Ras El Bar

Ras El Bar occupies the narrow tongue of land where the Damietta branch of the Nile runs into the Mediterranean, so it has fresh water on one side and sea on the other and a point at the end where the two meet visibly, with a difference in colour along the line. It became a summer resort in the nineteenth century and for generations was known for its wooden chalets, light seasonal structures put up each summer and taken down each autumn, a habit that gave the town a distinctive look until concrete replaced most of them. A long promenade runs the length of the spit, and the lighthouse and jetty at the tip are the standard walk. It is an Egyptian family resort rather than an international one and it empties completely in winter.

What you actually see

• The meeting of river and sea - a visible colour line at the point.
• The spit promenade - a walk with water on both sides.
• The lighthouse and jetty - the tip of the tongue of land.
• Surviving wooden chalets - remnants of the seasonal building tradition.

When to go

June to September only; the town closes down outside the summer. Weekdays in June or September are calmest. A day trip works from Damietta, an overnight from further afield. Evenings on the promenade are the social hour.

Honest expectations

Out of season there is almost nothing open. In season it is crowded with Egyptian families and prices rise sharply. Beaches are busy and not especially clean at the peak. Little of the old wooden architecture survives. Alcohol is not available and the atmosphere is conservative.

Nearby

Damietta city is south; Port Said lies east along the coast.