 Sea turtle on Jolanda Reef | ||
| Raʾs Muḥammad National Park محمية رأس محمد | ||
| Governorate | South Sinai | |
|---|---|---|
| surface | 850 km2 | |
| height | 14 m | |
| location | ||
| ||
The Ras Muhammad National Park (also Ras Mohammed, Arabic:محمية رأس محمد, Maḥmīyat Raʾs Muḥammad, „Raʾs Muḥammad reserve"), very short RasMo, is a egyptianLandscape protection area in the area of the southern tip of the peninsula Sinai, South from Sharm esch-Sheikh, which was formed in 1983. It was named after the peninsula or Cape Muḥammad (Raʾs Muḥammad) and extends both on land and over the adjacent underwater landscape. On January 22nd, 2002, the Egyptian UNESCO committee applied for the national park to be declared a UNESCO natural heritage site.[1]
background
The conservation area is located about 12 kilometers south of Sharm esch-Sheikh at the southern tip of the Sinai. It was opened immediately after the Israeli forces withdrew from Sinai in 1983 by the Egyptian environmental agency, the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, formed under the official name Ras Muhammad Marine Protected Area, Ras Muhammad Marine Reserve. This was intended to prevent the settlement that started from Sharm esch Sheikh and to preserve the fish population. For example, fishing with explosives was banned. Raʾs Muḥammad was the first protected area in Egypt.[2]
The 480 square kilometer national park is located both on land and under water. The land area is 135 km2, the area under water 345 km2. Initially it only covered an area of 97 square kilometers and was enlarged several times between 1988 and 1992. Today the national park also includes the Strait of Tīrān and the islands of Tīrān and Ṣanāfīr. The total area is now 850 square kilometers. The status of the islands of Tīrān and Ṣanāfīr as part of the national park is unclear after both islands were ceded to Saudi Arabia in 2017.
In the north there is a large bay, Marsā Bureika / Bareika (1 27 ° 46 ′ 44 ″ N.34 ° 13 '53 "E, Arabic:مرسى بريكة, „Bureika Bay"). The east coast is lined with steep coral reefs and is only interrupted by Aqaba Beach. In the south is the actual headland of Raʾs Muḥammad. Further west are two beaches, the main beach and Jolanda beach. Another bay that is almost two kilometers long Hidden Bay (Hidden bay, 2 27 ° 43 '53 "N.34 ° 14 '57 "E), extends north. In 1980 the MS ran at the southeast end of this bay Jolanda on the one named after her Jolanda Reef on. To the north of this bay there is a salt lake about 300 meters in size (3 27 ° 44 ′ 31 ″ N.34 ° 14 ′ 28 ″ E). West of the Hidden Bay separates the shallow mangrove channel (4 27 ° 43 ′ 41 ″ N.34 ° 14 '48 "E.) the mangrove island from the mainland. A lighthouse was also built on this island. The reef area extends to the west Old Quay (old quay).
The subsurface of the headland is made up of fossil corals. A desert landscape extends over it, but it is not entirely devoid of vegetation. After all, there are eighty species of plants. Acacias and doum palms are clearly visible. The area of the mangrove forests extends over about one hectare. The nature reserve is populated by 220 species of birds and fourteen mammals. Bird migration runs over the national park in spring and autumn.
The Mangrove Canal and the one north of Sharm esch Sheikh Nabq nature reserve form the northernmost mangrove deposits in the world.
Strong currents in the national park ensure an adequate supply of nutrients and plankton. There are 218 species of coral in the underwater world, including 125 soft corals. There are also over 100 species of molluscs and 150 crustaceans, over 1,000 species of fish and several species of sea turtles. The largest animals include sharks and whales.
getting there
The majority of travelers, around 150,000 tourists annually, travel from Sharm esch-Sheikh overland with tourist buses. There is no public transport. The various roads meet in the northwest of Marsā Bureika / Bareika and then continue on the west side of the bay. Here one also happens that 5 Main entrance of the national park.
Around 100,000 travelers choose the sea route, mostly from Sharm esch Sheikh. These are mainly snorkelers, but also many divers.
The entrance fee for the park is 5 euros. When visiting the national park, the passport must be carried! You need a visa that is valid for all of Egypt! The Sinai-only visa is not enough!
