Relax in Sharm El Sheikh. Holidays in Sharm El Sheikh
On the Sinai Peninsula, on the shores of the Red Sea, is the prestigious Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. The main feature of the resort is the incomparable wealth of the local underwater world. Diving here is not just for recreational purposes. The city's long beaches are replete with coral reefs, so you should swim in special shoes. The private beaches of some hotels are cleared, which is conducive to family holidays with children. Tours to Sharm el-Sheikh are offered by numerous 3* and 5* hotels, usually operating on an All Inclusive basis. Tourists' leisure time will be brightened up by games, animation, and visits to SPA salons. This resort on Krasny is considered an ideal place for a relaxed beach holiday for family tourists and young people.
Excursions in Sharm el-Sheikh
- Excursions to Nabq and Ras Mohammed National Parks will allow you to meet rare land and sea animals.
- Two-day excursion tours by plane to Cairo and Israel.
- A visit to the Monastery of St. Catherine and Mount Moses will allow you to enjoy the beautiful nature.
- Boat trip to the Coral Islands, where you can go diving.
- Excursions to the dolphinarium, where you can see a crocodile show.
Entertainment in Sharm el-Sheikh
In addition to the interesting and exciting animation at the hotel, you can visit the Naama Bay area. There are numerous restaurants, casinos and bowling clubs. In the evening, the most elite nightclubs and discos open, such as Le Pasha and Hard Rock Cafe, so tours to Sharm el-Sheikh are popular among young people. The doors of the Fun Town children's amusement park, the Alf Leila We Leila amusement park and the dolphinarium are always open for tourists with children. The unrealistically beautiful depths of the Red Sea will allow lovers of active recreation to enjoy diving.
The average price for a meal in a restaurant or cafe in Sharm el-Sheikh is about 10 - 15 US dollars.
How to choose and buy a tour to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
Tours to Sharm el-Sheikh will allow you to enjoy a wonderful and interesting holiday for tourists of all ages. A developed network of restaurants, bars, nightclubs and discos will also not make young people bored on vacation. Most often, tourists stay in four or five star hotels, choosing tours with all-inclusive meals. The price level for tours depends on the season; at the moment the cheapest tour for two to Sharm el-Sheikh from Moscow for 7 nights in a 5-star hotel with all-inclusive meals costs . The most popular months for tourists to visit are October, November and January. You can buy a tour to Sharm el-Sheikh in the following way: make a purchase online or pay in cash at the office (Moscow, Baumanskaya metro station).
A trip to Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh is the choice of those tourists who strive for a holiday of the highest level. Today, this resort is one of the largest and most popular destinations in Egypt.
The resort is divided into several areas built around bays and connected by the main street of the city - Peace Road.
The oldest and most comfortable area is "Elder's Bay"- Naama Bay, stretching along the beautiful beach of Naama Bay. In the southwestern part of the city there is an area where the only sandy beach in Sharm El Sheikh is located - Sharm el Maya. This area is a concentration of shops, benches, and cafes located throughout almost the entire territory of the Old Town. The real highlight of this area is the traditional oriental market Old Market. Sharm el Maya harbor is the starting point for boat trips.
Sharks Bay is a new area with a young hotel base. This area is famous not only for its high-quality service, but also for its incredibly beautiful coral reefs.
To the northeast of Naama Bay there is another fairly young and rapidly growing area - Nabq. Rapid development has determined its unique position - not far from the Nabq nature reserve and directly opposite the island of Tiran.
Ras Umm el-Sid Bay, located near Naama Bay, is famous for its best coral gardens and diverse marine fauna.
Sharm El Sheikh Hotels
Luxury and charm are the characteristics that characterize Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), and the resort's hotels also fully correspond to these characteristics. Sharm El Sheikh Hotels located on the border of the desert and the beach, among beautiful gardens. Most of them are rated four and five stars.
Entertainment in Sharm El Sheikh
The resort's entertainment is extremely diverse. It is impossible to find a tourist who would not find entertainment to his taste. Fans of active recreation, water sports, lovers of nightlife, families with children, young people, respectable couples, and people seeking to be alone among the splendor of nature go on vacation to Sharm El Sheikh. The resort offers its own side to every vacationer.
The best entertainment in Sharm El Sheikh is, of course, associated with the sea and amazingly beautiful coral reefs. In some places, the reefs come almost close to the shore, so you can admire the beauty of the underwater world even while standing on land. The reefs of Sharm El Sheikh have long been loved by diving enthusiasts who come here from almost all over the world.
