Red Sea Diving and the Great Outdoors

The Red Sea is a long, narrow sea of remarkable clarity, warmed by the desert sun and home to more than a thousand species of fish, a good share of them found nowhere else. Its corals have proved notably hardy, and from Egypt and Jordan to Israel and Saudi Arabia the reefs begin almost at the water's edge, so even a first-time snorkeler can float over gardens of hard and soft coral within minutes of leaving a sun lounger.

On land, the region offers a different kind of grandeur: the limestone fjords of Musandam, the canyons and terraced villages of Oman's Al Hajar Mountains, the red sand and sandstone towers of Wadi Rum and AlUla, and the dunes of the Empty Quarter. The best of it can be enjoyed in real comfort, with a five-star resort or a beautifully run desert camp waiting at the end of the day. For the wider desert experience, see our guide to desert sports and safaris.

Oman is the region's great hiking country. On the Saiq Plateau of Jebel Akhdar, the Green Mountain, trails link terraced villages, rose gardens and pomegranate orchards at around 6,500 feet, where summer evenings are pleasantly cool. Nearby Jebel Shams, the country's highest mountain, offers the Balcony Walk, a ledge path along the rim of a vast canyon often called the Grand Canyon of Arabia. Stay at the mountain resorts of Jebel Akhdar for cliff-edge views.

Closer to the coast, wadis such as Wadi Shab and Wadi Bani Khalid hold emerald pools and narrow gorges where you can swim between rock walls. Go early, wear water shoes and bring a dry bag. A night or two at a fine camp in the Wahiba Sands completes the picture. Our Oman luxury vacations guide covers the whole country.

Many who fall for the region's waters come back to stay. Coastal residences on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea, in Egypt's resort towns, on Oman's Muscat coast and in Ras Al Khaimah put reefs and marinas at the front door. Our guides to Oman Luxury Real Estate and Egypt Luxury Real Estate are a good place to begin.