The westernmost oasis of Siwa, close to Egypt's border with Libya, offers much to do and even more to see. The town offers excursions to the oasis outskirts by jeep safari; stay in a Bedouin camp and visit the rolling sand dunes and fossilised sea remains of the Great Sand Sea in Bir Wahid, where sand-boarding and swimming in cold and hot springs is recommended. Or stay in town and explore the sandy paths winding through the lush oasis or swim in the city's nicest bath, Cleopatra's Pool. Siwa is famous for its delicious dates and red Siwan tea, and hotels in Siwa put visitors in walking distance of a number of restaurants offering Siwan cuisine, which differs slightly from normal Egyptian fare. The nearby Shali ruins feature a great city made of salt and clay that was inhabited until a period of hard rains dissolved most of the buildings in the early 20th century. The great Gebel al-Mawta, or Mountain of the Dead, is riddled with holes and tunnels filled with the beautifully painted tombs of Siwa's earliest residents. A trip to the Siwa oasis sees visitors surrounded with some of the most impressive ruins in the Libyan Desert.

other spellings: siwahotels, otelin siaw, swia hote, iswa hotes, siwa hotle