The Bedouin people, the original inhabitants of the Sinai Peninsula named the city the “The bay of the leader” (Sharm means “bay”, and sheikh means “the leader”). Before 1967 it was nothing more than a small village of local fisherman, the development started during the Israeli presence in the area. In the last 50 years Sharm el Sheikh earned its reputation as one of the world’s top diving sites, including the close Ras Mohammed, one of the few underwater national parks in the world.
Due to it’s unique underwater beauty Sharm el Sheikh attracts millions of tourists each year, its busy airport and more than 200 hotels are open for tourists all over the year. The temperature of the Red Sea varies between 24 degrees Celsius in winter and 28-29 degrees in summer, making it pleasant for diving in all four seasons. The ecosystem is extremely diverse, more than 1,200 species of fish were recorded by marine biologists, nearly 10% of them found nowhere else in the world. This special variety of sealife is mostly due to the 5000-7000 years old, 2,000 km long coral reef extending along the coastline, providing the perfect habitat for its inhabitants, the famous and deadly lion fish, clown fishes, manta rays and 44 species of sharks - just to mention a few.
Mostly these were the reasons we chose to visit Sharm el Sheikh for a week in August 2009, right in the middle of the peak season. We flew there on a charter plane packed with divers, feeling a little bad about not having taken the diver’s license prior to our journey. We landed on Sharm el Sheikh International Airport and after arranging the visa administration our tour guide was already waiting for us with a bus, taking us directly to our hotel. The visa costs $15, it’s just a stamp in the passport, and the whole procedure didn’t take more than 5 minutes.
Accomodation
We picked the 4-star resort called Coral Hills, to be honest it looked better in the brochure, but we couldn’t complain. All rooms were equipped with air conditioning, which was vital, since the outside temperature didn’t go below 32-33 degrees even at night. The room was spacious, well equipped, looking right at the fence with some dry palm leaves in front that was cut about two weeks ago. Rumor has it that this is like a base-room they put you in, and if you complain, you can get nicer ones with a better view for a little extra price. Anyway, it was perfect for us, we didn’t go there to stay in our room anyway.
Accomodation
We picked the 4-star resort called Coral Hills, to be honest it looked better in the brochure, but we couldn’t complain. All rooms were equipped with air conditioning, which was vital, since the outside temperature didn’t go below 32-33 degrees even at night. The room was spacious, well equipped, looking right at the fence with some dry palm leaves in front that was cut about two weeks ago. Rumor has it that this is like a base-room they put you in, and if you complain, you can get nicer ones with a better view for a little extra price. Anyway, it was perfect for us, we didn’t go there to stay in our room anyway.
Next to the reception there were two shops, one like a little bazar and the other specialized for shisha pipes. The owner of the shop is called Joseph, a short, bald guy with a very open personality - just like any arabs trying to sell you stuff. His prices were very favorable, I purchased an approx. 80 cm tall pipe with all it’s accessories for 10 Euros. He even showed me a video on his computer about how the pipes are made in his factory, and why it is the best. I also bought half a kilo of differently flavored tobacco for another 5 Euros. Since not being an expert in shisha pipes, after getting home I collected some knowledge about what should I look out for, and I came to the conclusion that thank you Joseph, your pipes are crap! Anyway, after buying a little rubber gasket for 10 cents I managed to stop air leaking and could use the thing properly. If you’re not an avid piper this cheap solution will absolutely be fine.
Talking about shisha pipes, you could basically smoke on every corner once out on the street. The shops and bars are mostly closed during the day, they open around 4-5 in the afternoon and are open till 11-12. We found a lovely place just 5 minutes walk from the hotel, close to the entrance of the go-cart court. We spent some time there smoking shisha and chatting, the guy was very nice and helpful, adjusting the carbon in every 5 minutes and stuffing our pipe with new tobacco every half an hour. The prices are very reasonable, we payed like 2-3 Euros for a two hour session. The prices might go up a little higher if you are in the city center or in Naama Bay, the luxury shopping area of the region, on which I’ll touch upon a little later on.
