Sharm El Sheikh / Na'ama bay

Trip preparation

Sharm El Sheikh, or the City of Peace, is home to some 35,000, and is situated on the far South of the Sinai Peninsula. The city got its nickname from the many peace conferences which were held there. Its actual name means ‘Bay of the Sheikh’ in Arabic. The city harbor overlooks the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba and it became an important port and naval base of the Egyptian Navy. The climate of the area is subtropical, with temperatures around 20°C in January and 35°C in August. The summer months can be quite humid, though. The sea temperature is also quite pleasant, ranging from 21 to 28°C throughout the year. Meals in an inexpensive restaurant range around EG£85 (€15), a three course meal for two around EG£350 (€45), and half a liter of a domestic beer can be bought for approximately EG£20 (€2.50). The hospital in Sharm El Sheikh can be reached by calling +20 6936 660 20 The medical hotline’s number is +20 1800 002 05 Tourist Police: +20 069 366 0311

Traditions and Culture

Initially, Sharm el-Sheikh was a small fishing village. Due to its location overlooking the Straits of Tiran, the city became an important port and naval base. It was not until the Israeli occupation in 1967 that the city became a tourist destination. After the peace agreement between 1979 and 1982, the Egyptians continued developing the city , which is one of the reasons why it has a very nice promenade, cafés, and one of the most modern hospitals in Egypt!   The area is very popular for Scuba diving and many other watersports, and the Ras Mohammed, the national part of South Sinai, is home to many nice coral reefs of the Red Sea. Even if you don’t go diving you can see the colorful fishes with only some snorkeling gear!

By car

Roadsare in good condition, and cars can be rented best at the airport, as the big car rental companies are present there.   By bus Bus is probably the most common means of transportation in the area. They are quite inexpensive, especially compared to taxis. Make sure to raise your hand to signal drivers you intent to hop on! Once you’re in the bus, you can easily pass your money down the line of passengers to the driver. Tickets should not cost more than EG£15 (€2), and askingthe driver for the fare might cause them to try and increase it.

By plane

  Sharm el-Sheikh airport is the largest in the area and welcomes passengers from especially Europe and Egypt. For local flights, there is EgyptAir, which can easily take you ti Cairo, from where flights go to many different countries.  

Experience and enjoy

When in the city, you should try one of the falafel (which is deep fried brown peas and herbs), or kushary (spicy pasta with fried onion, lentil, and optionally rice). With the Red Sea right in front of it, Sharm el-Sheikh has a variety of fish dishes to offer as well!   Make sure NOT to drink the tap water, as it is contaminated with harmful bacteria and can lead to quite unpleasant illness. Great things to do in the area include diving, horseback riding, parasailing, and of course camel trekking. Union Day is celebrated in February as a public holiday. Abu Simbel Festival takes place on the temple of Abu Simbel, celebrating beautiful sights in the world.   On the Sinai Liberation Day in April, the Peninsula celebrates the withdrawal of Israeli troops with camel races! There is a great art festival in August, which is claimed to be one of the best in the Arab world with art works from Africa, Europe and Asia, presented for an entire week!   Themost popular and known clubs in the city are Pasha (open air) and Phantasia Alf Leila Wa Leila!