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Everything you need to know for visiting Siwa’s Fatnas Island in 2024! The best spot to enjoy a famous Siwa Oasis sunset!
Picture this: You’re sitting back on a small island in the middle of an Oasis on the edge of the Egyptian desert. You’re watching the sky burn an orange-red hue while the sun slowly drops below the horizon.
Welcome to Fatnas Island (also known as Fantasy Island).
Situated in a secluded spring adjacent to the larger Lake Siwa, and overflowing with towering date palms, this small island has a beautiful desert oasis setting.
It’s no secret spot though.
As the evening golden hour approaches, tour buses roll in and the peaceful atmosphere of the day transforms into a packed tourist hotspot.
However, don’t let this deter you as a Fatnas Island sunset is still a must for one of your evenings in Siwa!
So keep reading for the essential Fatnas Island details ensuring you’ll be ready to experience a banger of a sunset in this quaint oasis. I’ll cover where the island is, how to get there, what to expect during your visit and more!
Where is Fatnas Island
Located around 5km southwest of Siwa Oasis, Fatnas Island can be reached by following one of the main roads heading west from the town.
I say main roads but like most of Siwa these are dirt roads riddled with potholes that make for a very bumpy journey!
You’ll eventually reach a narrow causeway which connects the island to the mainland.
I’ve included a Google Maps route below which shows the most direct route from the town centre.
Related Post: How To Get From Cairo To Siwa Oasis
How to Get There
If you don’t have your own transport, the easiest way to get from Siwa Oasis to Fatnas Island is by tuk-tuk.
The best place to arrange this is in El Souq Square, outside Shali Fortress – essentially smack bang in the centre of Siwa town. Here you’ll find plenty of drivers that you can arrange a return trip out to Fatnas Island with.
As well as Fatnas Island, here you can also organise a tuk-tuk to get to Siwa’s other attractions – such as the Siwa Salt Lakes, Mountain of the Dead and the Oracle Temple to name a few.
Your driver will take you onto the island and drop you at the small spring that sits at the entrance to the island’s two restaurants (where the best sunset spots are). You can arrange a pick-up time for him to come back or just take his WhatsApp.
We paid 200EGP for this return trip which takes around 15 minutes each way. However, don’t expect a smooth ride as the roads around here have seen better days to say the least!
Want to combine a visit to Fatnas Island with some of Siwa’s other hot spots in one tour? Check out this full-day Siwa sightseeing tour which takes you around all of the highlights.
Entrance Fee
Some great news folks, there’s no entrance fee to Fatnas Island!
However, since the seating areas are all within private restaurants you are expected to buy something. These restaurants are quite rustic with limited options as it’s a small secluded island, but you can’t go wrong with a pot of mint tea!
What to Expect on your Visit
Once you’ve crossed the causeway and made it onto the island you’ll first come across a road branching to the right. This leads to Marassina Fatnas Camp which is the one place available to stay on Fatnas Island.
However, if you’re just here for sunset, continue on and you’ll be welcomed by a natural spring and another fork in the road. Here, each path leads into one of the island’s two restaurants which together cover the tiny island’s western bank.
The restaurants have outdoor seating as well as rows of chairs set up in the prime sunset-watching areas. Therefore, it’s just a case of choosing one to base yourself for golden hour.
We went with the one to the left purely because it was more appealing with a livelier vibe during our visit.
As you make your way through the palm-laden pathway towards the water’s edge, you’ll find the tight rows of seating looking out over the surrounding lake. There’s also a jetty that you can walk out on with views of giant desert rock plateaus in the distance.
The seating is squeezed together to make the most of the space but it’s comfortable enough. It’s as if you’re taking a seat at the cinema except it’s the evening sky’s colour show you’ll be viewing.
Simply pick your spot, order a mint tea (or beverage of your choice), sit back and wait for the eagerly-awaited sunset to begin.
Related Post: Best Things To Do In Siwa Oasis
Amenities
The menu and facilities on Fatnas Island are quite basic so don’t come expecting luxury. However, there are tea, coffee, smoothies and some limited food options available in the restaurants.
You’ll also find a souvenir shop selling the classics, a small snack stall, and a lady offering henna tattoos and hair braiding.
Toilets can be found next to the natural spring at the entrance to the restaurant.
Things to do on Fatnas Island
While it’s a serene place, there’s not much to do on Fatnas Island apart from sitting back and enjoying the golden hour colours and lively atmosphere. So this is exactly what I’d recommend you do!
Basically, the main idea is to base your visit around the plan of chilling out while watching the sun go down.
Aim to be here around 90 minutes before sunset if you want to secure a front-row seat. Otherwise, the tour groups will snap them all up!
If you’re flexible I’d also suggest having a look at the weather before your visit too. Even though Siwa enjoys some of the best sunsets in Egypt and you’re guaranteed a banger most of the time, we unfortunately found out that there can actually be some cloudy evenings in the desert!
So try and choose a clear day if you can!
Even though we didn’t get to see the vibrant colours we’d hoped for, it was still an amazing spot to end our day of exploring!
There is one more activity to do on Fatnas Island that I should mention. And that is to get out in the water in a pedal boat.
These are available to rent next to the sunset seating area. Just speak to one of the guys there if this is something you fancy!
To Finish
No matter how long you plan to spend in Siwa Oasis, enjoying a Fatnas Island sunset should definitely be on your itinerary!
It’s the perfect place to chill out after an epic of exploring some of Siwa’s other awesome attractions!
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