The modern city is called ‘Sharm’ by the local Egyptians. Sharm of today has five important regions that make it a very important metropolitan area in Egypt. It harbors a chunk of tourist sites and attractions. The little Buddha, a sushi bar, and a night club have taken the title of having the unbroken bar in the Middle East. Also the multihued handicrafts of the local Bedouin culture are a lure to several foreigners. The downtown area is clustered with all kinds of hotels from over the world.
Sharm El Sheikh is a beautiful city with several beaches for the tourists to enjoy at. The beaches feature lots of water sports facilities to everyone. The resorts with beach settings also feature many options for the tourists like scuba diving, etc. Some of the famous beaches in the area are Beach Albatros, Coral beach, Reef Oasis beach, etc.
It is one of the very popular plant, though scarce species of Plant kingdom on the globe. Egyptians have associated a part of their history with this plant. It’s believed that this plant was burned when Mosses communicated with God. A lot of tourists, Muslims and non-Muslims both visit this plant to see what it’s like. If you’re interested in history, you must to.
This chapel is of great religious respect to many. It is located on a small distance from the burning bush. Several Monks and Scholar justifies the presence of this chapel to this day by saying that this chapel is the reason why St. Catherine’s monastery urbanized initially.
Mount Sinai, also known as Jabal Musa, rises above Saint Catherine’s Monastery in South Sinai. Religious tradition associates the mountain with Moses receiving the law.
This bay intricately shows the fusion of Sharm El Sheikh past with its developed present. It features stunning wildlife, beautiful waters, and several activities for kids and adults alike.
This landmark is worth a visit. It’s located half way in between the tip and foot of Mount Sinai. It’s considered as one of the very famous religious monuments. There are no specific timings to visit the place. A small fee is charged for the visit.
Saint Catherine’s Monastery stands at the foot of Mount Sinai in the Saint Catherine area of South Sinai. Its fortified monastic complex was established under Emperor Justinian in the sixth century, long after the time associated with Moses.
Theatres in Sharm El Sheikh are not as developed and stunning as the ones in Cairo, but threatre art is developing into something big everyday in this part of Egypt. Several plays and shows are now being run in different theatres at hotels and community centers. Some must visit theatres are Grand Galaxy theatre and Amphitheatre at Grand Rotana Hotel.
Soho square is the hub of entertainment in Sharm El Sheikh that features restaurants, cafes, bars, clubs, restaurants, steakhouses, bowling, etc. Among all these facilities, Soho Square also has a kids arcade to engage kids in fun activities to keep them occupied. It has ball pit, slides, rides, toys, and several other games. It is open from 4 pm to midnight on seven days a week.
Kids of today love to play in water. Diving in the sea waters isn’t something that kids get to do everywhere. But Sharm El Sheikh has several places where kids could go for water recreational sports. Such places have trained lifeguards to avoid any accident or casualty.
Opened in 1985 in downtown Sharm, this Indian restaurant offers you a wide variety of not only Indian cuisine, but also Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Continental, and American cuisines. It has a very fancy setup with beautiful maroon curtains, wooden chairs, and couches.
Located inside the Naama center, this restaurant gives you the best Lebanese delicacies. The foos is rated excellent by the customers and the waiter service is also termed quick and great in the customer reviews. Fairuz also offers the option of home delivery to expand its outreach.
This is an exclusive place for American and mostly Western cuisines. Most delectable alcohol is also available to the customers. It’s located in an area known for its nightlife. If you want to party around one night in Sharm and enjoy the hint of American life and taste of American cuisine, you must drop by at this bar.
Located in the South of Sinai, this restaurant offers a wide variety of hot and spicy Mexican cuisines served a la cart. Food is of high quality and is prepared with fresh ingredients. Tacos and burritos are its specialty! People who want to treat their taste buds with the delicacies of Mexico; this is the place to be.
Located inside the Tropitel Naama Bay hotel, this restaurant is famous for its delicious BBQ dishes of all styles. In fact, they have a weekly BBQ theme for their customers. Food is complimented with delectable fruit juices and other drinks, including but not limited to wine and other shots.
As the name suggests, this restaurant offers an extensive variety of all seafood dishes. Fish is their specialty. Also, it’s located in the popular Old market of Sharm since 25 years. Their food is high standard and services are pretty quick as well. The restaurant offers a home delivery service too.
