Sharm El-Sheikh
Sharm El-Sheikh; Aqaba’s southern shore between Tiran Island and Ras Mohammed National Park has some of the world’s most spectacular underwater vistas.
Beautiful coral reefs and an abundance of unusual species have made this a world-renowned snorkelling and scuba diving destination.
Naama Bay and Sharm al-Maya are two nearby bays that make up the vibrant tourist town of Sharm el-Sheikh. The world’s most renowned vacation destination, Sharm El Sheikh, has seen an unfortunate transition in recent years. An old diving town is now a gated Las Vegas-style strip with all the attractiveness of a retail mall.
Today, large concrete hotel buildings compete for prime beach area, while waves of mostly European vacationers splash about in pools surrounded by security fences. Also, lots are being divided up for condominiums, and urban growth threatens to change more of the shoreline.
Criticizing Sharm is simple, but it is. Welcome to heaven if you want to live in a resort, party with foreigners till dawn and eat Western cuisine to your heart’s delight.
Sharm is rapidly becoming an exclusive European enclave on the Sinai rim, and any trace of Egyptian identity will soon be lost. If you’re an independent traveller, you’d be advised to avoid Sharm and go straight for Dahab.
Sharm’s superb diving has been eclipsed by reckless tourism development. Offshore diving locations in Sharm and the surrounding Ras Mohammed National Park may be reached via liveaboards or boat tours from Dahab.
Most resorts are located along or near Na’ama Bay’s beach. Central Na’ama Bay, with its seaside promenade and pedestrian-only section dotted with hotels, restaurants, and stores, is the best place to stay.
Most of the resorts north of Na’ama Bay are quiet premium getaways with their own piece of beach and easy taxi access to the center region.
This little town, 6km west of Naama Bay, has a big, walled market called Sharm Old Market, with a variety of cheap restaurants. The devastating July 2005 bombings severely devastated most of the Old Market area, which has since been reconstructed. The port is located southwest of Sharm al-Maya.
The Hadaba administrative region is surrounded by a desolate network of long, treeless streets flanked with mostly midrange resorts. These are for direct flights from Europe and are linked to the beach via shuttle bus. A pleasant length of shoreline, a lighthouse, and a series of luxury hotels to the southeast of the administrative area.
El Sheikh Attractions ( All you need to know )
Scuba Diving
The snorkelling surrounding Sharm is fantastic. While the core Na’ama Bay reefs are fairly accessible, it is best to go to the Near and Middle Gardens, or the stunning Far Garden. The Near Garden is near the Sofitel hotel at the northern end of the harbour, while the Middle and Far Gardens are below the Hyatt Regency.
All may be accessed on foot or by boat arranged by a diving company; pack lots of water and sunscreen. Ras Um Sid Reef, near Sharm el-lighthouse, Sheikh’s is another popular snorkelling destination, albeit the tiny beach is shared by multiple resorts and may become congested.
Apart from Ras Um Sid Reef, popular diving sites Temple and Fiasco Reefs are easily accessible by snorkellers. The Ritz Carlton is also near Amphoras Reef, a great snorkelling destination.
Shark’s Bay features a nice reef that attracts huge rays in the spring. Joining a diving boat to more distant destinations is accessible via most local dive clubs. Viele Clubs organisieren auch Schnorkeling-Trips in Ras Mohammed
Other diving spots are not appropriate for snorkellers, and some regions have powerful currents that are not for the faint-hearted.
A lot of diving shops rent masks and fins. Snorkelers must follow the same reef-protection guidelines as divers. Snorkelers’ fins frequently do more damage to reefs than divers’, so remain a safe distance from the corals.
Swimmable
Other water activities available at most hotels include sailing, windsurfing, parasailing, pedalos, banana boats, and glass-bottom boats. Most hotels offer beach access, either directly or through a partnership with another resort.
Check before booking, since some hotels’ beaches are up to 10km away and only accessible via shuttle. The public beach on Na’ama Bay directly opposite Hilton Fayrouz Village is congested with rental chairs, making it impossible to view the sand.
Remember that despite all the development, the beaches and seas of Na’ama Bay are part of the Ras Mohammed National Park and its rules apply here. There is a public beach at Sharm al-Maya. There’s no reef, and young Egyptian guys are prone to ogle ladies swimming here.
