a wall and divided into four quarters - Jewish, Armenian, Christian, and Muslim Quarters. Inside the walls are the important holy sites of the three major religions, such as; the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque. Apart from the holy places throughout the Old City, there are several charming sites worth visiting, among them the market, the promenade along the tops of which you can look out over the Old City and the New City.
Island of the Pharaoh (Geziret Faraum)
Just 5km southeast of Taba lays a small granite island surrounded by coral and the magnificent Salah el-Din fortress, built by Crusaders in the twelfth century. Recently restored by the Council of Egyptian Antiquities, the fortress was a strategic site towards the end of the twelfth century for Caliph Saladin, who used it as base for soldiers. Form there he was able to control the trade of foodstuffs coming from Asia and demand ransoms from pilgrims on their way to Mecca. From the keep there is a stunning panoramic view of the coast of Arabia, Jordan and Israel.
The Colored Canyon
Located 70 km southwest of Taba, the canyon, which was once under the sea, providesan exhilarating 2-hour excursion through a maze of sandstone rocks. The route through this amazing landscape follows dried-up riverbeds, while the uneven forms and height of the rocks sometimes make climbing necessary.