Sharm El Sheikh overview
Sharm el Sheikh offers world-class diving with spectacular reefs, magnificent drop-offs and shipwrecks simply waiting to be explored. Dive among sharks, barracuda and turtles at Shark Reef, or learn to dive in the gentler waters of Na'ama Bay.
Sharm el Sheikh lies at the southern tip of the Sinai peninsular where desert sands meet the Red Sea. Idyllic golden beaches shelve gently into a fantastic world of beautiful offshore reefs and colourful tropical fish. And enjoying a reputation amongst diving enthusiasts as the world's best dive sites, the Ras Mohammed National Marine Park and the Straits of Tiran are within easy reach. Elegant hotels offer every luxury, and beach bars, gourmet restaurants, and trendy bars and nightclubs add to the holiday atmosphere. For more traditional entertainment, bazaars and coffee shops add a splash of local colour, and you can always venture further afield and enjoy dinner Bedouin-style under a starlit desert sky.
Sharm El Sheikh resorts
The Sharm el Sheikh area comprises numerous resorts including Ras Um Sid, a lovely family resort between Na'ama Bay and Sharm's old Town.
Ras Um Sid boasts a beautiful beach with plenty of watersports including windsurfing, deep-sea fishing, and boat trips in addition to fantastic diving and snorkelling.
Na'ama Bay is the central and most popular area of Sharm el Sheikh and a haven for divers and watersports enthusiasts. Modern, stylish hotels line the sandy beachfront with its attractive promenade and there is a good selection of restaurants, bars and shops. Jetties along the coastline provide access to the sea over the reefs thereby protecting the magnificent coral.
Sharks Bay is a small resort popular with divers and snorkellers, and boasts some of the best coral reefs in the world. Ten kilometres north of Na'ama Bay, which is easily reached by shuttle bus or taxi, and overlooking Tiran Islands, Sharks Bay features elegant hotels with an abundance of activities.
Also looking across to Tiran Island, Ras Nasrani is an exclusive beach resort at the northern end of Sharm el Sheikh. A peaceful and tranquil resort, renowned for its diving, it boasts stunning shallow coral reefs and a beautifully secluded white sandy beach.
Golf
Sharm el Sheik's only golf course is centrally located in the grounds of Jolie Ville Golf Resort Hotel. This popular 18-hole par 72 PGA championship course features 18 lakes, and is easily accessible by taxi from all the hotels in the area. Facilities include two practice putting greens, a 3-hole short game area, a pro-shop and a restaurant & bar, serving light meals and refreshments, in the Club House.
Map
Climate
Much of Egypt is desert and the whole country is hot and dry with very little rain. Away from the coast, the summers can be scorchingly hot but winters are more moderate with more comfortable temperatures. Water temperatures average between 20° C and 23° C during the winter months.
Did you know?
From Sharm El Sheikh you can ascend to the summit of Mount Sinai (2285m, 7497 ft) either by climbing 4000 steps built by monks or by following an easier but longer path. Both lead to an open area known as Elijah's Basin where the remaining 750 steps lead to the top. At the summit you will find the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, built in 1934 on the site of a much earlier chapel built in 363 AD. The climb takes about three hours but the view from the top is truly breathtaking, especially at sunrise.
Sharm El Sheikh hotels
Baron Resort
On the beachfront facing Tiran Island, the elegant Baron Resort is a stylish hotel offering first class service with an informal and relaxing ambiance
Four Seasons Resort
Four Seasons Sharm El Sheik offers exceptional service in luxurious surroundings with warm, personalised, intuitive service ensuring an unparalleled holiday experience
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Hilton Sharm Dreams Resort
Set in palm-filled tropical gardens and located in the centre of Na’ama Bay
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Hilton Sharm El Sheikh Fayrouz Resort
Against a backdrop of the Sinai Mountains, this popular Hilton hotel is set in beautiful lush gardens on a private golden sandy beachfront
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Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort
Situated on the Ras Um Sid plateau overlooking the beach and built on terraces leading to the water with its stunning coral reefs
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Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh
This truly luxurious hotel set in beautifully landscaped gardens with cascading pools leading to the beach
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Iberotel Lido Sharm
Iberotel Lido Sharm is a four star boutique style hotel set directly on beach in the heart of Na’ama Bay
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Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort
In tranquil surroundings in Um Marikha Bay on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula.
