The Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh is located on the Sinai Peninsula, where it is washed by the Red Sea. Unlike the classic cities of Egypt like Cairo, Luxor and Alexandria, Sharm el-Sheikh is more reminiscent of European resorts on the Mediterranean coast. The year-round tourist season is divided into two periods: summer and winter.
Many Russian tourists often do not know how to correctly write and pronounce the name of the city - Sharm el-Sheikh or Sharm el-Sheikh. According to experts in the Arabic language, it has “solar” and “lunar” consonants, which turn the article “el” into itself. In other words, it is likened to the articulation of the consonant sound of the next word.
Thus, the correct pronunciation of the resort is Sharm el-Sheikh.
How to get there
Sharm el-Sheikh has a tropical desert climate, precipitation is extremely rare, so the weather here is dry and warm all year round. In the summer months, the air temperature reaches +40–45 degrees Celsius during the day and may well not drop below +30 at night. However, due to low air humidity and winds, such conditions are easily tolerated by numerous tourists.
In winter, the water temperature in the Red Sea never drops below +20 degrees, and in summer it can warm up to +28–30 degrees. However, the night temperature in January-February can still be around +15 degrees.
Cuisine and restaurants
To visit the Sinai Peninsula, tourists from the Russian Federation do not need to obtain a prior visa. A passport stamp allowing you to stay in Sinai for up to 15 days is placed right at the airport. The same applies to a tourist visa, which is required for travelers who want to vacation in Egypt for 30 days. The cost of instant registration at the airport is 25 USD.
There are no regular flights from Russia to Sharm el-Sheikh yet. However, tourists have the opportunity to get to the resort using a last-minute tour or buy a ticket to Alexandria or Cairo, and from there get to Sharm el-Sheikh. Direct flights from Moscow are provided by such airlines as Aeroflot, Red Wings Airlines, Ural Airlines, UTair and others. Flights with transfers are operated by Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines, SAS, Emirates, British Airways.
Ticket prices are quite affordable: a standard tour, including airfare, accommodation and meals, will cost about 20,000 RUR per person. If you take advantage of a last-minute tour, you can save a lot and relax in Sharm el-Sheikh for about 12,000 RUR - 14,000 RUR.
From Ras Nasrani International Airport you can get to the city by special tourist bus, most often for a small fee. A taxi ride will cost approximately 40 EGP - 50 EGP.
Almost all areas of Sharm el-Sheikh are located on the sea coast and are connected by a main street called Peace Road. The most developed area of Naama Bay has not only a huge number of hotels, but also cafes, restaurants, shops and nightclubs. Sharm el Maya has a sandy beach and an oriental market, as well as the historical part of the city and the harbour. In the Nabq area there is a national reserve of the same name, and in Ras Umm al-Sid Bay you can go diving and look at the luxurious coral gardens.
In addition to the traditional holiday on the sea coast, many excursion programs are organized in Sharm el-Sheikh, interesting from a historical and cultural point of view.
Among them, for example, there are popular trips to Jerusalem (Israel) or Petra (Jordan). The cost of such an excursion varies from 1,200 EGP to 5,000 EGP per person. You can also take part in a tour of Cairo, the capital of Egypt. The price of a bus ticket is 900 EGP, and a plane ticket is 3,500 EGP.
The most visited nature reserves in Egypt are the Colored Canyon and the Grand Coral Canyon. The cost of excursions to these places is 700 EGP and 1,500 EGP respectively.
You can spend your leisure time in a similar way on the islands of Ras Mohammed and Tiran. A ticket for such an excursion costs 180 EGP for children and 450 EGP for adults. In addition, you can go diving on the islands: for 1,000 EGP you can get great pleasure from exploring the underwater world.
An alternative diving option is provided by the Sea Scope bathyscaphe, a ticket for which costs 750 EGP. By boarding the ship, you can observe the underwater beauty without having to wear scuba gear.
“Grand Safari” is intended for lovers of extreme recreation. A four-wheeled motorcycle ride through the desert costs only 270 EGP.
A more peaceful pastime is offered by the Monastery of St. Catherine, a tour of which will cost approximately 500 EGP. As a rule, the program also includes a visit to the famous Mount Moses, where tourists stay overnight to watch the sunrise of indescribable beauty.
