Ain Soknah is Arabic for “hot spring”. This beautiful gem, located approximately an hour from Cairo, is along the Red Sea Coast, or to be more exact, on the Gulf of Suez. One great thing about Ain Soknah is that it is traditionally frequented by Egyptians; it lacks the artificial vibes of much larger tourist spots, such as Sharm El Sheik, which primarily caters to European visitors (due to its close proximity to places such as Russia). Ain Soknah is a smaller town which is accessed primarily by private cars, hence the lack of tourists. However, more recently, tour companies have tried adding Ain Soknah to their standard Cairo tour package to increase tourism. While their attempts at making Ain Soknah a hot tourist spot haven’t been very successful, I imagine in a year or two this small coastal town will be completely transformed.
Traveling to Ain Soknah consists of driving for about an hour along a desert road where scenery is minimal – sand and huge rocks. Occasionally one will pass granite mines. Once entering the town you will stumble upon huge factories – a ceramic factory being the largest among them. This entrance gives Ain Soknah a very industrial look. Afterwards you will find compound after compound lining the coast. Each compound consists of hundreds of chalets and villas, mostly privately owned. There are a few hotels, but not many. There are also not many restaurants or stores, aside from the one or two small stores that may be located inside the compound and the essential KFC and Pizza Hut.
The seclusion of the compounds contributes to the serene and relaxed feeling of Ain Soknah. Some people permanently live in this area and commute daily to Cairo (the commute time is actually comparable to a commute inside the city due to Cairo’s crazy traffic congestion problems). Once on the beach, one is able to forget their worries as the endless blue, clear, and sparkling waters are breathtaking.
I love splashing in the Red Sea. The waves are light and almost nonexistent – basically like playing in a huge swimming pool. When I look down into the water I can see the sand, my legs, and little fish swimming around. I like being able to see what is swimming around my feet, unlike most beaches I have been to in the U.S. When finished in the water, one is able to return back to the sand and rest on a beach chair under a grass umbrella (a very common staple at every compound in Ain Soknah). Men walk across the shore with large metal containers on their shoulders selling a variety of edible items – mussels, shrimp, hummus, or sweet sesame treats. The bright beams of the sun shine down on you and keep you warm, while the cool beach breeze blows through your hair. The perfect balance of sun and wind sculpture the best overall atmosphere for your getaway trip.
My stay in Egypt is almost to its end – just under two months left. As I am eager to return to the U.S. and start my life’s next journey (law school – yikes!), I quite frequently find myself reminiscing over the many things that I will miss about Egypt – the beaches being high on that list. Despite the chaos and insanity that one goes through while living in Egypt, this country has a certain allure that I just cannot resist. Something tells me I’ll be back soon…
Karema Eldahan is a Middlesboro native living in Egypt. She shares this experience through her monthly column.
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