Vacation Guides / Middle East

Pyramids, camel treks, burning sand, mosques and shopping malls are the popular view of Middle East tourism. Reality is a little different with countries steeped in history and offering  a diverse range of tourist attractions from the glitz and glamour of Dubai to the ski slopes of Lebanon and attracts millions of visitors every year.

Use your Our Vacation Club membership to explore this exciting region.

Bahrain

The state takes its name from the largest island Bahrain, which is about 580 square kilometres. Linked by causeways to Muharraq, (international airport, and Sitra the industrial area).

Arabic is the official language, although English is widely understood and it is used by most businesses.

No visit to Bahrain would be completed without a trip to the souq, with its profusion of colours, sounds, and aromas. Everything seems to be on sale, from cloth to gold and jewellery as well as the traditional array of spices and local produce.

Bartering is expected, and makes the whole experience of shopping into a challenge to see who can obtain the best price.

Egypt

Most people who think of Egypt think of the pyramids and antiquities, but Egypt offers much more.

It is the perfect place to see a great heritage from the ancient world, including Pyramids and wonderful temples, but it is also part of the Holy Land, and tours to other religious monuments are popular.

Egypt also offers nature and desert treks, great scuba diving and even golf, fishing and bird watching expeditions.

You may choose to relax on the wondrous Egypt Red Sea or Sinai coasts, take in the sights and sounds of Cairo, or even leisurely float down the Egyptian Nile on a luxurious riverboat.

Don't forget the essential after-dark experience, a sound and light show at the Pyramids, a dramatic fusion of light and music recounting the story of antiquity.

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Jordan

Jordan, a young country dense with history, a well-travelled bridge between sea and desert, east and west. Above the layers of antiquity lies a land of mesmerising beauty and contrast: the Jordan Valley, fertile, ever changing, and remote desert canyons, immense and still. Here are splendid castles and hunting lodges, the haunting wilderness of Wadi Rum, Red Sea coral reefs and restful spas. Here, too, are monuments from every age of humanity, crowned by the rock-carved city of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lebanon

Since time immemorial, Lebanon has been and still is the meeting of great civilisations and culture. This marvellous land, rich in its cultural heritage and beautiful landscapes, archaeological treasures and varied cuisine, the warmth and hospitality of its people, is a country that has long been destined for tourism.

Oman

With 1700 Km of coastline, and clean, unpolluted waters, Oman is one of the best-kept secrets in the world.

The capital Muscat has improved beyond recognition, but has never lost its pride in its heritage and culture.

Salalah, lies on the Arabian Sea, around 1,040 Km from Muscat that contains stunning beaches and steep, mountainous landscapes. The city has also a number of springs such as Ain Sahnot, Ain Rzat and Ain Hamran, around which the parks and gardens were setup. Salalah is quickly developing as a tourist resort and is attracting a number of international hotel chains.

Syria

In the words of the Syrian Tourist Authority site; "Every person has two homelands His own and Syria".

United Arab Emirates

The sun always shines on the U.A.E. and its gleaming cities, the most popular of which is cosmopolitan, wealthy Dubai, which is characterised by a ten-mile long (16km) deep creek that forms a natural harbour.

Unlike some Arab states, the U.A.E. actually courts and encourages tourists, constantly adding and upgrading events and attractions to complement its renown as the shopping capital of the world