One of the best-known diving areas in Egypt, this park is located off a slender peninsula that extends from the southern end of the Sinai. The name literally means "Muhammad's Head," referring to the headland, and it's a two-hour boat ride from

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One of the best-known diving areas in Egypt, this park is located off a slender peninsula that extends from the southern end of the Sinai. The name literally means "Muhammad's Head," referring to the headland, and it's a two-hour boat ride from Sharm el-Sheikh. It marks the intersection of the relatively shallow Gulf of Suez and the depths of the Gulf of Aqaba, where currents bring large quantities of plankton and other food that give rise to an extraordinary growth of marine life. It's a major hangout for thousands of species, including sharks and turtles, not to mention hundreds of types of coral (both hard and soft). It was a declared a protected reserve in 1983, with no fishing allowed and only limited access by tourists. It covers nearly 300 square miles of both land and ocean surface, and includes some excellent wreck dives as well as underwater caves formed by earthquakes. Inland are various desert species of fox, ibex, and reptile, but with temperatures of over 100 degrees in the summer, you may want to stay firmly in the water.

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