Sharm el-Sheikh grew out of a sleepy fishing village to become the leading tourist resort on Egypt’s Red Sea. Blessed by sunny weather and superb scuba-diving spots it was only a matter of time before luxurious 5-star hotels and world class shopping and entertainment venues sprung up.
Numerous charter flights bring tourists to this sundrenched locale on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, the coastal strip between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai, where they relax on long stretches of natural sand and pebble beaches, beside calm and clear waters.
While the coral reefs at Sharm el-Sheikh are the major draw for the world’s scuba divers, holidaymakers also come to enjoy the numerous other water sports such as windsurfing, parasailing, boating and canoeing.
The lavish hotels make for a perfect family holiday destination in their own right. Each offers a number of fantastic facilities, including several swimming pools, themed parks, tennis courts, spas, sports facilities, diving centres, kids’ clubs and entertainment programmes, meaning guests are never short of something exciting to do.
Those that like to immerse themselves in the local culture should head along to the shopping district, which houses a number of stalls selling colourful Bedouin handicrafts, spices, embroidery and slippers. Most popular, however, is the gold and silver jewellery and semi-precious stones available at Na’ama Bay and the Old Market, where travellers can also find great bargains for Egyptian cotton bed linen and beach towels. And it’s rare any visitor leaves the Sharm el-Sheikh without tasting the exquisite Turkish delights.
The resort’s restaurants serve up a wide variety in cuisine, specialising, of course, in superb seafood caught fresh every day, as well as classic Arabian dishes. Western dishes are widely available also and tend towards Italian cuisine. Outside the hotels’ waterside grills and indoor air-conditioned dining rooms, Na’ama Bay offers the widest variety of eateries as well as a number of bars and clubs.
Tourists that still have energy left after a long day exploring Sharm el-Sheikh’s reef, lazing on the beach, haggling for bargains in the Old Market and enjoying great food will head out to enjoy the nightlife in Na’ama Bay. Perhaps their first stop will be the Camel Bar, popular with sub-aqua divers, or Little Buddha, the sister venue of Paris’ Buddha Bar, before heading to dance the night away at The Bus Stop or world-renowned Pacha.