It is one of the most famous seafood restaurants in town with a very high rating in its reviews from tourists and local customers. Their specialty is delectable fish variety. Service is excellent! Most tourists recommend their seafood platters. Fresh juices are also available. Prices are half of most five star restaurants though food is exceptionally popular and delicious.
This restaurant has traditional Indian setting and a comfortable environment. Food is primarily Indian with lots of chicken, meat, fish, and vegetable varieties to tingle your taste buds. It’s always overflowing with customers so it’s better and advisable to make reservations in advance. We recommend you to try their breads.
The restaurant has a very gentle and exotic atmosphere. It gives you the best Thai dishes in a traditionally decorated Thai setting. You can see the food being cooked in the open air and the menu has very flexible prices for people from nearly all budgets. Staff are services are also rated excellent by customers.
Located in one of the most populous areas of Sharm El Sheikh, this is a popular seafood restaurant. Their prices are fairly low, however the food and service is pretty good. Seafood platters are huge and delicious. People come back because of the size and taste of the platter. Despite all its services, wine isn’t available here.
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This hotel is located on a five minutes drive from the Sharm El Sheikh international airport. Most of the famous tourist attractions, restaurants, and nightlife facilities are easily accessible on foot from its location. Also, the hotel offers all kinds of services to their guests from babysitting to internet and massage, spa, etc.
It’s situated on a private beach area, about three kilometers from the Sharm El Sheikh international airport. The rooms are exceptionally beautiful, comfy, and for all sorts of guests from newly married to businessmen. Main tourist attractions like water sports, desert safari, and boat trips aren’t far away, at all. The resort has its own Limousine service and car rental service for its guests.
Located above the exotic red sea, this resort offers all kinds of luxuries and other facilities to make your stay a wonderful one. Rooms are spacious and well-equipped with all the necessities. It has a spa, pool, gym, recreation activities, and business halls, etc to serve your requirements. The resort also arranges for full-day and half-day diving courses in the Red Sea for their guests.
This hotel gives you the paradise like stay ‘cuz it’s location on the Sharm Al Maya Bay. Its exotic architecture and art display in different forms is absolutely charming and something that adds additional stars to the hotel. It has different restaurant where you could dine at. Services like room service, internet, spa, etc have been getting excellent reviews from the guests since their inception.
Baron Resort Sharm El Sheikh is a beachfront resort overlooking the Straits of Tiran. The resort describes more than 600 metres of private sandy beach, with a floating jetty providing access to the offshore reef.
This resort is credited with several restaurants and a Las Vegas-styled casino besides the shimmering drama of red sea and the beautiful views of Sinai Mountains. It is one of the biggest bases of scuba diving in the gorgeous waters of the Red sea! The ambiance and setting is traditional Arabic which is very soothing to the nerves. The rooms and suites are comfy and spacious. All kinds of services, primary and secondary, are available at this outstanding resort.
Jaz Mirabel Beach is located only 20 minutes from the Sharm el Sheikh International airport and gives exotic views of the Red Sea. Its ambiance is a match of Tuscan architecture and modern Egyptian services. The restaurant and bars serve your appetite with local and International cuisines in beautiful settings. There is a wide range of activities for kids and special leisure facilities like gym and spa for the adults. A boat service runs to the national Ras Mohammed Park, too.
The resort has the most dynamic location merging major tourist attractions, restaurants, beaches, and the city center. It has a strict no pet policy for all guests. Although, the resort features the best diving center and scuba diving facilities to its guests. A 24 hours doctors is available to serve guests at any time. Facilities of American Express, Master card, Visa card, etc are also available. The resort has its own car rental services and tour operators.
Located on a drive of ten minutes from the airport, this resort features a private beach, pools, spa, fitness centers, several restaurants and bars with distinguished cuisines, playgrounds for kids, and an animation program for evenings. The rooms are painted in soothing shades and are spacious with terraces and balconies giving out the best views of the city!
Facing the straits of Tiran, this hotel is positioned on the glimmering Nabq Bay. It’s only 14 kilometers away from the Sharm El Sheikh International airport and located near several tourist attractions. The variety of pools and cuisines adds more to its grace. The rooms are large and offer various views of sea and inland gardens. Bank and credit card facilities are also provided along with 24 hours health services.
Most visas expire six months after the date of issue. A fee of 15 USD or its equivalent in Egyptian currency is charged for obtaining the visa. If Visa needs to be renewed or extended then it can be done from the Ministry of Foreign affairs in Egypt. The extension of business visa requires proper reasoning for the delay from the certain company.
