---
node: dest_sharm_el_sheikh
type: destination
slug: sharm_el_sheikh
title: "Sharm El Sheikh"
lead: "Sharm El Sheikh is Egypt's flagship Red Sea resort, set on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. Its warm, clear water and coral reefs make it one of the world's great diving and beach destinations."
published: 2026-08-10
updated: 2026-08-10
image_file: sharm_el_sheikh.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Naama_Bay_Beach_R01.jpg"
image_author: "Marc Ryckaert"
image_license: "CC BY 3.0"
---

## Overview

Grown from a fishing village into a strip of resorts along the coast, Sharm El Sheikh trades on year-round sun and some of the richest coral reefs on earth. The town gathers around Naama Bay and the marina, with hotels, dive centres and promenades facing the sea, while the desert and mountains of Sinai rise behind. It is a place for the water and the sun rather than ancient monuments, and the reefs begin just offshore.

## Highlights

The reefs of Ras Mohammed National Park and the Straits of Tiran are the great dives, with walls and coral gardens teeming with fish. Snorkelling is good straight off many beaches, and glass-bottom boats and day cruises reach the offshore reefs. Naama Bay holds the nightlife and dining, and desert excursions by jeep or camel offer a change from the sea.