The shopping and entertainment complex “One Thousand and One Nights” is not only a concentration of various shops and boutiques, but also a unique venue for concert shows. For 700 EGP, tourists can see colorful performances of dancers, musicians and other artists.
Cuisine and restaurants
Local restaurants are replete with a variety of cuisines, from fast food and pizzerias to expensive establishments with European, Mediterranean, Lebanese, Arabic, Pan-Asian, and Egyptian cuisines. The national cuisine is very diverse: there is fish, meat and exotic fruits and vegetables. The national drink is hibiscus, a sour tea made from hibiscus flowers. You should be careful with alcohol: after all, Egypt is a Muslim country, and it is not welcome here. Of course, anything happens on the territory of hotel complexes, but it’s better not to drink in the city.
Entertainment
Naama Bay is the most “unsleeping” part of Sharm El-Sheikh. The most expensive hotels are located here and there is a long promenade with cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and shops.
The main thing is diving schools and an unlimited number of dives per square kilometer. The cost of diving at a five-star hotel school will be much cheaper than in Indonesia (as you know, the capital of world diving), and you will get much more impressions and spectacles. The main entertainment in Sharm el-Sheikh, as in any resort city, is the beach, warmth, optional sports or excursions.
Sharm el-Sheikh(also called Sharm el-Sheikh) is a resort city in Egypt at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula on the Red Sea coast. Recently, the resort has become increasingly popular among tourists.
There are more than 200 hotels of different levels and price categories in the city. Housing construction is developed - the wonderful climate and modern infrastructure attract investors from different countries, including the most developed countries. Construction of new hotels, residential complexes, and entertainment centers continues along the entire coast and in other vacant areas of the city.
Daytime life in the city is entirely dependent on the tourism industry. The resort offers all kinds of excursions, boat trips, beaches, all kinds of restaurants and entertainment. At the same time, the national Arab flavor is mixed with an international atmosphere - most local residents involved in the tourism industry will be able to carry on a conversation, no matter what language they are addressed in. As a rule, many of them understand and speak Russian. The vast majority of staff in hotels, shops, and other establishments, including taxi drivers, speak English.
The nightlife of Sharm El-Sheikh is characterized by its discos, nightclubs, casinos and show performances. A favorite place for tourists is the walking road in the Naama Bay area. Here, shopping centers and numerous street cafes are open until late, offering visitors exquisite dishes of Arabic, Japanese and European cuisine, elite seafood, and hookah.
Geography
Translated from Arabic, Sharm el-Sheikh means “Royal Gulf”, or “Sheikh Bay”. Sharm el-Sheikh is located in Naama Bay, which in Arabic means “Old Man’s Bay” or “Elder’s Bay”. The geographical position of the city is quite unique: from the southwest it borders with the Ras Mohammed Marine National Park, in the northeast - with the Nabq National Reserve, from the northwest it is protected from winds and bad weather by the majestic ridge of the Sinai Mountains, and from the southeast it is washed by The Red Sea, whose nature has created the most picturesque beaches in this place.
Based: Since 1982 known as Sharm el-Sheikh
Square: 44.7 km 2
Population: 38,478 people (2006)
Currency: Egyptian pound
Language: Arab
Official website: http://www.sharmelsheikh.com/
Current time in Sharm el-Sheikh:
(UTC +2)
Mount Moses (the highest peak of the Sinai Mountains) is located 80 km from the city. An hour's bus ride along the Gulf of Aqaba is the city of Dahab, two is the border city of Taba, and then the port of Eilat, Israeli territory.
How to get there
Flights fly to Sharm el-Sheikh from almost all major cities of Russia (Moscow, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm, St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, Chelyabinsk, Kazan, Nizhnekamsk, Omsk, Rostov, Samara, Surgut, Ufa and others, depending on the season and other factors).
It is more logical and cheaper to take a ready-made tour from a tour operator. But if you are interested in a certain hotel, and none of the travel companies offers it, then you can book a hotel and get there on your own. Tour operators also offer this service (flight only), but if there are no seats on the flight, you can get there in other ways - on regular flights to Cairo, or by connecting flights through airports in the Middle East (Dubai, Doha and others) or Europe.
Egypt's national air carrier is Egypt Air. Air Sinai is also a popular airline with a developed route network. Travelers arrive in Egypt via Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan. However, Russian tourists in the vast majority of cases fly to Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. These airports are served by several carriers and charter airlines with direct flights to various parts of the world.
