Sharm El Sheikh

A diving paradise at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, with the Ras Mohammed reef walls, the Thistlegorm wreck and a night climb up Mount Sinai for sunrise.

Sharm El Sheikh sits at the very southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, where the Red Sea meets the Gulf of Aqaba, and is one of Egypt's most established seaside resort towns. The city stretches along the coast: in the north, Shark's Bay, SOHO Square and Nabq Bay are mostly large resorts; in the middle, Naama Bay is the hub of promenades, bars and dive shops; in the south, Sharm el-Maya has the old market, the Al Sahaba Mosque and the boat harbor, while Hadaba and Ras Umm Sid offer clifftop sunsets. The focus is on the sea: Ras Mohammed National Park, the reefs of the Straits of Tiran and the SS Thistlegorm wreck are world-class dive sites, and boat diving and snorkeling are also available. On land, you can climb Mount Sinai at night for sunrise and visit Saint Catherine's Monastery, or head to Dahab and the Blue Hole. The climate is dry with little rain, and diving is possible year-round; March–May and September–November are the most comfortable, summer temperatures often exceed 40°C, and winter nights are slightly cool. Getting there: Sharm El Sheikh International Airport has flights from Cairo, Europe and the Middle East; within the city, taxis and hotel shuttles are the main options, and you will need your passport at military and police checkpoints when leaving town. We suggest 4–6 days. Notes: check the latest safety advisories before you go, and join a reputable tour operator for the Mount Sinai climb and boat trips; do not touch the coral while diving, and choose reef-friendly sunscreen if you bring your own.

Top sights

• Ras Mohammed National Park – The marine national park at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula and the most famous dive site in the Red Sea, with vertical coral walls…
• Straits of Tiran Reefs – Four coral reefs between Tiran Island and the Sinai (Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon), with sheer blue walls and a shipwreck. Top div…
• Mount Sinai – The holy mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments, 2,285 meters high. Climbing at night to watch the sunrise from the summit is S…
• Saint Catherine's Monastery – A World Heritage Site built under Justinian in the 6th century and still in use, one of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the wor…
• Naama Bay, Sharm El Sheikh – The resort hub of Sharm El Sheikh, with a gently curved beach and a promenade lined with hotels, restaurants and dive centers, and the main…
• SS Thistlegorm Wreck – A British merchant ship bombed and sunk during World War II. Its holds still contain motorcycles, trucks, a locomotive and ammunition, and…
• Nabq Protected Area – A coastal wilderness reserve north of Sharm, with the northernmost mangroves of the Red Sea, dunes, Bedouin villages and shallow-reef snork…
• Sharm Old Market – A traditional bazaar beside Sharm El Maya Bay, with spices, hookahs, papyrus paintings and Egyptian snacks, brightly lit into the night.
• Al Sahaba Mosque – A large new mosque beside the Old Market that blends Ottoman and Fatimid styles, with twin minarets and a white dome that have become a new…
• Heavenly Cathedral – A Coptic Orthodox cathedral in Sharm, with interior walls and ceilings covered in vividly colored murals of Bible stories.
• SOHO Square – An entertainment complex near the airport with a musical fountain, an indoor ice rink, bowling, restaurants and bars, and one of Sharm’s ni…
• Sharks Bay – A resort bay north of Naama Bay where coral reef drop-offs lie right off the shore, and you can snorkel among schools of fish by entering t…
• Ras Um Sid & Farsha Café – A cliffside headland at the southern end of town, with a lighthouse, a reef famous for its soft coral forests, and a clifftop café with lan…

Where to eat

• El Masrien Grill (Old Market) – A lively and affordable Egyptian grill in the Old Market, highly popular for its kofta, stuffed pigeon, and rabbit molo…
• Fares Seafood (Old Market) – A well-known seafood restaurant in the Old Market, where you can pick fresh fish on-site to be grilled. The signature F…
• Sinai Star Seafood Restaurant – An old-school seafood restaurant in the Old Town operating since 1985, recommended for its fresh fish, shrimp, and larg…

Itineraries

• South Sinai Red Sea & Mount Sinai – Go boat cruising in Sharm El Sheikh, visit the Blue Hole in Dahab, and hike Mount Sinai overnight for sunrise. Flying d…
• Sinai Crossing to Petra, Jordan – Explore Dahab and Mount Sinai, cross the Gulf of Aqaba from Nuweiba, and connect to Wadi Rum, Petra, and Amman.