I have been to Taba..and the snorkelling up there is very very good ( as is the diving of course). It is mainly reef diving and Red Sea Waterworld at Taba heights provide a very good service. If you go on a snorkelling trip on a day boat you will need to take your passport with you due to the proximity to Israel and the borders. It is all reef diving up there, no wrecks..but there is plenty of wildlife to see and the coral has not been destroyed in the way that it has in heavier trafficed places such as Sharm.

Speaking of Sharm....I prefer Taba to Sharm as it is much quieter. Obviously, there are less options for places to go etc...but there are good trips run from Taba into Israel and into Jordan. (just a hassle crossing the border).

Are you wanting to stay in Taba itself or in the purpose built resort of Taba Heights (which is about 40 minutes away)?

I have never been to Marsa Alam..but it is on the hit list for August next year. I hear it is the up and coming place for divers.

Speaking of Sharm....I prefer Taba to Sharm as it is much quieter. Obviously, there are less options for places to go etc...but there are good trips run from Taba into Israel and into Jordan. (just a hassle crossing the border).

That's interesting Val, I never gave that a thought can you give a bit more information on this? perhaps start a new topic? I would like to find out what is available trip wise

Thanks
Graham

When I stayed at the Hyatt in Taba Heights, a number of excursions were offered from the hotel.

Some of them would perhaps be better visited from Sharm due to the travel time from the top end of Taba down to say St Catherines Monastary..
but here is a link to the hotel saying what they offer trip wise.

http://taba.regency.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/services/local/cityinfo/index.jsp

hope i have done that bit right.

We went there on a diving trip through Longwood Holidays...they offered additional trips such a visit to The Dead Sea, Eilat and Jerusalem. It was a very early start ( 3.15am) and then we flew back from Ben Gurion airport back into Eilat, back on the coach and then drop back at the hotel.
It was quite pricey..but to me it was worth it. We were escorted across the border into Israel which took 2 hours (!) but they did not like me as I was a lone female and at the time, female suicide bombers were on the rise..so I got stopped with guns pointed at me every 200 yards or so..and they even yanked my passport away from me and I had to chase after someone to get it back..but that is a different story and it happened to me at various intervals all day. The trip was mainly to look around the Dead Sea, have abit of a float, a history lesson on the way from the guide and then it was all about Jerusalem. There was alot of walking involved and we as many sites as they could possibly cram into 10 hours. We stopped once for food..but it was some goat meat kebab type thing and that is the only time they allow you to stop and eat all day..so take some food and water of your own!

http://www.longwoodholidays.co.uk/Egypt/Taba/Excursions.aspx#jerusalem

The other big trip offered is to the lost city of Petra in Jordan. 2 ways you could go..by boat or overland crossing first into Israel and then Jordan. I would recommend by boat, a little rough but still easier than crossing 2 borders.

http://www.longwoodholidays.co.uk/Egypt/Taba/Excursions.aspx#petra

Some other people in the party went on a shopping trip to Dahab..but it was a good few hours on a coach.

http://www.longwoodholidays.co.uk/Egypt/Taba/Excursions.aspx#dahab

Other things offered were the usual quad biking trips, dinner under the stars with the Bedouins, and the trip to Cairo.

In my own opinion, the 2 best trips on offer were to Jordan and to Jerusalem. You cant stay that close to the border and not go.

All the other stuff can be done from Sharm. Also, if you are staying in Taba Heights, you dont necessarily need to have travelled there with Longwood as they offer the excursions from all hotels in the resort and pick up from and drop off at all hotels in the resort.

Thanks for that Val, trying to find somewhere to go with some friends that is warm at the start of the year and has some history/culture to explore.

Graham

Having spent the last two days or so looking into it, it seems we will be heading to Marsa Alam. I've seen some of the underwater videos from the house reef at the hotel we were looking at, and it looks absolutely stunning. What kind of weather can I expect in early to mid December?

Early to mid December will be warm in the day but cooler at night and you will probably need a fleece or cardigan. The sea is still quite warm also.