Other ways to get here from Africa and the Middle East include a bus from Israel via the Gulf of Aqaba or via the Gaza Strip in the south, and ferry services from Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
A 30-day visa is issued at the airports of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. If necessary, this visa can be extended twice for up to three months. Even in Cairo, you can just as easily get a tourist visa on the spot upon arrival, just by indicating on the migration card (kindly located in stacks on stands) the address of the hotel or place where you plan to stay in the capital).
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And others, but also from Alexandria, founded by the Greeks, and the other main Egyptian resort of Hurghada), more reminiscent of the Mediterranean resorts of Europe.
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Translated from Arabic, Sharm el-Sheikh means “sheikh bay” (some local guides say “sheikh coast”). Sharm el-Sheikh stretches from northeast to southwest for almost 30 kilometers along the western shore of the Gulf of Aqaba, which has Naama Bay and others within the city limits. From the southwest the city borders on the Ras Mohammed National Park at the extreme southern point of the Sinai Peninsula, on the northeast - on the Nabq National Reserve, from the northwest it is protected from winds and bad weather by the ridge of the Sinai Mountains, and from the southeast it is washed by the Red Sea .
Just off the city's coastline is the island of Tiran. 80 km from the city (as the crow flies) inside the Sinai Peninsula are Mount Moses and the neighboring Mount St. Catherine (the highest peak of the Sinai Mountains).
One and two hours' drive along the Gulf of Aqaba, also on the Egyptian Riviera, are the Bedouin resort towns of Dahab and Nuweiba, and three hours away is the border town of Taba, beyond which is the Israeli port of Eilat.
Climate
The climate of Sharm el-Sheikh is extremely hot. Sharm el-Sheikh has a tropical desert climate with very little annual rainfall. In January-February, night temperatures drop to +15 °C (less often - to +10 °C), and sometimes there is a rather cool wind (the lowest temperature was recorded on February 23, 2000 and was +5 °C), but the bright sun shines during the day and numerous beachgoers sunbathing and swimming.
In summer, temperatures can rise to +45 °C or more in the shade (the absolute maximum was set on June 3, 2013 and was +46 °C), the warmest month is August, the average maximum of which is +38 °C, and even at night the temperature is lower +30 °C, as a rule, does not drop.
The water temperature in the sea does not fall below +20 °C even in winter (in summer it rises to +28 °C). Rain in Sharm el-Sheikh is extremely rare, the air is dry and warm at any time of the year.
Climate of Sharm el-Sheikh Index Jan. Feb. March Apr. May June July Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. Year Absolute maximum, °C 31 34 37 41 44 46 46 45 43 41 37 32 46 Average maximum, °C 21,7 22,4 25,1 29,8 33,9 37,0 37,5 37,5 35,4 31,5 27,0 23,2 30,2 Average temperature, °C 15,6 16,5 19,6 22,2 25,8 28,5 29,4 29,6 27,8 24,7 20,9 16,9 23,2 Average minimum, °C 13,3 13,7 16,1 20,1 23,8 26,5 26,7 28,0 26,5 23,4 18,9 15,0 21,0 Absolute minimum, °C 7 5 10 12 17 23 20 23 22 17 14 8 5 Precipitation rate, mm 0,5 0,2 1,2 0,2 0,5 0 0 0 0,04 0,8 3,3 0,5 7,24 Water temperature, °C 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 28 27 26 24 26 Source: World Meteorological Organization, WeatherTravel Population
Population according to the 1996 and 2006 censuses.
Year Number 4306 38 478 Structure and zoning
Historically, the city has not been subject to continuous development, and therefore is growing through the development of many different architectural “oases”. The main thoroughfare of the city, Peace Road Avenue, passes through them, connecting the city spread along the seashore into a single whole.
The resort city consists of several areas built along the coast, around the main bays (coves):
Since Sharm el-Sheikh is bordered by two national reserves facing the sea, the coastline that can be occupied by buildings is about 30 km long. Currently, almost all areas of the coast suitable for construction are built up with luxury hotels or allocated for the construction of new residential complexes. But, despite this, the city continues to grow deep into the coast, towards the mountain range.
The most famous districts and neighborhoods of Sharm el-Sheikh are Naama, Old Town, Hadaba, Aida, Tower, Il Mercato, Delta Sharm and SOHO, Hai-en-Nur, Riviera, Hai Salam, Kriss, Nabq Bay.
