Sharm El Sheikh is a sea trip first, so plan it around the boats. Give a day to Ras Mohammed, a day to the Straits of Tiran and, if you dive, a long day out to the Thistlegorm. Spend the evenings in Naama Bay or the Old Market, and save one night for the drive to Mount Sinai and the climb to sunrise. Spring and autumn are best: the sea is warm and July runs well past 35°C.
Updated · Wimup Editorial
Sharm El Sheikh was a fishing anchorage until 1967, then an Israeli base and settlement until 1982. Egypt built the resorts after that, and they now run 30 kilometres up the coast. The draw is unchanged: some of the Red Sea's best reefs start a short boat ride from the hotels.
Egypt's first protected area, declared in 1983, at the point where the Gulf of Suez meets the Gulf of Aqaba. Shark and Yolanda Reef is the dive everyone remembers. Go by boat for the reefs; the road trip suits snorkellers and the mangrove channel.
A British cargo ship sunk by German bombers on 6 October 1941, its holds still full of motorbikes, trucks and rifles. It is the Red Sea's most famous wreck dive. Day boats leave before dawn for a long crossing, so a liveaboard gets you there first.
Four reefs in a line across the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba: Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon. The walls and the drifts are the draw. Day boats usually manage two of the four, and Gordon is the gentlest for newer divers.
The resort's centre: a sheltered sand bay with a pedestrian promenade running its full length, lined with hotels, dive centres, bars and restaurants. Swim in the day, walk the promenade after dark. Most hotel beaches are private, so check access first.
Sharm El Maya's market was rebuilt around the Al Sahaba Mosque, which opened in 2017 in a blend of Ottoman, Fatimid and Mamluk styles. Come in the evening, when the stalls open and the minarets are lit. Spices, lanterns and seafood dinners are the reason to stay.
Sinai's first antiquities museum, opened in 2020 with thousands of pieces drawn from the national collections: statues, mummies, jewellery and two ancient boats. It is the town's one stop for ancient Egypt. Time a visit for the evening session.
Sharm's Coptic Orthodox cathedral, consecrated in 2010, with a ceiling and walls painted floor to dome. The frescoes are the reason to stop. It is a working church, so dress modestly and keep quiet during services.
A coastal reserve declared in 1992 between Sharm and Dahab, with one of the most northerly mangrove forests in the world. Expect herons, a shallow reef and empty shore. A jeep trip with a snorkel stop covers it.
The best shore snorkelling in Sharm: a narrow fringing reef below the lighthouse cliff that drops to a wall of gorgonian fans. Divers do it as a drift. Swim out at the marked entry points, not over the reef top.
A night drive inland, a climb of about four hours to the 2,285-metre summit for sunrise, then the monastery at the foot of the mountain. It is the trip that leaves the coast behind. Bring warm layers: the top is cold before dawn.
Twin pinnacles at Ras Mohammed, and the Yolanda's cargo of toilets scattered on the reef below.
The northernmost of the Tiran reefs, a wall dive known for its strong currents and big fish.
The smallest of the four and one of the most popular. No moorings, so it is always a drift.
A headland north of the airport: shallow coral bays, then soft coral walls and overhangs.
A 1941 British cargo ship, its holds full of motorbikes and trucks. Two dives, one outside, one in.
A Victorian steamer lying upside down near Beacon Rock, at about 30 metres, with holes to swim through.
A freighter grounded on top of Gordon Reef in 1981. Seen from the boat, not dived; its oil barrels sit at 15 metres.
The reef that sank the Carnatic in 1869 and the Giannis D in 1983. Usually a liveaboard stop.
A smaller bay between Naama and Nabq, with reef close enough to snorkel from the beach.
Opened in 2017 in Ottoman, Fatimid and Mamluk styles, with two tall minarets over the Old Market.
Sinai's first antiquities museum, opened in 2020, with morning and evening sessions.
A purpose-built leisure square near Sharks Bay, with shops, restaurants and evening entertainment.
An Old Market institution, busy with locals. Choose your fish by weight, then grilled or fried.
A shisha bar built into the Hadaba cliff, with lanterns, cushions and the sunset over the sea.
About 230 km inland: a night climb to the summit for sunrise, then the monastery.
A deep reef sinkhole about 10 km north of Dahab. Snorkel the rim; leave the depths to technical divers.
A protected coast north of the Blue Hole, reached on foot or by camel along the shore.
A national holiday. The Heavenly Cathedral holds its main service the night before.
The month of fasting moves with the lunar calendar. Old Market restaurants fill after sunset.
The end of Ramadan, and one of the busiest weeks for Egyptian visitors on the coast.
Egypt's spring festival, the Monday after Coptic Easter: picnics, parks and salted fish.
A national holiday marking the 1982 Israeli withdrawal from Sinai, with local celebrations.
The feast of the sacrifice. Hotels fill with Egyptian families, so book ahead.
A national holiday for the 1973 war. Expect flags and closed government offices.
Young companies from around the world. Dates have moved between editions; check before you plan.
About 10 to 12 km from Naama Bay, 15 to 20 minutes by car. Most hotels arrange transfers; otherwise agree the taxi fare first.
Go Bus and other operators run to Cairo in six to eight hours and to Dahab in under two. Check which Sharm terminal your ticket leaves from.
Microbuses run along Peace Road between the bays and stop when flagged. Taxis are not metered, so settle the fare before you get in.
Boats for Ras Mohammed, Tiran and the wrecks leave the town's marinas each morning. Most operators collect you from your hotel.
Rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas under tomato sauce and fried onions.
Slow-cooked fava beans with oil and cumin, the standard breakfast.
Baked pastry pudding with milk, nuts and raisins, served hot.
The coast's own dish: fish baked over spiced rice and caramelised onions.
Sold by weight. Pick it from the ice, then choose grilled or fried.
Black tea, sweet, steeped with wild sage or mint.
Flour, water and salt, baked on a domed plate over the fire.
Egypt's falafel, made with fava beans rather than chickpeas.
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