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Sharm El Sheikh Travel Guide

Sharm El Sheikh is a world class holiday destination with almost every major hotel chain in the world and a cosmopolitan population of “Sharmers” who are making it their home. Sharm has developed from a small Bedouin settlement into a leading tourist destination; it is extremely popular because of its proximity and airline services to major European capitals, the year round sunshine, not forgetting the world famous coral reefs and diverse marine life.

Sharm El Sheikh stretches for about 35 km and has a protected national park at each end the coastline. These parks are protected and have helped to ensure that Sharm remains an international centre for deep-sea fishing, swimming, and above all snorkeling and diving. In recent years there has been an increase number of resorts being built with apartments, duplex and villas for sale, and the laws have been changed to accommodate foreigners purchasing real estate at attractive prices.

Uncover Egypt have put together below a few useful hints, which we hope will help all our travelers when they are in Sharm El Sheikh. We genuinely love the area and wish to help everyone to get the best from this wonderful place. Please feel free to contact us if there is anything we can help or advise on to make your visit to Egypt more enjoyable.

Directions

Sharm El Sheikh has grown into six main areas, the old town where you can buy almost everything for daily life is called Old Market and this is located at the western end and has the port, where the cruise ships dock and the ferry runs to Hurghada, there are hotels here and a few developments but this area is still a favourite with the locals.

Just under a kilometers from the Old Market is Hadaba/Ras Om El Seed, these two areas are merging together, Hababa which is inland is still where many locals and “expats” live but in the last year, a second water park has been built in this area and a mall with shops and cafes, Ras Om El Seed has many 5* hotels lining its coastline and is a very popular area for real estate due to it’s proximity to Namma Bay and to the stylish shopping mall Il Mercato which opened in June 2007.

Naama Bay is the heart of Sharm El Sheikh and is home to many of the International hotel chains. At night the pedestrian promenade is vibrant with life, there are street cafes, nightclubs, restaurants and many bazaars selling local products and souvenirs. A few kilometers west of Namma Bay is Sharks Bay and is home to the Four seasons Hotel and the Savoy, with a few real estate developments on offer.

A few kilometers further east is Montazah which also has a few hotels and real estate developments nestled in its cove. The airport is to the North of this area. Finally the last resort to the far East is the coastline resort of Nabq, the construction of hotels and residential projects is still on going here. The beaches here are sandy and there is a promenade that runs along the beach, half way at present but due to eventually run the entire the length of Nabq which is four kilometers.

This area is developing at a fast rate and last year three different shopping malls opened, with shops, restaurants and cafes. A golf course is due to open (June 2008) and a casino in 2009

Safety

There is a high level of security with a very visible police presence offering a reassurance to the foreign visitor. Sharm El Sheikh is a safe place to holiday, with crime at a minimum. You are very safe to walk anywhere day or night and if in doubt locals are always happy to assist you if you need help.

The Egyptian Pound is worth approximately 10 Egyptian to 1 English Pound. Most hotels take credit cards and also change money for you. However, outside the hotels, shops, restaurants, clubs and excursion centres rarely take credit cards and have no credit card facilities. Egypt is predominantly a cash society. You can use credit cards to withdraw money from cash machines in Sharm El Sheikh and the charges are not high. Travelers cheques are the best idea either in US Dollars or Sterling. NEVER change money with anyone other than banks, proper Bureaux de Change or within the hotels.

The climate in Sharm El Sheikh is beautiful all year round. Summer months from end June to end September can be very hot in the daytime peaking in August. Generally temperatures at this time are over 35°C and rarely fall below 30C in the evening. The coolest time of the year is January when the daytime temperatures are usually around 25°C 26°C with night time dropping to 14°C. A lightweight jacket is recommended in the evenings during the Winter and Spring months.

Bars and Clubs - Most hotels have fully stocked vibrant bars for you to enjoy both day and night. However there are some superb bars both in Naama Bay and Hadaba. For those that want to chill in beautiful rooftop surroundings try the Camel Bar roof. This is a fantastic meeting place for locals and expats alike. Enjoy great drinks, Shisha pipes and bar snacks. Drink here until the early hours of morning. The first floor of the Camel Bar hosts a superb Sports Bar showing live football, rugby and cricket

Little Buddha opens early in the evening as a bar and restaurant and serves the best cocktails in Sharm. This is a must for the sophisticated holidaymaker who wants to party in Sharm. After 11.00pm the upstairs of little Buddha turns into one of the best nightclubs in Sharm. Party into the early hours in this impressive venue.

Pacha BusStop - Pacha Clubs can be visited in London, Ibiza and other European centres but there is nowhere as special as Pacha Sharm. This outstanding venue hosts many VIP parties and boasts Ministry of Sound nights a couple of times a week. Bus Stop is a nightclub within a club playing a variety of more middle of the road dance music and is open every night.