Rodeos de Camels
Most hotels can organise camel and horse excursions to ‘traditional Bedouin communities’, but it’s typically preferable and more genuine to negotiate treks directly with the Bedouin in Dahab or Nuweiba.
Nightlife
Sharm el-Sheikh features one of Egypt’s liveliest bar and club scenes, thanks to its youthful population and rich visitors. Drinking along the promenade begins throughout the day, peaks during early evening happy hours, and ends as the sun sets. Late-night dancing concludes around morning, with many revellers passing asleep on the beach.
The majority of Sharm’s nightlife is informal – a clean shirt and comfortable sandals are OK – but the town’s expanding affluence is attracting more wealthy and attractive. So, although dressing to the nines won’t be out of place, ladies visitors should be aware that they will draw a lot of attention. In Sharm, Egyptian males appear to prefer Western women, yet the desire may be mutual.
Tours
St Katherine’s Monastery and the Coloured Canyon are popular desert sites that most tourist firms and hotels arrange. The guides are mostly Nile Valley locals, not Bedouins, and the groups are typically big. Dahab and Nuweiba provide better, more sensitive journeys.
Sleeping
Sharm el-Sheikh and its surroundings offer one of Egypt’s highest concentrations of hotels, but you’ll have to pay to play. Budget lodging is scarce, and alternatives are limited if you don’t like all-inclusive resorts.
Budget travellers are limited to the youth hostel in Sharm el-Sheikh and a tent near Shark’s Bay. Again, Sharm is notoriously expensive, so if you’re serious about saving money, stick to Dahab. A new cluster of budget hotels has grown up around Hadaba.
While lacking in ambience, most hotels are located along or near a large concrete strip, and most offer shuttle buses to Ras Um Sid or Na’ama Bay. Beachfront hotels in Na’ama Bay are often expensive, so choose one a little farther back.
Many five-star resorts now line the shore from Na’ama Bay northwards towards the airport. All have fancy names and are frequently rented as part of a package from outside Egypt.
Shark’s Bay, 6km northeast of Na’ama Bay, was formerly a tranquil Bedouin community, but has rapidly expanded over the last decade. This stretch of beachfront is now a series of premium luxury hotels – where your every want will be attended to.
The hotel sector in Sharm is continually evolving, thus the information below may be out of date. Also, bear in mind that costs in Sharm are more variable than elsewhere in Egypt, and may change dramatically depending on visitor numbers.
Hotel rates are almost always lower if booked in advance, particularly as part of an all-inclusive package.
Eating
With hundreds of eateries, Sharm is unabashedly Sinai’s tourism centre. Though most all-inclusive guests never leave their resort, it’s worth stepping outside.
The quality of the cuisine in Sharm is exceptional, especially the fresh Red Sea fish. Of course, if you’ve been in Egypt for a while, the sight of foreign favourites like Italian, Thai, Indian, and Japanese is sure to whet your appetite.
The Old Market in Sharm el-Sheikh is the town’s gastronomic centre. Small, pleasant, local eateries abound, with delicious cuisine and quick service. It’s simple to spend an evening strolling along the beachside promenade and sample various spots in Na’ama Bay.
While it’s tempting to fall for the first restaurant you see, browse around, compare rates, and trust your gut. The resort strip or Shark’s Bay offers luxurious all-inclusive resorts or self-catering Bedouin camps.
Entertainment
Sharm el-Sheikh features one of Egypt’s liveliest bar and club scenes, thanks to its youthful population and rich visitors. Drinking along the promenade begins throughout the day, peaks during early evening happy hours, and ends as the sun sets. Late-night dancing concludes around morning, with many revellers passing asleep on the beach.
The majority of Sharm’s nightlife is informal – a clean shirt and comfortable sandals are OK – but the town’s expanding affluence is attracting more wealthy and attractive.
So, although dressing to the nines won’t be out of place, ladies visitors should be aware that they will draw a lot of attention. In Sharm, Egyptian males appear to prefer Western women, yet the desire may be mutual.
The fact that Egypt is a conservative society that shuns alcohol and excess pleasures of the body might be either a shock or a comfort, depending on your vices. The whole thing is obviously un-Egyptian, but after a few drinks and some unrestrained dancing, everyone typically has a good time.