Many new hotel and residential neighborhoods are being built: Gold Charm, Sun Shine, Sunny Lake, Montaza, and many others.
There are no high-rise or even multi-story buildings in the city. As a rule, residential buildings are built in the form of small complexes of comfortable one-to-two-story villas and townhouses, which, like numerous two-to-three-story hotels, are concentrated around well-greened areas with modern infrastructure, shops, restaurants, swimming pools and gardens. Due to the growing popularity of the resort, Egyptian investment companies are investing heavily in the city's infrastructure, and Sharm el-Sheikh is changing every year.
Transport connection
The geographical location of the city determines its transport significance for the entire Sinai Peninsula.
Sharm el-Sheikh - air gate Sinai. Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport, formerly Ras Nazran Airport ( Ras Nasrani) is the first and largest international airport on the Sinai Peninsula. Air communications pass through it both from Sharm el-Sheikh itself and from other resorts on the peninsula - Dahab, Taba, Nuweiba. The vast majority of tourists and guests arrive and return to the peninsula by air.
Motor transport. Most of Sinai's roads, with the exception of some lightly trafficked roads on the peninsula leading from its interior to the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, pass through Sharm el-Sheikh. All roads are maintained in good condition, equipped (except for traffic lights) and are constantly being developed. The city has a developed car and light scooter rental service, and in a few days you can independently explore Sharm el-Sheikh and its surroundings. Traffic police are usually very friendly to foreigners. Regular intercity buses run from the city's bus station to various cities in Lower Egypt.
Approximate distances and travel times by car:
- Dahab - 100 km, ~1 hour drive
- Monastery of St. Catherine - ~2 hours drive
- Colored Canyon - ~3 hours drive
- Nuweiba - ~2 hours drive
- Checkpoint Taba to Israel - ~3 hours drive
- At-Tour (administrative center of South Sinai governorate) - 90 km, ~1 hour drive
- Tunnel under the Suez Canal - 360 km
- Cairo - 500 km, ~6-7 hours drive
- Alexandria - ~9 hours
Tourism and rest
Sharm el-Sheikh is a resort of European level. There are many hotels, beaches, and vacation spots for tourists from all over the world on the coast. There are more than 200 hotels of different classes and price categories in the city. Almost all hotels have swimming pools, and also provide free access or bus transportation to the beaches. On the beaches, in addition to swimming and sunbathing, a wide range of services are offered: snorkeling, diving, water skiing and scooters, swimming on glass-bottom boats and bathyscaphes, underwater and other sea excursions. Housing construction is developed - the climate and modern infrastructure attract investors from various countries. Along the entire coast, as well as in other vacant areas of the city, the construction of new hotels, residential complexes, and entertainment centers continues.
For the holidays of citizens of Russia, Ukraine, the European Union and a number of other countries, the city, as well as the rest of the Sinai Peninsula, has a visa-free regime. Free so-called Sinai stamp, allowing a stay of up to 15 days and sufficient for a stay in the entire Sinai (as well as for travel to Israel and Jordan), and a tourist visa for $25, allowing a stay of 30 days throughout Egypt (mandatory if trips to the Pyramids and Luxor are planned ), issued at the airport at the tourist’s choice.
In 2007, a new terminal at the International Airport opened, capable of receiving and releasing up to 50 aircraft per day. The city has a modern International Medical Center. In the city, in the Hay-en-Nur district, a new Orthodox church and a large mosque were built (opened in 2007, the largest until the completion of the mosque in the Old City).
Life in the city is built around the tourism industry. The vast majority of tourists in the city are from Russia and the CIS countries; there is also a significant proportion of vacationers from Italy and Poland, and less from other countries. Most local residents involved in the tourism industry will be able to carry on a conversation in the main European languages. English is spoken by the vast majority of staff in hotels, shops and other establishments, including taxi drivers. Many of them also speak a little Russian, most signs (including at the airport and even some road signs) are duplicated in Russian, and in a number of small shops and market outlets Russian rubles are accepted for inexpensive goods. Popular bus and plane excursions are organized from the city to surrounding attractions, Egyptian
27.978611 , 34.393611 27°58′43″ n. w. 34°23′37″ E. d. / 27.978611° s. w. 34.393611° E. d.(G)Population 28,000 people () Timezone UTC+2 , in summer UTC+3 
Sharm el-Sheikh or Sharm el-Sheikh(Arabic: شرم الشيخ ) is a resort city in Egypt at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula on the Red Sea coast. Recently, due to its extremely convenient location, wonderful climate, amazing natural world, as well as extremely rapid and high-quality development, it has become increasingly popular among tourists.
