Sharm City: Complete Sharm El Sheikh Guide

Sharm City is the local and increasingly popular name for Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt's best-known Red Sea resort city on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. Framed by desert mountains on one side and coral reefs on the other, Sharm City combines beach relaxation, world-class diving, and easy access to some of Egypt's most striking desert landscapes.

Sharm City is located on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, where the Red Sea’s clear waters and coral reefs meet a dry mountainous desert. Contrary to the Valley of the Kings and ancient Pharaonic cities, Sharm’s fame is mostly due to the coastline, starting from the resort strip of Naama Bay and ending on the boating trails of the Ras Mohammed National Park. Sharm can be both a separate destination and a part of a longer journey through Egypt. The easiest way to plan a trip to Sharm is to research the local bays, the city’s districts about their traffic and noise levels, transportation options, and how it fits with the larger journey through Egypt.

The article above is structured to plan an excursion rather than a list of attractions that one can explore in Sharm city. The first two sections present the peculiarities of the region, its geography, and the local government’s attitude toward tourism. Then the following paragraphs describe the major coastal bays, followed by an outline of the city’s districts and public transport options, with a focus on private car rentals for families or groups of friends. Lastly, the article concludes with a brief insight into Egypt Travel Packages, where a guest can choose between a few days in Sharm City as a standalone destination or as a part of a more significant journey through Egypt and the Red Sea.

Sharm is not a linear strip but a set of bays, each of which has its own characteristics. The most developed base is Naama Bay, where most of the hotels are concentrated, as well as restaurants and diving centers. It is here that vacationers are most often accommodated, and it is also the best place to meet other tourists and dive schools and choose a dive. More northern Nabq Bay offers more spacious complexes and calmer waters, so it is popular among larger families. Less developed, but with great diving opportunities, Sharks Bay and Ras Um Sid are located closer to the old town center, ideal for a leisurely walk.

The Old Market or Sharm el-Maya is the center of the city, which has a completely different flavor from the resort bays. Here you can still find some local restaurants and shops, as well as a harbor. It is a good idea to spend a couple of days in the resort in one of the bays and explore the Old Market on the side of a walk.

It is here that the coastal part of the holiday can be fully appreciated. Thus, the Egypt Vacation Package – 12 Day Egypt Tour is a great way to combine a stay in Sharm with an excursion into the heart of ancient Egypt and explore the country’s history and hiking.

The Red Sea reef is one of Sharm’s main attractions, and Ras Mohammed National Park, located just a boat or a drive away from the city, is generally considered to be the best place to see it. This park is one of the most popular diving and snorkeling destinations in the region, offering pristine walls of coral and an impressive variety of marine life. Trips to the park are common from both Naama Bay and Shark’s Bay.

Meanwhile, less adventurous snorkelers have no problem finding shallow waters just a few feet from shore, where the House Reef extends out from many of the city’s resort bays. Another popular excursion for day-tripping divers is Tiran Island, located farther out on the Red Sea, which offers more challenging currents and a greater variety of large fish than the more sheltered waters of the local bays.

Sharm is also a good starting point for exploring the interior of the Sinai, which is just a short way from the coast. There are plenty of opportunities to go quad biking or have a jeep safari in the desert around the region, often with a Bedouin dinner or a stargazing stop in the evening. Our guide to Desert Safari Egypt covers these excursions in more detail, and is useful if you want to add an excursion a little further inland to a few days at the beach. St. Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai are a longer day trip or overnight stay away, but are the highlights for many people with extra time and looking to spend some time out of the coastal resort areas.

Sharm El Sheikh International Airport handles direct flights from numerous European and regional cities, making it one of the easier parts of Egypt to reach without connecting through Cairo first. Once in the city, taxis and hotel-arranged transport cover most trips between bays, since the resort areas are spread out enough that walking between them isn't always practical. Many hotels also run their own shuttle services to Naama Bay or Old Market for guests staying in quieter resort zones.

Four to five days is usually enough time to unwind in the resort, fit in a diving or snorkeling trip to Ras Mohammed, and squeeze in a half-day desert tour or a visit to Old Market. Those who want to combine Sharm with the rest of Egypt often use it as a short side note, a couple of beach days tacked on the front or end of a longer trip centered on Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan. If you're considering how to do that, you may want to look at the Egypt Packages to get an idea of how a coastal stop combines with a tour of the country's historic heartland.

For more inspiration on how long to spend in Sharm, read our guides to Things to Do in Sharm El Sheikh, Red Sea Beaches, and for an overview of what to do elsewhere in Egypt, Things to Do in Egypt.

1- How many days do you recommend for a stay in Sharm El Sheikh?

Most people allocate four to five days in Sharm El Sheikh, allowing for a couple of days at a resort, one day for a diving/snorkelling excursion and one day for a half-day desert tour.

2- Do you recommend staying in a certain area of Sharm City?

Naama bay is the most popular for first time visitors as it has most of the hotelaccommodation and diving centres. There are more luxury accommodation in nearby Nabq bay, but these are quieter places.

3- Is Ras Mohammed National Park worth seeing?

Yes, it's the highlight for many visitors as it's the best place for diving and snorkelling in the area. It's easy to get to by boat, or you can drive to it.

4- Can a visit to Sharm El Sheikh be incorporated into a longer trip that also includes visiting Cairo and Luxor?

Yes, in fact this is a very popular option with many of our clients who like to see the historical sights of Egypt as well as experience the delights of Sharm El Sheikh. Many combine a trip to Cairo with a Nile cruise to Luxor, and then spend a few days at Sharm El Sheikh on the return leg of their journey.

5- Do I have to go via Cairo in order to fly to Sharm El Sheikh?

Not any more, as Sharm El Sheikh has its own international airport, so it's perfectly possible to fly there directly.