The Red Sea
Once you’re in Sharm El Sheikh the first thing you want to do is visit the sea. Unless your hotel is right next to the shore there is a chance you’ll need to take a cab or use the bus the hotels provide for their guests to get to popular locations. Taxi prices are very cheap and bargaining is a must. A 5 km way can be around a dollar is you’re lucky. Taxi drivers are not perfect in English, they know the key words they have to use but getting into conversations with them is difficult. I tried. You need to pay an entrance fee to access most of the beaches, but there are a few that are free of charge. These are usually very crowded and finding a bed or a little shade is tough. There are two beached I definitely recommend, one of them is El Fanar and the other is Sharm Reef Beach. We visited the latter twice during the week, it’s friendly, not too big, and the pizzas are delicious. After plugging your head under water you’ll have the chance to meet most of the famous creatures of the Red Sea including the deadly lion fish, clown fish colonies, manta rays, we even had a chance to see from the shore a huge swordfish jumping out of the water.
Talking about shisha pipes, you could basically smoke on every corner once out on the street. The shops and bars are mostly closed during the day, they open around 4-5 in the afternoon and are open till 11-12. We found a lovely place just 5 minutes walk from the hotel, close to the entrance of the go-cart court. We spent some time there smoking shisha and chatting, the guy was very nice and helpful, adjusting the carbon in every 5 minutes and stuffing our pipe with new tobacco every half an hour. The prices are very reasonable, we payed like 2-3 Euros for a two hour session. The prices might go up a little higher if you are in the city center or in Naama Bay, the luxury shopping area of the region, on which I’ll touch upon a little later on.
The Red Sea
Once you’re in Sharm El Sheikh the first thing you want to do is visit the sea. Unless your hotel is right next to the shore there is a chance you’ll need to take a cab or use the bus the hotels provide for their guests to get to popular locations. Taxi prices are very cheap and bargaining is a must. A 5 km way can be around a dollar is you’re lucky. Taxi drivers are not perfect in English, they know the key words they have to use but getting into conversations with them is difficult. I tried. You need to pay an entrance fee to access most of the beaches, but there are a few that are free of charge. These are usually very crowded and finding a bed or a little shade is tough. There are two beached I definitely recommend, one of them is El Fanar and the other is Sharm Reef Beach. We visited the latter twice during the week, it’s friendly, not too big, and the pizzas are delicious. After plugging your head under water you’ll have the chance to meet most of the famous creatures of the Red Sea including the deadly lion fish, clown fish colonies, manta rays, we even had a chance to see from the shore a huge swordfish jumping out of the water.
It’s definitely worth taking a daytrip on a boat to Ras Mohammed National Park even if you’re not a diver. Just don’t forget to bring along your snorkeling gear. You can subscribe to these tours at most hotels or diving bases, they go every day. Make sure you apply for the boat trip, because it’s also possible to access the Park by bus, which in my opinion offers far less excitement. The boats start from the Sharm El Sheikh port and reach Ras Mohammed in a little less than an hour. Our first dive was at Yolanda reef, the second one at Shark reef. They both lasted around 20-25 minutes. The boat drops divers right next to the reef, then moves a little a further in towards the open water, otherwise there is a chance the currents push it onto the reef.
Currents can be quite unpredictable, our guide said there are days when this 25 minute diving (or snorkeling) session is complete in 5 minutes, because the currents are so strong. There is nothing to be afraid of though, the group stays together all the time and the boat picks up the people when they signal at the previously agreed end spot. Dinner is served on the boat, after that we started heading back towards Sharm El Sheikh. Before entering the port to boat anchored in a little bay close to the shore, where we had another half and hour to snorkel around the reefs. By 3-4 pm we’re back in the city and even have time to visit one of the beaches or just chill a little in the hotel and get ready for the evening program we choose.
