South Sinai is Egypt's premier resort governorate, encompassing the tip of the Sinai Peninsula between the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. Home to world-class diving at Sharm el-Sheikh, biblical pilgrimages to Mount Sinai, and the laid-back beach culture of Dahab, it offers one of the most diverse adventure and relaxation destinations in the Middle East.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you South Sinai through its food.
Bedouin Zarb Dinner in the Desert
The zarb is the traditional Bedouin method of cooking meat and vegetables in a sealed pot buried in hot coals underground. The result—after 3-4 hours of slow cooking—is exceptionally tender lamb or chicken infused with desert herbs. This experience, offered by Bedouin guides around Dahab and St. Catherine, includes sitting on rugs under the stars, freshly baked taboun bread, mezze dishes, and a fire of wild desert acacia wood.
Bedouin Breakfast Experience St. Catherine
After descending from a Mount Sinai sunrise hike, a traditional Bedouin breakfast at one of the small cafes or camps near the monastery is a transformative experience. Fresh flatbread baked on a griddle, local mountain honey (one of Egypt's finest), white goat cheese, olives, fresh-pressed olive oil, and cardamom tea restore exhausted hikers with extraordinary flavours.
Sharm el-Sheikh Old Market Food Walk
A self-guided or guide-led walk through Sharm el-Sheikh's Old Market sampling authentic Egyptian street food: ful and ta'amiya breakfast, fresh-squeezed sugarcane juice, koshary from a local joint, grilled corn, and pastries from the local bakery. Ends with a shisha and tea at a local ahwa (coffee house).
Dahab Fresh Seafood by the Kilo
Visit Dahab's small fishing port early morning to see the catch come in, select your fish directly from fishermen, negotiate a price (typically EGP 150-300/kg), and have it cooked at one of the simple beachside restaurants nearby. This is as farm-to-table as ocean dining gets.
St. Catherine Herb Gathering with Bedouin
A guided half-day walk with a local Bedouin herbalist through the mountain valleys around St. Catherine, learning to identify and harvest wild mountain herbs including chamomile, sage, thyme, and endemic Sinai plants. The walk concludes with a herb tea ceremony where you taste each plant and learn its traditional Bedouin medicinal use.
Egyptian Cooking Class at a Sharm Villa
Several private hosts and small tour operators in Sharm el-Sheikh offer intimate Egyptian cooking classes in home kitchens, teaching participants to make ful medames, molokhia, stuffed grape leaves (warak dawali), and Egyptian sweets. A wonderful way to bring Egyptian flavours home.
Red Sea Sunset Dinner Cruise
A boat departs from Sharm el-Sheikh marina at 4pm for a sunset cruise on the Red Sea, stopping at a reef for snorkeling before a dinner of fresh grilled seafood, Egyptian mezze, and rice is served on deck as the sun sinks below the horizon. One of South Sinai's most romantic dining experiences.
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Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Book tours and cooking classes at least a few days in advance — small-group experiences sell out quickly.
Come hungry — most food tours include 5-8 tastings.
Bring cash for unscheduled stops the guide may recommend.