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Sharm el-Sheikh

Coral Reefs, Desert Safaris, Endless Sun

Sharm El Sheikh stands on Egypt’s southern Red Sea coast where desert meets turquoise waters. The city grew around a natural harbor used by sailors and traders centuries ago. Today, it serves as a gateway to coral reefs that attract divers from around the world. Local markets sell spices, textiles and handmade crafts alongside modern hotels catering to international visitors. Its climate stays warm year-round with plenty of sunshine, making outdoor activities possible in most seasons. The mix of history, nature and hospitality defines daily life here.

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City in Egypt

$$$

$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 5.3

General Safety:	6
Health & medical:	5
Accessibility:	5
Tap water:	2

Read details

4/5

English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions. Most signage is bilingual, and staff are used to international visitors. In markets and with older locals, basic Arabic or Russian is helpful but not required.

Highlights Attractions Getting there Hotels Tips Travel costs Safety Articles

Last update: 12 Oct 2026

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Sharm el-Sheikh Summary

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Outstanding for diving and Red Sea resorts. Explore coral reefs, snorkel with marine life, relax at beachfront hotels and take desert excursions.

Place score

7.4

Best at:

Snorkeling

Sea

Diving

Beaches

Natural sites

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 7

Seniors

🕌 10

Halal

🛡️ 7

Travel Beginners

Egypt – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	220 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type C , Type F Type C: Type F: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Egyptian Pound (EGP) £1 ≈ EGP 74.69
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are becoming more common in Egypt, especially in tourist areas. Credit cards are accepted in larger hotels and businesses, but cash is still preferred in many places. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is common in Egypt, with a 10-15% tip in restaurants being standard. Taxi drivers, hotel staff, and tour guides also appreciate small tips.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is generally not allowed in Egypt, and alcohol consumption is limited to licensed establishments like hotels, restaurants, and bars.
Public smoking:	Smoking is permitted in outdoor public spaces and licensed indoor venues such as cafes and bars, but it is prohibited in public transport and closed areas.

Revolution Day (25 January)	National holiday celebrating the 2011 revolution
Eid al-Fitr (dates vary)	Islamic festival marking the end of Ramadan

Emergency contact:	Emergency Numbers: 122 (Police), 123 (Ambulance), 180 (Fire)
Taxi apps:	Uber
Other:	Egypt is known for its ancient history, including the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, and numerous archaeological sites. It offers a rich cultural experience combined with desert landscapes and the Nile River.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt

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High season:	Jan. - Dec.
Shoulder season:
Crowdedness:	8 (Very crowded)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Sunshine year-round with almost no rain, so travel timing depends mainly on heat and sea temperature

Water temperature drops to about 22°C January to March, so a wetsuit is useful for diving and snorkelling

Peak prices and fully booked resorts from mid December to early January and around Easter

Don't miss

🤿 Explore vibrant coral reefs at Ras Mohammed National Park
🏖️ Relax and swim at the popular Naama Bay Beach
🛍️ Enjoy nightlife and shopping at SOHO Square
🕌 Visit the historic Al Sahaba Mosque with towering minarets
⛪ Take a day trip to Saint Catherine's Monastery nearby
🥾 Hike the dramatic trails of the Colored Canyon

You've been here?

Why travel to Sharm el-Sheikh?

Sharm el-Sheikh is a dream for anyone who loves the sea or the desert. The snorkeling and diving here are legendary – think kaleidoscopic coral gardens, shipwrecks and sea turtles at Ras Mohammed National Park or Naama Bay. On land, you can take a camel ride or ATV safari into the Sinai, hike canyons or climb Mount Sinai for sunrise. The city is packed with resorts, lively bars and international restaurants, but you can still find authentic Egyptian markets and quiet stretches of coastline if you wander a bit further. A few things to note: Sharm is safe and well-guarded in the tourist zones, but it pays to stick to reputable tours and avoid wandering far from resort areas, especially at night or into the desert without a guide. Tap water isn’t safe to drink and the sun is intense year-round-bring plenty of sunscreen and stay hydrated. Some areas, especially Naama Bay, can feel crowded and commercialized and touts can be persistent. Still, the natural beauty and sheer variety of things to do make Sharm a fantastic base for Red Sea adventures.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Sahaba Mosque
2 Naama Bay
3 King Tut Museum
4 Farsha cafe