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Maritim Jolie Ville Resort & Casino
Enjoying a prime beachfront location in Na’ama Bay with its wide selection of shops, bars, restaurants and good nightlife all within walking distance
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Melia Sharm
Beautifully set in a prime beachfront location in Ras Nasrani, a renowned diving spot with stunning coral reefs
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Melia Sinai
Magnificently set on the beachfront in Ras Nasrani, a renowned diving spot with stunning coral reefs
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Renaissance Golden View Beach Resort
Situated on a golden sandy beach with views across a spectacular dive site
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Sharm el Sheikh Marriott Red Sea Resort
Located in the heart of Na’ama Bay, the modern resort hotel Sharm el Sheikh Marriott Red Sea Resort is divided into a
beachside wing on the seafront
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Sofitel Sharm El Sheikh
Set amid beautifully landscaped gardens and perched on a headland at the edge of Na’ama Bay
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The Ritz-Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh
Set in a vast tropical landscape boasting sparkling pools, bridges and a lazy river, this light, airy and spacious beachfront resort hotel
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The Royal Savoy Suites & Villas
For discerning guests who desire exclusivity, The Royal Savoy is a selfcontained club wing within The Savoy Resort complex.
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The Savoy Resort
Savoy Sharm El Sheikh is situated at the heart of a spectacular beach, and with its palm trees, waterfalls and peaceful surroundings
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Map
Climate
Much of Egypt is desert and the whole country is hot and dry with very little rain. Away from the coast, the summers can be scorchingly hot but winters are more moderate with more comfortable temperatures. Water temperatures average between 20° C and 23° C during the winter months.
Did you know?
From Sharm El Sheikh you can ascend to the summit of Mount Sinai (2285m, 7497 ft) either by climbing 4000 steps built by monks or by following an easier but longer path. Both lead to an open area known as Elijah's Basin where the remaining 750 steps lead to the top. At the summit you will find the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, built in 1934 on the site of a much earlier chapel built in 363 AD. The climb takes about three hours but the view from the top is truly breathtaking, especially at sunrise.
Sharm El Sheikh sightseeing
Diving and Snorkelling
Sharm el Sheikh offers some of the best diving in the world including the Ras Mohammed National Marine Park at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula which boasts the stunning Yolanda and Shark reefs with their abundant colourful fish and coral.
For experienced divers, the Straits of Tiran boasts four world famous coral reefs, Gordon, Woodhouse, Thomas and Jackson, and some of the best wrecks in the Red Sea can be found around Sharm including Thistlegorm, a World War II British supply ship which lies on the seabed at 30m still laden with its cargo of trucks, guns and motorbikes.
Also in the local area are fantastic house reefs for snorkelling and diving. There are numerous PADI centres which ensure that the area is excellent both for novices and experienced divers.
St Catherine's Monastery
Thought to be the oldest monastery in the world, St Catherine's can trace its origins back to the early fourth century AD. A transplanted descendant of the Burning Bush, through which Moses is said to have heard the voice of the Lord, grows in the monastery's enclosure. Close to Sharm el Sheikh, St Catherine's enjoys a spectacular location at the foot of Mount Sinai which Jews, Christians and Muslims believe to have been the site of God's revelation of the Ten Commandments. Impressive sunrises and sunsets can be enjoyed from the top of Mount Sinai.
Cairo (1 day by air)
One of the greatest capitals in the world Cairo is home to nearly 20 million people and a visit to Africa's largest city includes all of the city's most dramatic landmarks, the Pyramids and the Sphinx, The Mosque of Muhammad Ali and the Egyptian Museum.
