Flanked by glorious red mountains and stretching from the Sinai Peninsula in the north to the Gulf of Aden in the south, the Red Sea cuts a swathe between the Middle East and Africa. The body of water is home to over 1,000 invertebrates (a higher concentration than any other sea-mass) and over 200 types of coral in some of the world's most exquisite reefs. And with visibility ranging up to an impressive 45 metres, be you a novice snorkler or an accomplished Scuba diver, the dazzling array of sub-aquatic life will always be on show to put on a polychromatic display you'll simply never forget.

As temperatures never dip below what could be best described as "very pleasant", the Red Sea resorts of Egypt and Eilat in Israel make the ideal winter get-away, and with the water never more than a few metres away, the summer heat shouldn't put you off either. Travel to Egypt and you'll have a choice between a number of resorts nestling on the Sinai's Gulf of Aqaba such as Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab and Nuweiba, or travel down the east coast to Hurghada - a real favourite with families. Wherever you chose you can be assured that fabulous diving, exciting watersports and pristine beaches are never far away - and of course the internationally renowned welcome of Hilton's luxury resorts in the region.

Choose smart Sharm el-Sheikh or its near neighbours Na'ama Bay and Sharks Bay, and you can happily snorkel off the beach or for the more intrepid, an array of world-class dive sites are within easy reach. Check out Tiran Island and the spectacular coral walls of the Ras Muhammad National Park - 25 kilometres southwest of Sharm. Further up the Peninsula are the laid-back resorts of Dahab and the increasingly affluent Nuweiba. And of course après-snorkel or dive, all the resorts provide entertainment and dining for all budgets and tastes- local seafood is of course a must.

If you fancy a break from the reefs, take a jeep or camel safari into the Sinai desert. Here the starkly beautiful sandstones canyons and lush oases will instantly transport you back to Biblical times. Take a good guide though; you don't want to be wandering for 40 years! Back on the coast there are an array of dive schools to chose from, the great majority of high standard (such as those offered by Hilton Worldwide Resorts). But it is always best to ensure they are properly licensed (check for the PADI symbol) and provide instruction depending on your ability.

Leaving Sinai, further south on Egypt's eastern coast is Hurghada, another de rigueur destination of the scuba and snorkel set. Whereas the Sinai is more famed for its reefs, Hurghada and its surrounding beaches are known for their remarkable islands, such as the fan corals of Giftun and the caves of Umm Gamar. And for those who don't want to get their feet wet, glass bottom boats and tourist submarines get you close to the action. The resort is also an ideal step-off point for the striking Red Mountain monasteries and the Eastern Desert - nature at its best.

An abundance of ways to gawp at the sea-life is also available in the southern Israeli port of Eilat. Separated from Israel's other major cities by 200 miles of desert, this Red Sea resort is another coastal paradise. Like its Egyptian neighbours, Eilat combines the very best in reef watching - including "snuba" - a combination of snorkelling and Scuba diving, as well as an excellent undersea observatory and opportunities to swim with dolphins. Again, if you want to go inland for a change, a wide-range of desert-based activities such as abseiling are available. But whatever resort you chose, it wont be long until your back in the water - the allure of the Red Sea is just too hard to resist.

• The Art of Diving