🎡Places for activities

1 Desert View

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Mount Sinai
2 Nabq Bay
3 Shark's Bay
4 Ras Muhammad National Park
5 Novotel Beach 5*
6 Tiran Island

🛍️Shopping

1 Old Market
2 Soho square
3 Genena City Mall

🎈Events

International Shopping and Tourism Festival (July)
International Camel Competition (April)
Ramadan night markets
Christmas and New Year’s beach parties
Desert music festivals
Local food fairs
Diving competitions
Cultural exhibitions at SOHO Square
St. Catherine’s Monastery celebrations
Eid festivals

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Bring reef shoes; many beaches are coral, not sand.
Plan snorkeling or diving at Ras Mohammed or Tiran; visibility is best in calm mornings.
Use official taxis or hotel transfers; distances between bays are longer than they look.
Skip Naama Bay one night: browse Old Market, then visit Al Sahaba Mosque for photos.

How to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh

Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport is just 15–20 minutes from most resorts, with direct flights from many European and Middle Eastern cities. Taxis and hotel shuttles are the easiest way into town. Long-distance buses connect Sharm with Cairo and other Sinai towns, but journeys are long and can involve checkpoints. Ferries occasionally run to Hurghada.

Access summary

From Sharm el-Sheikh Airport (SSH): Taxi or minibus, about 15–25 minutes.
From Cairo: Direct domestic flights about 1 hour; long-distance buses 6–8 hours.
From Hurghada: Fast Red Sea ferry plus transfers, usually around 2–3 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Sharm el-Sheikh

Sharm offers everything from luxury all-inclusives and boutique hotels to budget hostels. Most visitors stay in Naama Bay, Shark's Bay or along the coast for easy beach access. Book ahead for holidays and festivals, as the best resorts fill quickly. For quieter vibes, look at Ras Nasrani or Nabq Bay.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Meraki Resort Sharm El Sheikh Adults only

8.9

White Hills Resort

8.8

Sunrise Arabian Beach Resort

8.7

Sunrise Diamond Beach Resort -Grand Select

8.9

Sunrise Montemare Resort -Grand Select

8.7

Sultan Gardens Resort - Ultra All Inclusive

9.0

Sunrise Remal Resort

8.9

Amphoras Beach - Ultra All Inclusive

8.6

Savoy Sharm El Sheikh

8.7

Stella Di Mare Beach Hotel & Spa

8.7

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Sharm el-Sheikh

Most resorts and main attractions are linked by taxis, hotel shuttles and minibuses. Naama Bay, SOHO Square and the Old Market are walkable, but for desert trips or Ras Mohammed, book organized tours or arrange private transport. Traffic is busy in tourist hubs and driving standards can be unpredictable. Walking is pleasant in resort areas but less so on main roads due to heat and traffic.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-64 %

Daily expenses in the region are around 64% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-55 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to EGP) is 55% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is a lot cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£22	£56	£169
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£9	£26	£83
🍝 Food per day	£13	£28	£82
🚕 Transportation per day	£1	£1	£5

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£9
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£6.50
🍟 Fast food combo	£4.40
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£3.80
☕ Cappuccino	£1.40
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£2.40

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£0.08
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£2.90
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.31

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£2.50
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£6.50
🤧 Cold medication	£1.40
💇 Basic haircut	£1.80

Safety information overview

General safety

Sharm el-Sheikh is generally very safe in resort and tourist areas, with strong security. Exercise caution if venturing outside these zones, especially at night or into the desert. Stick to reputable tours and keep valuables secure.

Health & Medical

Medical care is good in major resorts and clinics. Tap water is not safe to drink — use bottled water. Sunburn, dehydration and stomach upsets are the main risks. Bring any needed medication and use repellent for mosquitoes in summer.

Accessibility

Most main resorts, beaches and attractions are accessible, but sidewalks can be uneven and public transport is limited. Wheelchair access is improving but not universal — check with your hotel or tour provider for specific needs.

Tap water

Tap water is not safe to drink. Use bottled or filtered water for drinking and brushing teeth. Public fountains are rare — carry a refillable bottle and stay hydrated, especially in the heat.