ASWAN
Area: Egypt


Location:
In the SE of the country, 125 miles S of Luxor, 590 miles by road S of the capital Cairo. Airport 25 miles SW of city.

Telephone code from UK:
20 97

Website:
http://www.tourism.egnet.net

Position:
On the E bank of the Nile River at a point where the river narrows and the terrain becomes hilly and festooned with rocky outcrops.

Description:
Often considered as the poor relation to Luxor, Aswan has for many years been regarded as a "resort" rather than simply a sightseeing spot, but unlike Luxor it has never fully geared itself up for mass-market winter sun tourism. The town's picturesqueness lies not in the streets but along the Nile, which is wide here and dotted with islands. A flotilla of white-sailed feluccas breezing down the river at sunset is certainly a sight to get the cameras clicking. The terrace of the Old Cataract hotel is still, as it was nearly a century ago, a good place to watch from. The town's riverside walk, or corniche, is pleasant enough but the streets behind this are unsophisticated. You will find the usual market and souvenir shopping bazaars among tumbledown buildings and more modern ones. The possibility of Islamic Fundamentalist attacks on tourists in Egypt remains. Foreign Office advisory notices offer the latest official advice and should be consulted before booking.

Suitability:
Egyptologists and the generally curious. It is a pleasant place to spend a few days with interesting excursion possibilities. A good base for a week or two's winter holiday _ although there is no beach.

Accommodation:
To suit most pockets and expectations, although overall quality and modernity lag behind that of Western properties of comparable star ratings. Majority are clustered at either end of the town centre. A few smaller properties in the back streets are noisy and lack river views. Others enjoy fine vistas, while some are pleasantly situated on the mid-river islands away from the hustle and bustle. Rates are higher in the winter months (October _ May) than in the very hot summer months.

Shopping:
Usual array of scruffy souk and bazaar-type shopping streets in the centre. Intimidation and fierce bartering is the norm here, but don't be put off. A polite "no thank you" will usually suffice _ until you pass by again! Souvenirs include papyrus, brass, jewellery and stone-cut pharaohs' heads. Some of the larger, better-equipped hotels have their own retailers providing everything from toiletries to postcards.

Beach:
Although Aswan has no beach it does have the Nile, which helps create a resort-type atmosphere. Unless you are an avid collector of virulent waterborne diseases or exotic infections do not, under any circumstances, swim or even dip your toes in the river.

Entertainments:
Daytime: sightseeing, temple/tomb visits and Nile cruises. Alternative appears to be sunbathing around the hotel pool or bargain hunting in the teeming bazaars. Nightlife: limited to one or two of the more upmarket hotels and assorted bars. Handful of minor nightspots but generally unsalubrious and ignored by tourists.

Eating:
The insular nature of the hotels' facilities and visitors' half-board packages has stymied any possible growth of independent restaurants. A few riverfront cafes serve local dishes, although the food is certainly less than hygienically prepared or stored and best avoided.

Public-transport:
Taxis (fix the fare before setting off) are the usual way of getting about, although distances are not great around Aswan itself. They can also be hired for sightseeing trips further afield. Caleches (horse-drawn carriages). Boats ply between the mid-Nile islands, and a river ride on a graceful felucca is almost obligatory. Trains go N to Luxor and Cairo. Many Nile cruises begin or end in Aswan.

Local-excursions:
Organised excursions, picking up at hotels, are the norm though it is quite easy to arrange independent sightseeing using taxis and boats. Elephantine Island, Aga Khan Mausoleum and Botanical Garden (half day). The High Dam (half day). Abu Simbel _ by air (half day, full day, or overnight at the site). Kom Ombo and Edfu (full day).