Sharm El Sheikh travel guide

SherryStay Destination Guide

Sharm El Sheikh

Red Sea diving capital — coral reefs minutes from shore, all-inclusive resorts and year-round sun on the Sinai coast.

Egypt

About Sharm El Sheikh

Sharm el-Sheikh is more than a spot for beach loungers; it is a vast playground where nature sets its own rules. Picture a stretch of coast where Sinai's arid, dramatic desert meets one of the richest, most colourful underwater worlds on earth — a place where the rhythm is written by the tides, and every day becomes a sequence that moves between total rest at the water's edge and a dive into coral reefs that look like living works of art. Here you don't have to choose between adventure and calm: you can open the morning with a wild jeep safari deep in the desert and carry on into a soothing dive through crystal-clear water, and that seamless passage — from the open expanses of the desert to the silent world beneath the surface — is the beating heart of the destination. This is accessible luxury that lets you loosen your grip: whether you want a quiet corner of an exclusive beach club or the buzz of Naama Bay's nightlife, the town knows exactly how to recharge you, effortlessly and without over-planning. And the Red Sea's spectacular reefs are not merely an attraction — they are why time feels different here: beneath the water the noise of the outside world disappears, and what remains is the hypnotic flow of marine life, an experience that teaches you what real disconnection means. Sharm el-Sheikh simply never asks you to work hard; it is here to host, to pamper, and to remind you that the best way to experience life is by changing state — from the heat of the desert to the refreshing cool of the Red Sea.

Sherry's Take

Stay in Naama Bay for nightlife or Nabq for quieter house reefs. Pick a resort with a real coral house reef (Ras Um Sid, Sharks Bay) so you can snorkel straight off the beach.

Best For

DivingBeachAll-inclusiveFamiliesBudget
Go in
MarchAprilMayOctoberNovember
Avoid if possible
JulyAugust

Where to Stay

Naama Bay

Bars, restaurants, central nightlife

Ras Um Sid

Best house reefs, cliffside, snorkelling

Nabq Bay

Quieter all-inclusives, families

Money-Saving Tips

  • 1Book an all-inclusive — outside the resorts, dining and drinks add up fast.
  • 2Agree taxi fares before getting in, or use the resort shuttle to Naama Bay.

Getting Around

  • 1Sharm airport is 15–20 min from most resorts; pre-book a transfer.
  • 2Day boats to Ras Mohammed and Tiran Island leave from the marina — book through a dive centre.

Most Common Mistake

Choosing a cheap resort with no house reef, then paying for daily boat trips just to see coral.

Ideal Stay

57 nights

Combine with
  • Ras Mohammed (boat)
  • Dahab (1.5h)
  • St Catherine / Mount Sinai (2.5h)

Hotels Sherry Recommends

Useful Local Hotel Phrases

Arabic
  • HelloمرحباMAR-ha-ba
  • Thank youشكراًSHOOK-ran
  • Pleaseمن فضلكmin-FAD-lak
  • Check-inتسجيل الدخولtas-JEEL ad-du-KHOOL
  • Check-outتسجيل الخروجtas-JEEL al-khu-ROOJ
  • HotelفندقFUN-duq
  • Receptionالاستقبالal-is-tiq-BAAL
  • Breakfastفطورfu-TOOR
  • Wi-Fiواي فايwai-fai
  • TaxiتاكسيTAK-see
  • Airportمطارma-TAAR
  • Train stationمحطة القطارma-HAT-tat al-qi-TAAR
  • Helpمساعدةmu-SAA-a-da
  • How much?كم السعر؟kam as-SI'R
  • Where is...?أين؟AY-na