 When
people think of a getaway, most think of a nice hotel, room
service, a clean pool, and every other kind of luxurious
accommodation that has all the elements of metropolitan city
life, but without worrying about what awaits them from the boss
the next day! Tourists can easily find such luxury facilities
throughout Egypt.
However,
there is this spot that takes people to the days when one
artificial source of light was considered a luxury, and
trusting people with payment was the trend. Here, we go back to the
simpler days, at a place literally called, Basata.
Basata was the first tourist project in Sinai, established in
1986. It was
designed and constructed by Sherif El-Ghamrawy, an Egyptian
construction engineer from Cairo. Basata is only 24 km to
 the
north of Nuweiba, but it is about 450 km from Cairo, located
between Taba and Nuweiba on the Aqaba Gulf of the Red Sea. It
is situated in a small bay in an area of a sandy beach a
little way off the main road.
Its
accommodation varies according to preference. There are a few
buildings and chalets or bungalows built of clay and natural
stone, with an Arabian theme that compliments the Sinai
Peninsula and the surrounding landscape. For a simpler
approach, one can find huts made of bamboo and reeds scattered
across the beach. And those who like a camping style of life
can just march in with their tents, or even just a sleeping bag.
The
main focus of “anything” such as food, electricity, or
just having a group gathering is the main Hut located almost
in the middle of the area. It’s the largest hut and the only one
with food, and electricity (the only reason for it being there is
to operate the fridge where dairies and juices are kept). From
corners to corner, Arabian rugs carpet the floor and there
are nicely stuffed cushions to
rest your back against. However, no one gets
in with shoes or slippers. Got to keep it sand-free,
just as much as the sand is kept free of cigarette butts. 
An
ordinary day at Basata begins at sunrise. If you’re
sleeping in a tent you can’t help the sun rays peeping in
and waking you up. And no matter how late you stayed up the
night before, you always wake up fresh, even with three or
four hours of sleep. There are two bathrooms, one on  each side
of the beach. The farther one is the one with warm water, but
the weather is hot during the day so you won’t think of
warm water until after sunset, even in January. After you
freshen up, you manage your own breakfast in the main hut. The
goods are neatly piled up on shelves and tables. You can get
what you want and record the purchase yourself. You cook what you like, use utensils and
then clean them. Make
yourself tea or coffee, salad or a nice bowl of penne pasta
with alfredo sauce (which I personally made!) Pizzas of
different sizes are baked by a famous chef named Amm Abdu,
fresh for lunch for those who want them.  After
breakfast, either grab a book from the pleasantly arranged library set up in
the main Hut, stretch out in the sun and read; or go swimming
in the sea, which is really quiet. There are no waves whatsoever.
Otherwise, join a beach volley tournament with the rest of the
people staying at Basata (which is yet another great way to get to
know those staying at the same place as you are, only meters
apart). Another exciting activity is climbing the sand dune
located right behind a
hill that borders Basata. It lies between this and another hill.
The sand dune is very soft and climbing it is tricky, hard, and
slippery, but definitely worth it.
 Activities that
support individual creativity are encouraged. There is plenty of outdoor room for children to run and play safely and
for parents to participate in the fun with them. Also, animals
such as goats, chickens, camels, sheep, ducks, donkeys,
pigeons, cats, and others are a source of pleasure for
children and adults alike.
At night fall, people gather in the main Hut for
dinner. For those who like more privacy, they can light a
fire and gather round it. Time moves slowly here, in this pristine
seascape so very distant from the crowded cities, and when
sleep knocks, why fight it. There is really very little to do
at night except visit with your companions and enjoy the
campfire. Sleep comes easy in this quiet,  detached, and very
relaxing atmosphere.
Basata
is a quiet place where people can rest, rejuvenate and
recuperate from their stressful daily lives. It is a place
where one can get back to nature, and back to basics. Here,
one may think and reflect against a backdrop of sand and surf
To
reach Basata, one drives east along Suez Road traveling under the
Suez Canal trough the Tunnel. From there head further east across
the Sinai
Peninsula to the Naqab Airport. Then go downhill to the seaside
and turn south to Basata.
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