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Basata is a unique tourist resort destination that combines ecology and tranquility |
In
the small southern Sinai town of Nweiba on the Red Sea, lies one of Egypt’s
hidden vacation spots. Unlike larger, more famous resorts such as Sharm Al-Shaykh,
Basata – the name in Arabic means “simplicity” – gives vacationers a
break from the hustle and bustle of Egyptian city life without overwhelming them
with the extravagance that has become part and parcel of most modern vacation
experiences.
When
my husband first mentioned Basata to me this past summer during a bus ride to
the town of Hurghada, where we had planned a small vacation, the name didn’t
register. But as fate would have it, during our drive home from our short trip
along the Taba-Nweiba Road, we found ourselves at Basata. Exhausted from the
drive and irritated by the seemingly endless emptiness of the scenery on the
way, we decided that Basata was the perfect place to rest. Reclining against a
palm tree on the sand by the sea, I found that Basata was just what we needed.
It was clean, quiet and so beautiful.
Basata
is the brainchild of Sherif Al-Ghamrawy, who first traveled to the then empty
open space in 1982 shortly after Egypt reclaimed the Sinai from Israel. His
reaction upon seeing the natural beauty of the area with its majestic hills and
tranquil beaches was typical: “Ah, Basata!” From that point onward, it was
Al-Ghamrawy’s dream to settle there, and after four years of hard work, he
made his dream come true by opening Egypt’s first resort on the Gulf of Aqaba.
At
Basata, the experience of nature is the attraction, and being one of Egypt’s
first ecotourism destinations, the welfare of the resort’s natural environment
is always paramount. One is more likely to see huts and earthen dwellings than
five-star accommodations. Littering is strictly forbidden, as is other
disruptive and destructive behavior.
Sherif
describes Basata as a place of great power that engenders peace and tranquility
where he says he’s “trying to decrease the damage I’m doing to it as much
as I can.” Ecology in this resort experience is rooted in respect and care for
life. There are do’s and don’ts and requests for greater environmental
awareness. Vacationers are asked not to step on the coral reefs or take parts of
them as souvenirs. Visitors are also warned against leaving cigarettes behind in
the sand and allowing ringing mobile phones to disturb other guests. There is
even a recycling and disposal scheme for glass, paper and organic products. On a
more personal level, vacationers are asked to use discretion in public displays
of romantic affection and there are no drugs, no drinking, no topless women and
no television.
For
some, the restrictions may sound like a recipe for boredom; but that would be a
mistake. And one trip to Basata, with all its natural beauty, is enough to spark
the desire to return again and again.
For
my husband and me, our second vacation to the resort came in September, and
unlike our first trip, it was no accident. We were going directly where we
wanted to be, and after the six hour ride from Cairo we were thrilled to see a
sign by the side of the road that read “Basata, a piece of nature”.
The
road to Basata cuts between the hills. Originally named Ras Burka, or “head of
the blessing”, the resort then spreads before you with its many huts and
villas. It started as a camp where Al-Ghamrawy lived in his car. Things grew
quickly and he moved into a bungalow and then eventually into a hut. Today, 16
years later, there are eight villas and 18 huts that accommodate between 50 and
250 people, depending on the time of year.
Environment
and community are the focus of Basata. Keeping both alive and preserving them is
the philosophy behind its evolution, an evolution that has shown that tourism
can be simultaneously profitable, environmentally friendly, and socially
conscious.
The
family atmosphere and simplicity of the place make it a permanent destination on
the map for many people, and for some it has even become a permanent residence.
Manal, who teaches at a local school near Basata, is a prime example. Originally
a teacher from Cairo, she came to the resort in June to work as a receptionist
with the intention of returning to her teaching career in Cairo at the end of
the summer. But when she was asked to stay and teach in Basata, she simply
couldn’t refuse. Manal now lives in a hut on the beach and says that “Basata
simply feels like home.”
For
Nagah, Fedia and Gawaher, three Bedouin girls living in the area, Basata means
the whole world. It gives them a chance to attend school, play, speak English
and German, surf the internet, go swimming, and communicate with the
cosmopolitan range of people attracted to the resort.
When
I go to Basata, I don’t just go to swim; I sit on the sand, sleep in the
bamboo huts and lie on the beach watching the stars. No one is bumping into each
other and you’ll be happy to meet and share stories with many people. Bedouins
from the area are integrated into the life of Basata, too. Their children go to
school there and the women come during the day to sell handicrafts to tourists.
Basata
is really a place of dreams where one man’s vision has become a recurrent
dream for many others. It inspires, refreshes and renews the mind, body and
spirit.