The desert
Taking a step backwards from the sea we quickly realize we’re in the middle of the desert, and there are quite a few things to do there as well from camel riding through jeep tours to quad safaris. We chose the quads, and it was so much fun! It was a 2 hour program altogether, but gave us a little taste of how it feels to be among the tall, red sandstone rocks in the desert. During the trip we stopped twice at bedouin tents, where they served us local tea and offered the chance to buy ice cold Coca Cola! On the way back to the garage we saw an accident; one of the riders must have taken a curve too fast and crashed the quad on the concrete road, they were waiting for the ambulance to arrive when we passed them by. It’s relatively easy to capsize the vehicle especially on paved roads, one must pay close attention not to push the limits too far.
If this is your first time in an arab country your should consider sitting on the back of a camel for at least a few minutes, but I tell you it is not as comfortable as it looks at first sight. Finding one is easy, just start walking down any main road and you’ll bump into a creature in less than 5 minutes. When taking photographs of a camel take into consideration that sometimes owners ask money for it, therefore the best is to clarify the terms in advance.
Another great program is attending the Blue Hole safari. If your time (or budget) is limited, this is the program that combines everything the region is famous for. You’ll have a chance to travel through the desert in a 4x4 all the way to Dahab, bargain at the local shops, ride a camel, visit a traditional Bedouin village and have lunch there and snorkel for about 45 minutes in the Red Sea at one of Egypt’s most famous diving spots called the Blue Hole. Make sure you travel with a qualified Egyptologist guide which most agencies offer.
There are several other great excursions and programs to attend from dolphin and crocodile shows through horseback riding in the sunset to visiting the Colored Canyon and the St. Catherine monastery, which requires a whole day and also some physical endurance.
Shopping
I couldn’t discover a one best place to buy knick-knacks or other sorts of souvenirs, you can find smaller or bigger markets in most local centers such as Il Mercato, which was the closest to the hotel we stayed at. The biggest and most famous shopping area of the Sharm region is the luxurious Naama bay, which is definitely worth visiting at least once while in Sharm El Sheikh. Here the prices are definitely higher than anywhere else in the city and bargaining is much tougher. There are plenty of Russian tourists and rumors say that they don’t really bargain therefore sellers got used to selling their goods for whatever price they want.
Currents can be quite unpredictable, our guide said there are days when this 25 minute diving (or snorkeling) session is complete in 5 minutes, because the currents are so strong. There is nothing to be afraid of though, the group stays together all the time and the boat picks up the people when they signal at the previously agreed end spot. Dinner is served on the boat, after that we started heading back towards Sharm El Sheikh. Before entering the port to boat anchored in a little bay close to the shore, where we had another half and hour to snorkel around the reefs. By 3-4 pm we’re back in the city and even have time to visit one of the beaches or just chill a little in the hotel and get ready for the evening program we choose.
The desert
Taking a step backwards from the sea we quickly realize we’re in the middle of the desert, and there are quite a few things to do there as well from camel riding through jeep tours to quad safaris. We chose the quads, and it was so much fun! It was a 2 hour program altogether, but gave us a little taste of how it feels to be among the tall, red sandstone rocks in the desert. During the trip we stopped twice at bedouin tents, where they served us local tea and offered the chance to buy ice cold Coca Cola! On the way back to the garage we saw an accident; one of the riders must have taken a curve too fast and crashed the quad on the concrete road, they were waiting for the ambulance to arrive when we passed them by. It’s relatively easy to capsize the vehicle especially on paved roads, one must pay close attention not to push the limits too far.
If this is your first time in an arab country your should consider sitting on the back of a camel for at least a few minutes, but I tell you it is not as comfortable as it looks at first sight. Finding one is easy, just start walking down any main road and you’ll bump into a creature in less than 5 minutes. When taking photographs of a camel take into consideration that sometimes owners ask money for it, therefore the best is to clarify the terms in advance.
Another great program is attending the Blue Hole safari. If your time (or budget) is limited, this is the program that combines everything the region is famous for. You’ll have a chance to travel through the desert in a 4x4 all the way to Dahab, bargain at the local shops, ride a camel, visit a traditional Bedouin village and have lunch there and snorkel for about 45 minutes in the Red Sea at one of Egypt’s most famous diving spots called the Blue Hole. Make sure you travel with a qualified Egyptologist guide which most agencies offer.
There are several other great excursions and programs to attend from dolphin and crocodile shows through horseback riding in the sunset to visiting the Colored Canyon and the St. Catherine monastery, which requires a whole day and also some physical endurance.
Shopping
I couldn’t discover a one best place to buy knick-knacks or other sorts of souvenirs, you can find smaller or bigger markets in most local centers such as Il Mercato, which was the closest to the hotel we stayed at. The biggest and most famous shopping area of the Sharm region is the luxurious Naama bay, which is definitely worth visiting at least once while in Sharm El Sheikh. Here the prices are definitely higher than anywhere else in the city and bargaining is much tougher. There are plenty of Russian tourists and rumors say that they don’t really bargain therefore sellers got used to selling their goods for whatever price they want.
Once out among the shops in the small alleys one can get drawn into a shop very easily by different sneaky tricks the locals developed. The most common thing is “you don’t have to buy, just look and come inside!” phenomena, when once you’re in they hardly let you leave and when you finally escape they act resentful and offended. Something similar happens when you manage to purchase something at a low price (compared to what they asked for initially). Altogether I can say prices are not high even compared to an Eastern-European country, when bargaining getting down to half, maybe third of the original price is very common. I suggest using the walk-away technique, they rarely let you leave.
Summary
If you’re looking for a place where you can meet hundreds of years of old bazaars and traditional Egyptian heritage than Sharm El Sheikh is not the place for you. This fancy, glowing tourist paradise was built from nowhere approximately fifty years ago, what you see here was entirely for made for foreign visitors. A large percent of people traveling to this region of Egypt are divers; for them it really is a paradise that must be seen at least once in one’s lifetime. Few places are so famous for their underwater beauties and diversity than these reefs of the Red Sea, satisfaction is more than guaranteed.
One small piece of advice for the end: avoid tap water and anything that might have had a connection with it (fruits, vegetables, freshly washed glasses, etc..). Drinking a strong spirit (vodka or anything above 40-45% alcohol content) after eating might help reducing the chance of stomach problems, but if God forbid something happens a drug called ANTINAL solves the problem easily in most cases, it’s easy to find them in most pharmacies. Don’t take pills from your home country, they usually don’t work. It’s sometimes hard to resist those beautiful fruits they serve at smorgasbords, make sure you pick the ones you have to peal, or peal them even if you could eat them without doing so to avoid direct contact with tapwater. Also don’t forget to use mineral water while washing your teeth. Keeping these few, simple rules will help you enjoy your holiday and return home relaxed and healthy.
Summary
If you’re looking for a place where you can meet hundreds of years of old bazaars and traditional Egyptian heritage than Sharm El Sheikh is not the place for you. This fancy, glowing tourist paradise was built from nowhere approximately fifty years ago, what you see here was entirely for made for foreign visitors. A large percent of people traveling to this region of Egypt are divers; for them it really is a paradise that must be seen at least once in one’s lifetime. Few places are so famous for their underwater beauties and diversity than these reefs of the Red Sea, satisfaction is more than guaranteed.
One small piece of advice for the end: avoid tap water and anything that might have had a connection with it (fruits, vegetables, freshly washed glasses, etc..). Drinking a strong spirit (vodka or anything above 40-45% alcohol content) after eating might help reducing the chance of stomach problems, but if God forbid something happens a drug called ANTINAL solves the problem easily in most cases, it’s easy to find them in most pharmacies. Don’t take pills from your home country, they usually don’t work. It’s sometimes hard to resist those beautiful fruits they serve at smorgasbords, make sure you pick the ones you have to peal, or peal them even if you could eat them without doing so to avoid direct contact with tapwater. Also don’t forget to use mineral water while washing your teeth. Keeping these few, simple rules will help you enjoy your holiday and return home relaxed and healthy.
1 megjegyzés:
Nice travel experience at Sharm el Sheikh. It's a really great place to spend a holiday and diving. I look forward to taking luxury holidays in Sharm el Sheikh.
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