El Arish   

Northern Sinai is hardly visited by tourists. This is partly because there is only one access road that tourists can use freely which runs along the west coast. For all the other roads (which pass through army territory) permission is needed from the National Security which one can only get at the head office in Nuweiba.

El Arish is the capital of the North Sinai Governorate. It has a broad, sandy beach once bounded by a palm tree grove (alas, most have been removed) but now by hotels. The biggest attraction is the Bedouin Market, held every Thursday, where Bedouins from all over come to sell their crafts. El Arish is well known throughout the Sinai for its tapestry and handicrafts.

Another place worth visiting is the Sinai Heritage Museum, an excellent ethnographic museum devoted to the culture of the Sinai Bedouin.