February to April and October to November are the best months to travel to Sharm el Sheikh because the weather is a lot cooler and one is able to walk around the city comfortably.
-Location:: Egypt; -Dialing code:: +06; -Emergency numbers:: Tourist Police - Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, EG
Currency in Egypt: Egyptian pound (EGP)
•New Year’s day
The modern city is called ‘Sharm’ by the local Egyptians. Sharm of today has five important regions that make it a very important metropolitan area in Egypt. It harbors a chunk of tourist sites and attractions. The little Buddha, a sushi bar, and a night club have taken the title of having the unbroken bar in the Middle East. Also the multihued handicrafts of the local Bedouin culture are a lure to several foreigners. The downtown area is clustered with all kinds of hotels from over the world.
The Sharm of today was called ‘Ofira’ during the Israeli activity of Egypt between 1967 and 1982. It was originally a fishing port inhabited by a few people and local fishermen. However, it expanded its boundaries over the years and turned into a commercial port and Naval Base for the Egyptian area. It has been captured by Israel twice; once in 1956 and then in 1967! It was during the Israeli occupation of Egypt that diving clubs, etc were established in the region have now been upgraded to International levels.
Most residents of the city speak Arabic; however there is a majority of French and English speaking community as well. In most homes, women and men both are employed. 90% of population is Muslim and practicing religion in their daily lives. Women don’t wear revealing clothes and cover major body parts. Similarly, men don’t shake hands with women unless women offer them themselves. Hospitality is a part of the city’s culture and locals are especially generous and nice to tourists.
Sharm El Sheikh is a populated tourist spot in the world featuring several attractions. However if you’ve to tour the city in just one day, you must visit all the highly recommended attractions first. Start your day with a heavy breakfast in the Naama Bay area. They have really good restaurants offering a variety of cuisines. ‘Camel Bar & Roof, ‘Mahony’, and ‘Sala Thai’ are famous breakfast places in the area. After breakfast, you can either take a taxi or walk to the beach which isn’t very far away. Walking is recommended because that way you’ll be able to notice the street culture, shops, residents, etc.
It is one of the famous malls in Sharm El Sheikh featuring most of the designers’ apparel, etc. A few of them are Calvin Klein, Mac, and Timberland. It also offers a good variety of food chains for instance McDonald’s, etc. It has several shops of perfumes and jewelry that attract a lot of tourists, especially the bunch from West.
This shop is located in Nabq, which is the contemporary area of the city. The shop features expensive imported jewelry from over the world. It is exclusively known for its Italian gold. So, if you plan to spurge some bucks on Italian gold, Philippo Jewelry is the place!
This is one the oldest and most reliable electronic stores in the state, operating since 1988. They sell all the hi-tech electronic items from iPods to phones and fancy computer accessories. So, if you wish to buy yourself some cool gadgets, this is the place to be at.
This is one of the few places in Sharm El Sheikh that sell original imported furniture items from jute chairs and wall hangers to beds and dining tables. This shop may have higher prices, but it gives you the advantage of one year guarantee unlike most other shops in the city.
It is one of the really big stores in Sharm El Sheikh that features the beautiful Egyptian souvenirs, gifts, clothing, shoes, swimsuits, etc. It’s an eye candy for many visitors because not many shops in the city are so developed and organized with such systematic sales operations.
It is the place for most people with tight budgets and lively hearts. If you want to take the essence of Sharm El Sheikh and the gorgeous Red Sea with you then this is the place to buy cheap souvenirs from. Also, it has a chic effect to it. A wide variety of handbags folklore clothing, shoes, beach accessories are also available at moderate prices.
This shop features all kinds of souvenirs, Red Sea and Sharm El sheikh’s tees, Arabic literature, city guide books, etc at affordable prices. If you want to read about the city or take a part of city back home with your luggage, you must visit this shop, at least, once.
This mall features all kinds of shops from toy shops to souvenir shops. Stationary items and gifts, books, city and tour guides, etc can all be bought on considerably low prices.
It is one of the oldest and most renowned supermarket chains in Egypt. Its services and quality of items are remarkable! It features all the daily use items for sale on affordable prices.
