Sharm El Sheikh Holidays - Compare Prices & Departure Dates

Sharm El Sheikh is one of the most renowned and popular resorts on the Red Sea Riviera in Egypt. On the southern tip of the Sinal Peninsula, the resort offers 10 miles of sandy beaches and blue sea with the rocky Mount Sinai mountain range as an impressive backdrop.

Little more than a Bedouin fishing village in the 1960s, the resort has developed rapidly to become a popular choice for British holiday makers seeking year round sunshine, diving and fun.

The resort is split into several areas, with most hotels and nightlife centering around Na’ama bay. Other popular tourist areas include Nabq, a new development just north of Na’ama, Old Sharm where the original village is, Shark’s Bay and Hadoba to the south of Na’ama.

Sharm El Sheikh is two hours ahead of the UK and the local currency is the Egyptian Pound. At the time of writing £1 = 8EGP.

Sharm El Sheikh airport (IATA code SSH) is the busiest airport in Sinai, with many scheduled, low cost and charter flights arriving from all over the world.

Flight times to Sharm El Sheikh from the UK are : London Gatwick 4hrs 45, Manchester 5hrs 30 and Glasgow 5hrs 45.

You do not need a visa to visit Sharm, as holidaymakers are granted a special Sinai Visit Pass on entry to the airport, which automatically allows visitors to stay up to 14 days in Sharm, as well as having the right to travel to visit Mount Sinai and St Catherine’s Monastery.

Many holidaymakers to Sharm book package holidays with the big-name tour operators, with transfers to the accommodation included. Otherwise, there are minibuses and taxis to take you on the 15 minute journey into the main resort area.

Once in resort, getting around is fairly easy with little blue and white tuk-tuks which cost around 20EGP for any journey. There are also mini buses and taxis, both of which are worth negotiating the price in advance for. Short journeys can cost as litle as three to five EGP and late night or longer journeys at least 20EGP.

Sharm El Sheikh has become increasingly popular with British tourists, mainly due to the year round sunshine and the diving.

Sun worshippers will love the 10 miles of sandy beach which stretches along the length of the peninsula from Nabq down to Hadoba.

Recreational scuba diving and snorkelling are incredibly popular here, with coral reefs offering easily accessible diving for beginners, whilst having plenty to keep expert divers entertained too.

There are many reputable diving schools in the area who can teach you to PADI diving certificate level.

The underwater fun takes place mainly around the coral reefs of Tiran and Ras Mohammed, the latter being renowned for having scores of tropical fish and has recently been designated a National Park to protect the coral.

Other sports and activities popular in Sharm El Sheikh include kite surfing, parasailing, golf, quad biking and karting at the international Ghibli Raceway. There are also two water theme parks; Aqua Park and Cleo Park.

Many visitors are keen to venture into the desert too, to visit Bedouin (the indigenous nomadic Arabs) villages and many do so on camel or horse back.

For a taste of culture, there are organised and escorted trips to visit the Coloured Canyon, Mount Sinai and the famous St Catherine’s Monastery, dedicated to one of Alexanders rulers, Saint Catherine, who was tortured to death for the sake of her new faith.

Sharm El Sheikh has worked hard to create an image of an upmarket resort, so there are very few budget accommodation options, with mostly hotels in the three to five star range.

Many of the international chains have hotels in the Na’ama Bay area, including two five star plus hotels from the Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons group offering guests a stay in Sharm in complete opulence.

Most hotels offer private beaches with sun loungers and parasols, as well as hotel pools.

Shopping is a national pastime in Sharm El Sheikh. Top international brand names all have boutiques in the resort, with the likes of the Movenpick shopping centre, Le Strada in Nabq, Soho Square in Shark’s Bay and Il Mercato in Hadaba to satiate your retail therapy needs.

If you head to Old Sharm you’ll find shops and markets selling traditional Bedouin handicrafts such as jewellery, pottery, clothes and leather goods – don’t forget, all prices are negotiable!

Sharm El Sheikh boasts a plethora of international cuisine with something to suit all tastes and budgets, from the likes of KFC and McDonalds to top class a la carte restaurants.

The area is known for the fresh fish, especially calamari, but you can also find Egyptian, Indian, Lebanese, Mediterranean and sushi restaurants.

For a more traditional meal, try the restaurants and cafes around Old Sharm and for anyone with a sweet tooth, make sure you taste Egyptian deserts such as khalva and lucoms.

Alcoholic drinks are served in bars and restaurants both inside hotels and separate eating establishments, but it is heavily taxed so make sure you read the menu before ordering and getting a shock when the bill comes.

For a refreshing soft drink try freshly squeezed guava juice.

Sharm El Sheikh is a truly year round resort. Even during winter temperatures stay between 15 and 35 degrees, with summer rising up to 45 degrees. The water temperature of the Red Sea is always between 21 and 28 degrees.

The only time there is a risk of rain is February to March and October to the end of November, so the main summer tourist season is between April and October.

The Red Sea Riviera is always popular with families, but you may want to avoid the hottest weeks in August where the temperatures are well into the 40s, even though there is always a sea breeze which stops the heat feeling too stifling.

• Scuba diving – from total beginners to experts the coral reefs have to be seen
• Year round sunshine and water sport lovers
• Those with a fairly decent holiday budget to make the most of the activities, restaurants and shopping

• Anyone who doesn’t like intense heat – remember temperatures in the height of summer can easily reach 45 degrees
• Culture vultures will feel frustrated they are in country steeped in ancient history, yet staying in a resort that is very modern and international

Trip Advisor – Independent visitor reviews of Sharm El Sheikh
Egypt Travel – the official Tourist Office site for Egypt

If you love scuba diving, snorkelling, good food and serious sunshine you’ll love Sharm El Sheikh. As a year-round destination, this resort is known as the jewel of the Egyptian Red Sea Riviera.