Geography
Translated from Arabic, Sharm el-Sheikh means “Old Man’s Bay” or “Elder’s Bay.” The geographical position of the city is essentially unique: from the southwest it borders with the Ras Mohammed National Park, in the northeast - with the Nabq National Reserve, from the northwest it is protected from winds and bad weather by the majestic ridge of the Sinai Mountains, and from the southeast washed by the Red Sea, the nature of which has created the most picturesque beaches in this place.
Mount Moses (the highest peak of the Sinai Mountains) is located 80 km from the city (as the crow flies). An hour's bus ride along the Gulf of Aqaba is the city of Dahab, two is the border city of Taba, and then the port of Eilat (Israel).
Climate
The climate in this area is extremely favorable. Despite the fact that in January-February night temperatures drop to +15 °C, and sometimes there is quite a fresh wind, during the day the sun reminds you that this is a tropical resort, and numerous beach visitors enjoy sunbathing and swimming. In summer (July-August) the thermometer reaches +40 °C, but low air humidity (about 4%) allows you to tolerate the heat quite comfortably.
The sea water temperature never drops below +20 °C, even in winter (in summer it rises to +28 °C). Rain in Sharm el-Sheikh is extremely rare, the air is dry and warm at any time of the year.
Not far from the coastline of the city is Tiran Island.
Structure and zoning
One of the beaches in the Naama Bay area
Historically, the city has not been subject to continuous development, and therefore is growing through the development of many different architectural “oases”. The main street of the city, Peace Road Avenue, runs through all of them, connecting the city spread along the seashore into a single whole.
The resort city consists of several areas built along the coast, around the main bays (coves):
- Sharm El Maya ( Sharm El Maya) is located in the southwest of the resort, and is famous for its sandy beaches, hotels and the eastern Old Market. The legendary Old Town is located in the Sharm El Maya area.
- Hadaba Um Sid
- Hay El Nour
- Roweysat
- Tower
- Naama Bay ( Naama Bay) is the most famous tourist spot. The unofficial center of Sharm El-Sheikh, a kind of Arabian Las Vegas. Here life is in full swing almost around the clock. This place is distinguished by the presence of luxury shopping centers, casinos, sports grounds, scuba diving centers, restaurants, and nightclubs near the hotels. The beaches of Naama Bay are almost all with a sandy bottom and are literally a “work of art” by resort architects.
- Gardens Bay
- Coral Bay
- Sharks Bay ( Sharks Bay)
- Ras Nusrani (Montaza)
- Nabq Bay ( Nabq Bay) - a few kilometers northeast of Naama Bay, towards the Nabq National Nature Reserve, opposite Tiran Island. At one time, there was a rumor in construction investor circles that Saudi Arabia, together with Egypt, had conceived a project to build a huge bridge from the coast of Saudi Arabia to Egypt (via Tiran Island). According to the geographical location, this bridge would just go out from the side of the island to the Nabq Bay area. All kinds of investors rushed to feverishly develop the area and occupy vacant plots of land - for the construction of hotels and the construction of new infrastructure. Today Nabq is an extremely developed area compared to several years ago. However, “The East is a delicate matter.” The President of Egypt “froze” the “great bridge” construction project, deciding to maintain a more “European” atmosphere in Sharm el-Sheikh. Indeed, the city is strikingly different from typical Egyptian cities, reminiscent of the resorts of Europe rather than the not yet completely “settled” reality of the same Hurghada or Cairo.
Due to the fact that Sharm el-Sheikh is “sandwiched” between two national reserves facing the sea, the coastline that can be occupied by buildings is limited to a strip of about 30 km. Today, almost all areas of the coast suitable for construction are built up with luxury hotels, or are allocated for the construction of new residential complexes. But, despite this, the city continues to grow “inland” of the coast, towards the mountain range. The most famous areas of Sharm el-Sheikh are Hadaba, Old Town, Aida, Tower, Il Mercato, Delta Sharm, Hai El Nour, Riviera, Hai Salam, Kriss, Naama, Nabq Bay.