The national park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. The 1 Visitor center(27 ° 49 ′ 35 ″ N.34 ° 16 ′ 9 ″ E) far to the north of Marsā Bureika / Bareika is open every day except Fridays and has a shop, restaurant and library.
Tourist Attractions
On land
Only a small part of the national park can be explored. These include the visitor center and the viewpoint, the Shark Observatory.
Under water
Clockwise will be the most important Diving and called snorkeling spots. They are almost exclusively on the east side of the cape. The Shark and Jolanda Reefs are popular destinations for a reason. The northern dive sites are usually visited in the afternoon for a second dive after visiting the Shark and Jolanda reefs on Morden.
- 6 Schab Canoe(27 ° 47 '55 "N.34 ° 15 '47 "E) is the northernmost diving area.
- 7 Raʾs el-Ghazlānī in the north of Bureika Bay. Since it was opened to visitors quite late, it has quite intact and healthy coral gardens.
- 8 Raʾs Zaʿtar is a reef diving area in the south of Bureika Bay.
- 9 Raʾs Castle(27 ° 45 ′ 23 ″ N.34 ° 15 ′ 6 ″ E), the Tower cape, is a reef diving area on a cliff jutting out into the sea. Since it is rarely visited, the underwater world is quite intact.
- 10 Jackfish Alley is a reef diving area. Triggerfish, mackerel, glass fish, tuna and barracudas can be observed in the area of the sand plain.
- 11 Eel Garden offers a large colony of Red Sea Tube Eels in the Aqaba Beach area.
- 12 Shark Observatory at the tip of Cape Raʾs-Muḥammad serves on the surface as a lookout point for sharks that can only be seen here now and then. Turtles, mackerels, barracudas and lionfish can also be found underwater.
13 Anemone City, Shark Reef and Jolanda Reef is a reef diving area in front of the Hidden Bay (Hidden bay). In addition to numerous fish, you can also see the cargo of the MS that sank here Jolanda visit. The charge is bizarre: in addition to bathtubs, there are now numerous toilet bowls on the seabed.
- 14 Old Quay(27 ° 43 '58 "N.34 ° 14 ′ 30 ″ E) is a reef diving area on the west side of the cape.
The underwater flora and fauna is very rich. The corals include sea anemones (magnificent anemone, Heteractis magnifica, Bubble anemone, Entacmaea quadricolor), Table and fan corals.
The fish include red sea anemonefish (Amphiprion bicinctus), Round-headed bat fish (also swarm bat fish, Platax orbicularis), Butterfly fish, Prussian fish, Bigeye mackerel (Caranx sexfasciatus), Bluefin jackfish (Caranx melampygus), One-spot snapper (Lutjanus monostigma), Two-spot snapper (Lutjanus bohar), Darkfin barracudas (Sphyraena qenie), Blue-bladed nose doctor fish (Naso unicornis), Big head snapper (Lethrinus nebulosus) and bigeye snapper (Monotaxis grandoculis), Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), Fusiliers (Caesionidae), Giant moray eels (Gymnothorax javanicus), Blue spotted rays (Taeniura lymma), Bow-forehead electric rays (Torpedo panthera), Eagle rays (Myliobatidae), Fringed scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis oxycephala), real stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa), Crocodile or alligator fish (Cociella crocodila), Red tooth triggerfish (Odonus niger), Malabar groupers (Epinephelus malabaricus), Jewel groupers (Cephalopholis miniata), Tuna (Thunnus) and red sea tube eels (Gorgasia sillneri). Sharks and whales have become rare. Other inhabitants are the sea turtles (Cheloniidae).
kitchen
Food and drinks must be brought along. Tour operators offer lunch on day trips.
accommodation
Accommodation is available in Sharm esch-Sheikh.
At the northwest end of the 1 Chasaba beach Chasaba Beach (Khasaba Beach) on the northern edge of Marsā Bureika / Bareika there is one not far from the road 1 campsite. The costs are around LE 30 per person and night (as of 9/2013).
Individual evidence
- ↑Ras Mohammed, Unesco tentative list
- ↑Natural Protectorates, Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency
