SHARM el SHEIKH
Area: Egypt


Location:
On the E side of the southernmost tip of the Sinai Peninsula on the Gulf of Aqaba coast. Downtown Sharm is 12» miles S of airport; Naama Bay is 8 miles S.

Telephone code from UK:
20 69

Website:
http://www.tourism.egnet.net

Position:
The old town of Sharm el Sheikh itself (known as downtown Sharm) is set on the NW side of the almost completely enclosed Sharm el Maya Bay, which is flanked by low flat-topped cliffs. Naama Bay, 4» miles N, lies all round the edge of the semicircular bay of the same name, again with flat cliffs on both edges. Both are backed by inhospitable arid desert with rugged saw-toothed mountains in the distance inland.

Description:
As with so many holiday destinations, Sharm el Sheikh was originally nothing more than an ancient fishing village. The Egyptian government created the country's only national park, Ras Mohammed, in 1983 to protect the unique environment of the S tip of the Sinai _ especially its coral reefs _ once diving there started to grow in popularity. When the Israelis returned the Sinai to Egypt in 1989 they had built only two hotels in the area. Since then tourism has boomed and spread to cover a strip of the coast 12 miles long. Downtown Sharm is still a typically scruffy little village with many ethnic sights still on view in its dusty streets. The few luxury hotels here seem out of place. The flat residential hilltop of Ras Um Sid to the E is an absolute mayhem of building sites. 4» miles N is the main area of touristic development, Naama Bay. This comprises a mile or so of hotels standing shoulder to shoulder, with only an attractive pedestrian pathway separating them from the beach. Behind them passes the busy main dual carriageway with its own row of less well-situated hotels and various commercial outlets. On the S corner of the bay is the commercial centre of the resort, made up of a compact grid of shops, restaurants, small hotels and dive centres. We have used the middle of this "Naama Bay centre" as the focal point from which all hotel distances are given. The hilltop to the S is also a rapidly developing area of hotels and shopping centres. Having exhausted the best sites here, development has now moved to the remote areas of Shark Bay and Ras Nosrani, 6 and 11 miles farther N. The possibility of Islamic Fundamentalist attacks on tourists in Egypt remains. Foreign Office advisory notices offer the latest official advice and should be consulted before booking.

Suitability:
The main attraction is scuba diving in the area's unusually warm waters full of many unique forms of marine life and spectacular coral reefs. Increasingly becoming known as a normal winter sun beach holiday destination for its virtually guaranteed sun and dry atmosphere.

Accommodation:
Most tourist hotels are in Naama Bay, with a handful in downtown Sharm plus a few isolated properties in Shark Bay and Ras Nosrani near the airport. Mostly in the 4- and 5-star range though some of the 4-stars are overrated compared to others in the same category. Nearly all are of the holiday-village type in layout, with low-rise wings or blocks of rooms spread through grounds and gardens. A couple of self-catering options.

Shopping:
Downtown Sharm has lots of genuine Arab bazaars and local shops in the large market area which may all be too "ethnic" for some delicate Western tastes. But it also has more touristy shopping centres. Naama Bay's shops are much more tourist-orientated and correspondingly more expensive. The main shopping street is the pedestrianised El Sharm Mall which runs from opposite the Camel hotel to the beach next to the Cataract hotel. Similar bazaars selling all manner of gold, leather, carpets, glass, inlaid wood, brass, spices and souvenirs galore are to be found all over the central area at the S end of the beach. Some glitzy enclosed malls on the main road. Duty-free shops.

Beach:
Naama Bay Beach is well over a mile of rather coarse mid-brown desert sand. Virtually every inch is "private" and controlled by the hotels situated just across the pedestrian beach pathway. Some nonbeachfront hotels have their own sections, while others have sharing agreements with their more fortunate competitors. The beach is covered with sunbeds, parasols, bars, restaurants, water sports centres, and even crazy golf. The beach at Sharm el Maya Bay is smaller and of finer sand. Here the bay is effectively a near-enclosed marina full of moored boats, so the water here is not so clean as elsewhere along the coast. Most downtown hotels use the beach at Ras Um Sid several miles E.

Entertainments:
Daytime: scuba diving, snorkelling, a myriad water sports and beach activities. Most large hotels have organised animation programmes. Horse riding; quad bikes and bicycles for hire. Golf at the 18-hole Movenpick course near the airport. Bird spotting. Nightlife: live entertainment in most hotels, which also have discos and live music in bars. Casinos.

Eating:
Plenty of restaurants of all international persuasions including Chinese, Indian, Korean, Japanese, Italian, Egyptian, seafood and many more. Mostly in hotels but also in both centres, along the beaches and the main roads. No shortage of snacks and light meals, including McDonald's at Naama Bay.

Public-transport:
Rather anonymous minibuses ply the route from Naama Bay to downtown Sharm but are mainly used by the locals. Plenty of taxis, which are cheap if you haggle the price hard enough.

Local-excursions:
Several places in the Sinai Desert including St Catherine's Monastery (reputed site of the Bible's burning bush) and Mt Sinai (source of the Ten Commandments). Shorter desert safaris and Bedouin Night with meal. Ras Mohammed National Park. Cruises to Tiran Island. Overnight trips to Cairo or Luxor.