It is a very old and famous footwear shop in the city. Most people shop for shoes there because its prices are considerably cheap if compared with the other stores in the International market. Lotto also features watches, undergarments, cosmetics, eyewear, and stationary items.
Boat tours are another activity that kids seem to love because of the thrill that boat trips induce. Since Sharm El Sheikh location makes it accessible to several places in Egypt. If you’ve time, you can even take kids for a round trip of Egypt! Your kids will love it. Otherwise you can also take a boat tour to Cairo and show your kids the legendary Pyramids. They will surely be enthralled to see one of the wonders of the world that they had initially only seen in Social Studies books! Also, it will give them so much to brag about to their friends once they go back!
The date of this day keeps varying according to the Islamic Calendar. It is normally celebrated on the first day of the first Islamic month, Muharram. Most businesses and educational institutions stay closed.
This festival is celebrated with full zeal in the beginning of the month of January by native Egyptian Christians. They enjoy this particular Christmas in full swing with city parades, musicals, religious gatherings at churches, etc.
This is a huge celebration that marks the end of fasting (Vegan diet) for the Copts. After the termination of fasts, Copts usually visit their families and relatives or enjoy traditional meals and plan picnics.
Sinai Liberation Day is observed on 25 April, marking the completion of Israel’s withdrawal from Sinai in 1982 under the peace treaty. The commemoration concerns the withdrawal, not a surrender in 1979.
It is generally celebrated on the first day of spring and is celebrated with a mix of colors and celebrations on the first Monday after the Coptic Easter. It’s also a national holiday. Shopping centers and businesses remain shut on this day and people try to enjoy the little treats of life.
They have several tour packages of Sharm El Sheikh that cover trips to St. Catherine, and other sightseeing spots. It also runs tour buses to and fro Sharm. Some of them have one to seven days tour packages to Cairo and other nearby places. All busses are air conditioned.
It is one of the oldest and most reliable tour operators in Sharm El Sheikh. Their services can be availed online through their website or offline through telephonic communication or by visiting their offices. They also create tour plans according to your schedule and other preferences. In Sharm, they have small as well as big tours that cover all the local tourist attractions.
This is a local company operating in Egypt since 1993. They offer pricey and cheap, both sorts of tours to all the local tourist attractions in Sharm, river Nile cruises, and Red Sea dining services. Their head office is located in Cairo; however they operate tours efficiently all over Egypt.
Sharm El-Sheikh, Qesm Sharm Ash Sheikh, Egypt
Sharm El-Sheikh, Qesm Sharm Ash Sheikh, Egypt
The bus services are local as well as interlinked with cities. The fares are cheap and normally busses pick you up from whereever you are. There is no such restriction of being on certain busstops only. However, you must let the bus driver or conductor know that you want to get on the bus by a certain gesture for example by waving a hand. It is advisable if you don’t travel between cities on busses because it gets really hot and mostly crowded as well.
Taxi transport isn’t the best in Sharm-El-Sheikh mainly because it’s expesinve. Also, if you plan to travel around the city and try different delicacies, it’d advisable that you hire a taxi from a designated taxi stand and decide the fare beforehand to avoid any issues later on. Or ask your hotel administration to get you a taxi. Normally, taaxi drivers charge commissions from different restaurant for bringing in customers hence you should let the driver know where exactly you ‘want’ to go so that you don’t end up somewhere you never wanted to visit.
It is best to hire a car in Sharm-El-Sheikh if you want to explore the beauty of the city on your own. Also, it’s very cost-effective since the fuel prices are very low. However, you need to have a driving license and your age must be at least 25 years to be able to hire a car.
Mostly it’s very crowded on the roads and traffic remains jam for long times. Also, there are some rash drivers in the town. Pedestrians rarely follow the road norms. In a nutshell, Sharm El Sheikh has a traffic culture of its own hence it’s advisable to first get accustomed to it and then only take the risk of driving.
The Sharm-El-Sheikh airport is only 10 km away from the Naama Bay. There are taxis outside the main terminal, but they normally exploit tourists with charging more fares and taking them to hotels where they get commission. A bus can also be taken- this is fairly inexpensive. Buses can be spotted near the terminal building.
Health and safety are the primary concerns of tourists in any spot they visit. It is advisable to not drink water from the public water fountains and taps in Sharm. You’re likely to fall sick if you drink that water. You must stay alert for pocket pickers in bazaars and elsewhere. If you encounter a medical emergency, following is the Medical Center’s contact:
