South Sinai · Destination guide
Sinai's resort capital – the coral walls of Ras Mohammed on one side, the mountains of Moses on the other.
Get your bearings
Sharm El Sheikh sits at the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula, where the desert mountains drop straight into some of the richest coral water on the planet. It grew from a dive camp into Egypt's most developed resort town, strung along the bays of Naama and Nabq, but the thing that built it is still the thing worth coming for: the reefs of Ras Mohammed, where sheer walls plunge into the blue thick with fish.
Sinai gives Sharm a second dimension the Red Sea mainland lacks – mountains and history. A couple of hours inland, Mount Sinai rises where Moses is said to have received the commandments, with St Catherine's Monastery, one of the oldest working monasteries on earth, at its foot. Most people climb it overnight to reach the summit for sunrise, then fall back to the beach.
What you're really here to see
01Egypt's first marine park, at the very tip of Sinai, where the reef falls away in sheer walls thick with fish – the dive that made the Red Sea famous. Reached by boat from Sharm, and superb for snorkelers as well as divers.
Full day by boat
02The mountain where Moses is said to have received the commandments. The classic visit is an overnight climb by torchlight to reach the 2,285-meter summit for sunrise over a sea of bare Sinai peaks – cold, dark and worth it.
Overnight from Sharm
03At the foot of the mountain, one of the oldest continuously working monasteries in the world, founded in the 6th century around the site of the Burning Bush. Its library is second only to the Vatican's, and the compound looks much as it did in the 12th century.
Paired with Mount Sinai
Time to allow
Sharm works as a pure beach base or a Sinai adventure hub – your call.
Ras Mohammed, a second reef day in the Straits of Tiran, and time by the pool – the easy Sinai short break.
Fold in the overnight Mount Sinai climb and St Catherine's Monastery alongside the diving and the beach.
Ras Mohammed, Tiran, the SS Thistlegorm wreck and the Shark and Yolanda reefs – a week of world-class sites.
A short flight from Cairo makes Sharm an easy beach-and-mountain finish to a history trip.
Where it fits
Sharm is Sinai's gateway – reefs, mountains and resorts in one base.
A short domestic flight, making a Pyramids-then-Sinai trip simple to arrange.
Ras Mohammed, the Straits of Tiran and the Thistlegorm wreck are all within boat range.
Mount Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery are a couple of hours inland – the overnight climb is the signature trip.
Quad safaris, Bedouin dinners and glass-bottom boats fill the gaps between dives and mountain trips.
From the catalog
Turquoise Beach Hotel is a good-value Sharm El Sheikh choice for travelers who want to stay in Sharm El Maya Bay rather than pay more for a hotel in Naama Bay. Its range of room styles includes family-size options and suites, with sea, garden, or pool views among the choices. Some rooms also have a balcony, bathtub, kitchen, or living room, giving travelers flexibility to choose a setup that suits their stay. It’s a practical base for a Sharm El Maya Bay vacation.
Choose Sunrise Diamond Beach Resort Grand Select for a mid-priced five-star stay in Sharm El Sheikh’s Hadabat Om El Sid, with room options ranging from family layouts to suites and choices that include sea views. Some room types also have private pools, balconies, or terraces, so you can look for a setup that fits your vacation. Family Room options include a bunk bed, while the largest room types sleep up to five. It’s a good fit for travelers who want more room variety than a standard hotel room.
Choose Stella Di Mare Hotel & Spa for a five-star Sharm El Sheikh stay with sea-view rooms and a location a short walk from Naama Bay. The hotel offers a spa, and room options include the Stella Suite and family-size accommodation. Some rooms have balconies and bathtubs, while views include the sea and garden. It is a mid-priced choice among the city’s five-star hotels, combining a Naama Bay base with facilities for relaxing at the hotel.
Choose Steigenberger Alcazar for a Nabq Bay stay with options for family-size rooms and villas, including room types with private pools. This five-star hotel has six suite types and eight family-size or villa options, with the largest sleeping up to six. Room choices include garden, pool, and sea views, plus features such as balconies, terraces, and living rooms. It is one of the more expensive hotels in Sharm El Sheikh, making it a fit for travelers prioritizing a spacious stay and distinctive room options over a lower price.
Choose Savoy Sharm El Sheikh for its Soho Square location and range of sea-, garden- and pool-view rooms. This mid-priced five-star option gives you a choice of suites and family-size accommodations, with some room types featuring a balcony or terrace, and others a living room or bathtub. It suits travelers who want to stay by Soho Square and prefer a hotel with several room styles to choose from, including options for families of up to four.
Royal Savoy Sharm El Sheikh is a strong pick in Soho Square for travelers who want a high-end Sharm El Sheikh stay with villa options that include private pools. Its range includes suites and family-size accommodations, with the largest sleeping up to 11. Room features across the selection include balconies, terraces, kitchens, living rooms, bathtubs, and sea or pool views. It is one of the more expensive hotels in the city, so it suits travelers who value spacious accommodation and distinctive villa choices over keeping the budget low.
Choose Rixos Premium Seagate for a five-star stay in Sharm El Sheikh’s Nabq Bay, with the appeal of suite options and family-size accommodations. Room choices include six suites and three family-size or villa types, with the largest sleeping up to seven. Some rooms include a balcony or terrace, while others have a living room or pool view. It is one of the more expensive hotels in Sharm El Sheikh, so it is best suited to travelers who value a broad choice of larger room styles.
Choose Reef Oasis Beach Aqua Park Resort for its beach-resort setting in Sharm El Sheikh and its aqua park—a strong pick for travelers who want water-based fun as part of their stay. The resort is on Marine Sports Street in Hadbet Um El Sied and is mid-priced for Sharm El Sheikh. Room options include family-size rooms and suites, with views among the room types ranging from sea and pool to garden. Some room types also have a balcony or terrace.
Pickalbatros Laguna Vista Aqua Park is a good-value choice in Sharm El Sheikh for travelers who want a Nabq Bay base with an aqua park and family-sized accommodations. Its room options include family rooms and villas, with the largest sleeping up to eight, plus suites for guests who want more space. Depending on the room, you can choose a sea, garden, or pool view, and some rooms have a balcony or terrace. It suits vacationers who want resort facilities and room to spread out without choosing one of the city’s more expensive five-star hotels.
Every way in
Day trips, classic multi-day tours, Nile cruises, hotels and private transfers – every part of an Egypt trip can be arranged from Sharm El Sheikh. Start wherever makes sense.
Hotel pickup, a private Egyptologist, half or full day.
2–15 day private itineraries, hotels and guides included.
Pair Sharm El Sheikh with a 3–4 night river cruise in one trip.
Aswan ↔ Luxor sailings, dahabiyas and classic cruisers.
5★ and boutique stays, hand-picked by our team.
Private meet-and-greet from the airport to your hotel.
Best time to visit
Sheltered and swimmable year-round, though the mountain nights bite.
Warm, calm and clear (25–32°C) – ideal for diving, the beach and the Mount Sinai climb alike.
Very hot on land but tempered by the sea, and busy with summer holidaymakers. The water and the diving stay excellent.
Pleasant by day, but the Mount Sinai summit is genuinely cold before dawn – bring real layers for the climb.
Mount Sinai is done overnight to reach the summit for sunrise. It's cold and dark at the top whatever the season – warm clothing is essential.
The practical part
Its own airport, a self-contained resort town – the practical part.
Sharm El Sheikh (SSH) takes direct international charters and domestic flights from Cairo. The resort bays are 10–20 minutes from the airport.
Naama Bay for walkable bars and restaurants, the quieter Nabq and Sharks Bay for diving and calm. We match the bay to your plans.
Resorts are self-contained; reef trips, the Sinai climb and desert safaris all include pickup. Taxis cover Naama Bay in the evenings.
Sharm is one of the world's great dive bases, with centers for every level and access to the legendary sites. We arrange the operator to match your experience.
Common questions
World-class diving and snorkeling – above all the coral walls of Ras Mohammed National Park and the Straits of Tiran – plus big resorts on sheltered bays, and Sinai's mountains, including Mount Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery, a couple of hours inland.
It's one of the best dive bases in the world. Ras Mohammed, the Straits of Tiran, the SS Thistlegorm wreck and the Shark and Yolanda reefs are all within boat range, with centers for every level from beginner to technical.
Yes – it's the classic Sinai excursion, usually an overnight trip to climb by torchlight and reach the summit for sunrise, paired with St Catherine's Monastery at the foot of the mountain. Bring warm layers; the summit is cold before dawn.
Spring and autumn (March–May, September–November) are ideal – warm, calm and clear for diving and the beach. The water is swimmable year-round, though winter nights, especially on Mount Sinai, are cold.
Yes – sheltered bays, shallow reefs, all-inclusive resorts and kids' clubs make it easy with children, while the diving, the desert and the Sinai mountains give older kids and adults plenty to do.
Plan your trip
Tell us your dates, who's coming and how you like to spend a beach day – we'll send a private plan with the right hotel, transfers and day trips within 24 hours. Cairo · Luxor · Aswan · Hurghada · Marsa Alam · Sharm El Sheikh, on the ground since 1988.
