Taba Egypt is now a tiny town on the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba in the Sinai Peninsula. Here is the border with neighboring Israel. From Taba, you can see the three countries of Israel, Jordan, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Here is the busiest border in all of Egypt. Although the place used to only consist of a luxury hotel with a casino, a border clearance building, and a few houses, Taba was already a holiday destination for tourists from Europe, Russia, Israel, and Egypt. Mainly from Israellocal, tourists are attracted to this place and the Sinai Peninsula. Some come here just for a weekend getaway – others visit the beautiful coastal towns further south on the Gulf of Aqaba. Today many new elegant hotels have emerged in Taba, and the place is gorgeous due to its location in the border triangle.
Taba Egypt is the northernmost resort of Egypt on the Red Sea. About 16 kilometers northwest of the city is Taba International Airport. The distance to the neighboring town of Eilat – also a bathing and holiday resort – is only 6 kilometers. There are other bathing and holiday resorts along the east coast of Sinai on the Gulf of Aqaba. Some of which are still under construction and some of which have been here for a long time. The modern hotel and holiday complexes recently built south of Taba are relatively new. Such as the Hotel Club Med, Taba Heights Sofitel, Movenpick Resort Taba, and the Hyatt Regency Taba Heights Hotel.
Table of Contents
Taba Egypt during the First World War
After the loss of numerous territories and the military successes of the British troops under General Allenby in the Sinai and the Negev desert and his advance on Jerusalem, the Ottoman governor of the city surrendered Jerusalem without a fight on December 9, 1917, on the orders of the leadership of the Ottoman armed forces to the British. With the end of the war, Ottoman rule in Palestine also ended.
The country becomes a British Mandate. That was World War I for this region completed. However, the subsequent political decisions and agreements of the victorious powers were to have an effect for a long time. In 1922 Egypt became a monarchy. The establishment of the State of Israel ended the British mandate over Palestine.
The Battles from Sinai
This was followed by the Israeli War of Independence (May 1948 to July 1949), which ended with an armistice agreement with neighboring Arab states. The Israeli army briefly occupied Sinai during the Suez Crisis in 1956. But was returned to Egypt in 1957 with Israel’s withdrawal. Israel occupied the Sinai Peninsula during the so-called Six-Day War of 1967.
Six years later – in 1973 – the Yom Kippur War ensued. Egypt and Syria attacked Israel; simultaneously, the Golan and the Sinai Peninsula fought. A UN ceasefire agreement ended these clashes after Israeli forces pushed back the Syrians. And had already crossed the Suez Canal after fighting in Sinai.
You might also want to know.
Contemporary Hotel in Taba, Egypt
The building of today’s Steigenberger Taba Hotel & Nelson Village was built in 1976, opened in 1979 as Avia Sonesta, and has long been the bone of contention between the two neighbors Israel and Egypt. After the peace treaty, the hotel was sold to an Egyptian consortium, which sold ownership to the international hotel chain Hilton. The hotel is a 5-star hotel with every imaginable comfort and a casino.
Taba Hotel Resort & Nelson Village has a private beach directly on the Gulf of Aqaba. The Israeli border is only a four-minute walk away, offering the opportunity to visit the seaside resort of Eilat and other beautiful places. Several restaurants, a café, and the lovely terrace with a view of the pool, the coast, and Nelson Village (the Nelson Pub is recommended here) give this place a unique flair. Today the hotel is owned by the Steigenberger Group.
The northern tourist part of Taba with the Taba Hotel Resort & Nelson Village has existed since the late 1970s of the last century, with the Nelson Village having emerged during the Israeli occupation of Sinai. Other seaside resorts are Nuweiba (the ferry port to Aqaba), Dahab (the diving center), and Nabq Bay. However, this place is only a tiny up-and-coming holiday resort. At the bottom of this chain is the seaside resort of Sharm el Sheik, which has grown significantly in recent years.
Conclusion
In 1979, a peace treaty was signed between Egypt and Israel. And as a result, Israeli forces and settlers were withdrawn from Sinai, which was concluded in 1982. The area around Taba Egypt remained a bone of contention between the two countries. Over which no agreement could be reached in the first treaties of the peace agreement in questions of the border area. In 1976 the Hotel Avia Sonesta was built in Taba Egypt, a hotel complex with around 400 luxury rooms. Right next to the hotel was the so-called Nelson Village. A tropical island-style resort. After a long dispute between both countries about Taba’s affiliation. This question was decided in 1988 by an international commission. Thus Taba returned to Egypt (1979).
At the border crossings from Eilat to Egypt (Taba) and Jordan (Arava). As well as the border stations Sheikh Hussein from Israel to Jordan and Allenby Bridge from the West Bank to Jordan, there can always be brief closures or a reduction in opening times. So, it is recommended to make inquiries about the opening on-site as soon as possible—furthermore, the entry and exit regulations of Israel and Egypt countries. And Jordan is to be observed and to inquire about this in advance of the trip. The border formalities at the Taba Egypt crossing, the provisions of which have been negotiated through bilateral agreements and are subject to a special status, must be observed in particular.
