Why Visit The Suez Canal On A Cruise?
1869, the year that sea travel around the world changed dramatically. The Suez Canal opened in this year, which followed the recent completion of the American transcontinental railroad. Circling the globe suddenly became a much faster process, as ships didn’t have to travel around the horn of Africa to cross from Europe to Asia or back. Now, the Mediterranean was connected to the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, leading into the Indian Ocean.
Cruise holidays and expensive holidays now sail up and down the waters of the Suez Canal. The Great Bitter Lake is centred in the middle of the canal, which keeps water flow steady to both sides. Both sides are therefore almost equal in both depth and height above sea level. On both sides of the canal, there are also great ports of call which offer tours inland; exciting places to visit include Cairo and Luxor in Egypt.
The Suez Canal is bordered by the Sinai Desert, with Israel on one side and Egypt on the other. One of the best reasons to visit on a cruise is the historical significance of the region. The idea of building a canal to connect the Mediterranean to the Red Sea was first conceived by Pharaoh Senusret II in 1897 BC, who began construction that was later continued by Darius I of Persia. That canal was never finished because it was an attempt to connect the two bodies of salt water using a fresh water river, the Nile.
The original attempt at the canal can still be seen today; the remains of a trench were discovered in the 20th Century connecting Lake Timseh to the Ballah Lakes near the Great Bitter Lake. This was the only north-south attempt at a canal before the existing version. However, there were numerous east-west attempts, but only one was successful. Going back to the reign of Darius I, a canal did connect the Nile and the Red Sea, but it was later improved under Ptolemy II who built the first known functioning sea-lock.
When you take a cruise along the Suez Canal, you will discover that most of the evidence of these ancient canals has disappeared beneath the sand, but you will feel the legends that are still very much alive. There is so much history to absorb yourself in, and will have many other opportunities to be entertained else wise. Stop at Port Said and Port of Safaga for an amazing assortment of nightlife, or to arrange a day trip inland to visit the interior of the surrounding areas.
Sarah Van Rensburg is a travel lover and avid writer, focussing on a range of travel topics particularly cruise holidays.