Many new residential areas are being built: Gold Charm, Sun Shine, Sunny Lake, Montaza, many others... As a rule, residential buildings in the city are built in the form of small complexes of comfortable villas, concentrated around green areas with modern infrastructure, shops, restaurants, swimming pools and gardens. Due to the growing popularity of the resort, Egyptian investment companies are not afraid to invest huge amounts of money in the city’s infrastructure, and Sharm el-Sheikh is changing every year literally before our eyes, becoming, without exaggeration, an “economic miracle” of the modern Republic of Egypt.
Transport connection
One of the airport halls
The geographical location of the city determines its transport significance for the entire Sinai Peninsula.
Sharm el-Sheikh - air gate Sinai. Ras Nasrani Airport is the first (more than a year ago, the airport in the city of Taby, which was previously a military airport, also became international) and the largest international airport on the Sinai Peninsula, but at the same time it is modern, convenient and extremely beautiful. Air communications pass through it both from Sharm el-Sheikh itself and from other resorts on the peninsula - Dahab, Taba, Nuweiba. The vast majority of tourists and guests arrive and return to the peninsula by air.
Due to the great political importance of tourism for the state of Egypt, all arriving guests can apply for a one-month entry visa directly at the airport (cost: $15). If necessary, this visa can be extended twice for up to three months. Even in Cairo, you can just as easily get a tourist visa on the spot upon arrival, just by indicating on the migration card (kindly located in stacks on stands) the address of the hotel or place where you plan to stay in the capital).
Main roads
The main roads (not taking into account the road to Cairo through the Suez Tunnel, which begins near the city of Taba and is much less busy) connecting the settlements of the peninsula pass through Sharm el-Sheikh. Despite this, all roads are maintained in perfect condition and are not too busy with traffic. This is used by many tourists and guests of the country who do not want to commit themselves to lying on the beach for a long time. The city has an extremely developed car rental service, and in a few days an inquisitive tourist can independently travel around most of the amazing places of the peninsula in a rented car. Gasoline prices in Egypt are extremely affordable and are, in fact, among the lowest prices in the world. Large checkpoints organized around the city to control incoming and outgoing vehicles maintain an atmosphere inside the city that distinguishes Sharm el-Sheikh from all other cities in Egypt.
View of the mountain range from one of the city highways
Approximate travel distances and times:
- Dahab - 100 km (~1 hour drive by car)
- Monastery of St. Catherine - ~2 hours drive
- Colored Canyon - ~3 hours drive
- Nuweiba - ~2 hours drive
- Taba - ~3 hours drive
- El Tour (administrative center of South Sinai governorate) - 90 km (~1 hour drive)
- Suez Canal Tunnel - 360 km (~4 hours drive)
- Cairo - 500 km (~6-7 hours drive)
- Alexandria - ~9 hours
Tourism and rest
At the entrance to one of the hotels on Sity Council Street
View of the city at night
Sharm El Sheikh is a resort of European level. On the coast there are many hotels, magnificent beaches, and exquisite vacation spots for tourists from all over the planet. There are more than 200 hotels of different classes and price categories in the city. Housing construction is developed - the wonderful climate and modern infrastructure attract investors from different countries, including the most developed ones.
Along the entire coast, as well as in other vacant areas of the city, the construction of new hotels, residential complexes, and entertainment centers continues.
The city has a modern International Medical Center. An Orthodox Church was built, as well as extremely beautiful Mosques (the new and largest one opened in 2007). Also, in 2007, a new terminal of Ras Nazran International Airport opened And, capable of receiving (and, accordingly, releasing) up to 50 aircraft per day. A tourist visa to enter the country is issued right here at the airport.
Daytime life in the city revolves entirely around the tourism industry. All kinds of excursions, boat trips, elite beaches, all kinds of restaurants and entertainment - all this is presented to guests immediately and simultaneously. Any tourist, as a rule, will find everything he needs - in abundance and inexpensively. At the same time, the national Arabic “flavor” is to a large extent mixed with an international spirit - most local residents involved in the tourism industry will be able to carry on a conversation, no matter what language they are addressed in. As a rule, many of them understand and speak Russian. The vast majority of staff in hotels, shops, and other establishments, including taxi drivers, speak English. It must be said that due to the incredible cheapness of gasoline, taxis in the city are a completely affordable form of transport.