There are many other superb places to venture out to including Blackhouse nightclub, The Salsa Bar, Hard Rock Cafe all in Naama Bay or The Phoenix Bar and The Tavern Bar in Hadaba. Terrazina is a bar on the beach near the Old Town which hosts daytime and night time beach parties. During the day you can swim, eat, drink and dance and at night when the divers return the area becomes one big beach party.

The Havana Bar - Hilton Fayrouz is a very nice place to have a drink and people watch. It is situated on the sea front at Naama Bay by the promenade. The Havana Bar is like an Oriental garden with plants, waterfalls and little bridges. Sip one of the delicious fruit juices and watch the world go by. DO NOT miss the lovely Bedouin Bars that you can find throughout Sharm El Sheikh. Sit and have a drink, or a coffee and try the local Shisha pipes. Shishas are fruit flavoured tobacco pipes and are great fun.

Eating Out and Partying

Restaurants - Sharm El Sheikh has a wealth of different culinary choices. There are fast food outlets to please the children, KFC, McDonalds and Pizza Hut and they will all deliver to your hotel or apartment. For the more adventurous try the wealth of restaurants in Naama Bay and along the sea front promenade where you can eat, Italian, Chinese, Lebanese and Egyptian.

Little Buddha - In the centre of Naama Bay boasts a beautiful Asian/Japanese Menu, combined with a stunning d1cor and professional and friendly staff.

Try the Old Market to experience eating with the locals and taste some of the best local Egyptian delicacies and seafood here. Prices are superb. A meal for 4 can be as little as £20 for everyone. For something a bit more special try one of the stunning hotel restaurants at the Four Seasons for Italian, The Ritz for Japanese and the Sofitel for Indian. These restaurants are more expensive but still represent very good value for money compared to equivalent meals in the UK.

Check with each restaurant as you arrive in regard to alcoholic drinks. Most restaurants do supply a wide range of drinks including wine and spirits; however some are unlicensed, particularly in the Old Market. They are happy however for you to nip to the local supermarket and purchase your own beer and wine.

Make sure that even if you are staying All Inclusive that you venture in to Naama Bay for a least one meal. Food in the restaurants is often better than the all-inclusive meals.

Getting around in Sharm El Sheikh is easy and cheap. Hotels usually run a shuttle bus to the main centres during the day and evening. However the taxis are cheap and easy to find. Additionally for the more adventurous there are service buses that run through Sharm all day and night and cost 10p (English) 1-pound Egyptian to get from Naama Bay to Delta Sharm or 20p to go all the way to the Old Market.

Taxis will barter with you. Hadaba to Naama Bay should cost no more than 25 Egyptian pound (£2.50) try and make sure that you always have the right money as getting change is sometimes difficult!

Service buses from Hadaba and Ras Om El Sid go directly into Naama Bay but to return from Naama bay to Hadaba and Ras Om El Sid you have to go via the Old Market and change service buses to continue your journey.

Shopping in Sharm El Sheikh is fun and unique lively experience. With no fixed prices. Always decide what to pay and be prepared to haggle. Shopkeepers want your business so they will call you to their premises but they are genuinely friendly and kind, and a gentle push back if you are not interested is sufficient.

There are many beautiful jewellery shops in Sharm El Sheikh as well as bazaars and perfume shops. Beware of some of the perfume sellers they will “hard sell” you into a high price and often these perfumes are not genuine. Il Mercato shopping Mall in Ras Om El Seed is very stylish and has many designers names such as Calvin Klein, Mac, Timberland to name a few. The open air mall is designed like an Italian amphitheatre and there are plenty of places to stop for a coffee at Starbucks or Costa Coffee, have a drink or a meal in one of the many restaurants.

Make sure that you have good comprehensive travel insurance for the duration of your trip. There are hospitals in Sharm El Sheikh that will deal with all your local medical needs. Major injuries however, would require a transfer to Cairo. There are many pharmacists, most who speak English and who act like doctors for minor ailments. So visit the pharmacist first for advice.

All hotels have a doctor that they work closely with so if you are staying in a hotel this should always be your port of call.

For those that are holidaying on a self catering basis or for people who live in Sharm there are a variety of well stocked supermarkets in Sharm El Sheikh. Our experience shows that the Metro in Old Market, Sheikh Abdullah in Hadaba and the 24/7 in Naama Bay and Old Market are the best for general needs with the Old Market a must for purchasing fresh fish, meat and vegetable.

Egypt is a predominantly Muslim society with a small Christian population. The Egyptian people are however kind, tolerant and non judgmental. They respect other people's opinions and are very fond of the British. However, this is a Muslim country and overtly sexual or overtly drunken behaviour is not tolerated. (A plus to most discerning travelers). Topless sunbathing is not acceptable; however dress styles for holidaymakers are the same as most sunshine destinations.

We hope this guide will help you to enjoy many Sharm el Sheikh holidays, remember don't just visit Egypt - Uncover it!

Please contact us for further details.