Luxor (1 day by air)
Luxor is set against spectacular desert landscapes of the Kharga Oasis and features the Valley of the Kings, the Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon on the West Bank, and the Karnak and Luxor Temples on the East.
Jordan and Petra (1 day by air)
Often described as the eighth wonder of the ancient world, Petra is Jordan's most valuable treasure and a simply remarkable place. Carved into the sheer rock face more than 2,000 years ago, this city was 'lost' to the western world until its re-discovery in the early 19th century.
Boat Trips
A variety of snorkelling trips from the Sinai area are offered including visits to Tiran Island, known for its lagoons and coral reefs, and Ras Mohammed Marine Park, surrounded by magnificent coral reefs and home to a huge number of reef fish.
Map
Climate
Much of Egypt is desert and the whole country is hot and dry with very little rain. Away from the coast, the summers can be scorchingly hot but winters are more moderate with more comfortable temperatures. Water temperatures average between 20° C and 23° C during the winter months.
Did you know?
From Sharm El Sheikh you can ascend to the summit of Mount Sinai (2285m, 7497 ft) either by climbing 4000 steps built by monks or by following an easier but longer path. Both lead to an open area known as Elijah's Basin where the remaining 750 steps lead to the top. At the summit you will find the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, built in 1934 on the site of a much earlier chapel built in 363 AD. The climb takes about three hours but the view from the top is truly breathtaking, especially at sunrise.
Sharm El Sheikh offers
Baron Resort
On the beachfront facing Tiran Island, the elegant Baron Resort is a stylish hotel offering first class service with an informal and relaxing ambiance
1 offer
Four Seasons Resort
Four Seasons Sharm El Sheik offers exceptional service in luxurious surroundings with warm, personalised, intuitive service ensuring an unparalleled holiday experience
5 offers
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-
Hilton Sharm Dreams Resort
Set in palm-filled tropical gardens and located in the centre of Na’ama Bay
2 offers
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Hilton Sharm El Sheikh Fayrouz Resort
Against a backdrop of the Sinai Mountains, this popular Hilton hotel is set in beautiful lush gardens on a private golden sandy beachfront
3 offers
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-
Hilton Sharm Waterfalls Resort
Situated on the Ras Um Sid plateau overlooking the beach and built on terraces leading to the water with its stunning coral reefs
2 offers
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Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh
This truly luxurious hotel set in beautifully landscaped gardens with cascading pools leading to the beach
8 offers
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Iberotel Lido Sharm
Iberotel Lido Sharm is a four star boutique style hotel set directly on beach in the heart of Na’ama Bay
1 offer
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Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort
In tranquil surroundings in Um Marikha Bay on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula.
4 offers
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Maritim Jolie Ville Resort & Casino
Enjoying a prime beachfront location in Na’ama Bay with its wide selection of shops, bars, restaurants and good nightlife all within walking distance
2 offers
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Renaissance Golden View Beach Resort
Situated on a golden sandy beach with views across a spectacular dive site
3 offers
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The Ritz-Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh
Set in a vast tropical landscape boasting sparkling pools, bridges and a lazy river, this light, airy and spacious beachfront resort hotel
6 offers
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The Savoy Resort
Savoy Sharm El Sheikh is situated at the heart of a spectacular beach, and with its palm trees, waterfalls and peaceful surroundings
3 offers
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-
Map
Climate
Much of Egypt is desert and the whole country is hot and dry with very little rain. Away from the coast, the summers can be scorchingly hot but winters are more moderate with more comfortable temperatures. Water temperatures average between 20° C and 23° C during the winter months.
Did you know?
From Sharm El Sheikh you can ascend to the summit of Mount Sinai (2285m, 7497 ft) either by climbing 4000 steps built by monks or by following an easier but longer path. Both lead to an open area known as Elijah's Basin where the remaining 750 steps lead to the top. At the summit you will find the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, built in 1934 on the site of a much earlier chapel built in 363 AD. The climb takes about three hours but the view from the top is truly breathtaking, especially at sunrise.