The nightlife of Sharm El Sheikh is famous for its discos, nightclubs, casinos and show performances. A favorite place is the “promenade” - a walking road in Naama Bay. Here, shopping centers and numerous street cafes are open until late, where visitors are offered delicious dishes of Arabic, Japanese and European cuisine, elite seafood, and will be offered to smoke hookah.
The attitude of the local population towards tourists is extremely friendly. In addition, local residents extremely value the opportunity to work in Sharm El-Sheikh, where the standard of living is much higher compared to other cities in the country. Employers and government agencies constantly conduct activities with service personnel aimed at improving service. In the city, in addition to the usual, there is the so-called. “tourist police” (Touristiq Police) are specially trained officers whose task is to prevent any problems for city guests. As a rule, all such employees have the appropriate education, speak English, and if any ambiguities arise with the service staff (which, by the way, is very rare) - as a rule, they take the side of tourists.
The city's attractions
The main attractions of the city that should clearly interest tourists include:
- the magnificent Sinai Mountains, mesmerizing with their views from the first minute after leaving the airport terminal
- Ras Mohammed National Reserve
- Nabq National Reserve
- coral reefs of Tiran island
- new water park in Hadaba. It is impossible to remain indifferent - even for those who have experienced such entertainment more than once
- Cleo Park in Naama Bay (a more “modest” analogue of the new Water Park)
- Dolphinarium (located in the Il Mercato area)
- The old city with its unique and colorful oriental bazaar Old Market
- Palace "1001 Nights"
- Naama Bay area with its “Promenade” and “Panorama Charm”,
as well as many other places that forever leave a mark in the memory of a person who has visited them at least once.
Those who wish can also visit numerous attractions of Egypt, which can be easily learned from the hotel guide or from any excursion agency.
Strategic importance
Police checkpoints are always friendly to tourists
Peace Road - one of the streets of Sharm el-Sheikh
The favorable geographical location of Sharm el-Sheikh allows Egypt, if necessary, to block shipping through the Straits of Tiran, which are the only exit to the Red Sea for Jordan and Israel. Back in 1967, Egypt tried to put this possibility into practice, which led to an armed clash with Israel - the so-called Six-Day War. Previously, the region was quite tense - until 1979, Egypt participated in several local wars. Currently, several military units are stationed in the city.
However, it should be noted that modern Egyptian politics has abandoned the militant course of forceful confrontation in the Middle East, and is currently extremely interested in the development of tourism. Despite the apparent “frivolity” of such a business, tourism has become the second most important source of income for the country (after receiving fees for the passage of ships through the Suez Canal). To date, revenues from the tourism industry in the country have even exceeded revenues from the production and sale of oil(!). This means that the government is constantly working to achieve political stability in the region. Egypt has signed a peace treaty with Israel and is in force (1979). Any tourist directly in Sharm El Sheikh can, if desired, easily sign up for a bus tour to Israel (
Set against a backdrop of desert and mountains, Sharm el-Sheikh is a resort on the Red Sea that delights beach and diving lovers with warmth and sun all year round. Not long ago it was a Bedouin village (which still stands), today it is a purpose-built resort town, with many international hotels, restaurants and bars along the sandy beaches.
The oldest part of the city is located at the Old Market, where the heady aroma of hookahs and spices dominates, approximately between Naama Bay and the Ras um el Sid area. Other areas of the city lie on the coast of Sharks Bay and Nabq Bay and are very close to Sharm El Sheikh airport.
The Red Sea offers some of the best diving in the world, and the rich underwater life on the deep reefs of Ras Mohammed National Park is simply breathtaking. Other water sports include windsurfing, kayaking or banana boat rides. You can also have a great time at the Cleopark water park with water slides, pools and rapids.
Other leisure options include shopping at Il Mercato shopping center and a variety of souvenir stalls, and go-karting at the Ghibli Raceway. The Arabian Night show at the Arabian Nights (Alf Leila Wa Leila) amusement park is very popular among tourists. Outside the city, you can ride horses or camels in the desert, or visit Bedouin villages or St. Catherine's monasteries in the hills of the Sinai Peninsula.
Sharm El Sheikh accommodation options offered on the site range from 5-star resorts to budget apartments.
