Nile Delta

The Nile Delta is the triangle shaped area between Cairo, Alexandria and Port Said in the north of Egypt. Buses and taxis run all over the area, but the best way to explore it is to rent a car. There are several interesting towns in the area.

The Nile divides in half just north of Cairo, the western branch flows into the Mediterranean at the port town of Rashid (Rosetta) and the other branch does the same at Dumyat (Damietta) 140 km to the east. Az Zaqaziq (Zagazig) lies in the Nile Delta, 65 km northeast of Cairo. The nearby ruins of Bubastis are the city's main attraction. 60 km north of Az Zaqaziq is the village of San el Hagar where the ruins of Tanis can be seen. It is believed that Tanis was the Biblical city where the Egyptians persecuted the Jews, causing them to flee through the Red Sea. In the north of the delta lies the beach town of Ras el Bar, which is the best place to stay in the area. There are several hotels and restaurants. Other good beaches can be found west of Ras el Bar at Baltim, El Burg and Gamassa. Buses run from Cairo's Ulali station to Ras el Bar.