The most interesting entertainment for fans of nightlife can be found in the central Naama Bay area. Here you can find traditional European discos, exotic oriental hookah bars, luxurious restaurants and homely small cafes.
The resort hotels offer a number of educational excursions - climbing Mount Moses, visiting the monastery of St. Catherine. It is impossible to imagine a holiday in Sharm El Sheikh without visiting the unique marine reserve of Ras Mohammed.
For vacationers with children, hotels have developed a variety of animation programs, interesting attractions, small water parks and much more. All this makes the holidays of little tourists bright, eventful and unforgettable.
Advantages of tours to Sharm El Sheikh
Tours to Sharm El Sheikh 2019 are the ideal solution for a perfect vacation. Despite the respectability and luxury of the resort, holidays here are affordable. The lowest prices for tours are set in the hottest summer months.
The most important advantage of a holiday at this resort is the variety of entertainment and recreational opportunities. According to these criteria, the resort is significantly superior to many popular tourist destinations.
Climate of Sharm El Sheikh
The sunny weather of Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt) and the warm sea delight tourists all year round. A distinctive feature of this region is the absence of strong winds almost throughout the year, so the sea here is calm, the water temperature in Sharm El Sheikh rises to +28 degrees in summer and +22 degrees in winter.
The weather in Sharm El Sheikh is quite hot, about 2 - 3 degrees warmer than in other popular resorts in Egypt. However, the climate can be considered quite favorable for vacationers.
Holidays in Sharm el-Sheikh are becoming more popular year after year, but before going there, you need to know the features characteristic of this place, imagine prices and calculate your own capabilities, which is where reviews left by those who have already managed to relax there help .
More recently, the leading resort among tourists in Egypt was Hurghada, famous for its affordable prices and variety of leisure activities, but according to statistics from travel agencies, the beaches of Sharm el-Sheikh have become more popular in the last couple of years and have been visited by more vacationers.
How is Sharm el-Sheikh different?
The main difference between Sharm el-Sheikh and other resorts in Egypt is its geographical location - it is surrounded by mountains that block winter winds, which means sunbathing and swimming in Sheikh in November is completely possible.
Winter cold winds, which have become the scourge of all resorts in Egypt, starting from the end of October and lasting until the end of February, are, of course, also present here. However, they are limited to the middle of December and January, and blow mainly in the evenings, after sunset.
Predrag Stojadinovic / flickr.com
Judging by Egypt's weather reports in Sharm, the air temperature here throughout the year is 2-3 degrees higher than in Hurghada, and the water is 1-2 degrees warmer.
For connoisseurs of beach holidays, the difference between the beaches themselves will be more important. Hurghada is flat sand, but in Sharm el-Sheikh you can come across pebbles and shells, in some places, for example, in the Hadaba area, the rocks go into the sea, that is, you can sunbathe on the rocks. In addition, there is great depth and many coral reefs, which will definitely be appreciated by lovers of snorkeling and diving.
In addition to relaxing on the beaches, snorkeling and scuba diving, a holiday in Sharm el-Sheikh has other differences, for example, the opportunity to spend the evening playing blackjack, one-armed bandits or roulette. Nominally, there is an opportunity to gamble in Hurghada, but in fact there is only one small casino with outdated equipment and a lack of free drinks.
Sharm el-Sheikh offers tourists six large casinos with the most modern equipment; the Sinai Grand Casino, which has 30 gaming tables, free drinks and snacks for visitors and much more, is more popular among Russians.
Almost all hotels in Sheikh offer some kind of entertainment in the evenings, but in addition, the resort has over a dozen nightclubs, five of which always feature Ibiza's most popular DJs and famous dance and go-go shows . There are also themed clubs, for example, only at this resort you can listen to jazz. There are only five clubs in Hurghada, designed for unsophisticated and undemanding visitors.
For vacationers, of course, such a nuance as the proximity of attractions is also important. According to any ready-made tour, the pyramids are closer to Hurghada and usually a trip to them is already included in the tourist package.
However, a holiday in Egypt in Sharm el-Sheikh not only does not exclude visiting the temples of Luxor or the Valley of the Kings, but also adds a number of interesting places in Israel to the traditional list of Egyptian monuments - excursions to the Monastery of St. Catherine and other attractions of the Holy Land are offered here in every hotel.
In addition to Israel, while vacationing in Sharm el-Sheikh, you can go to Saudi Arabia, but the possibility of excursions to this country completely depends on the political situation, so you won’t find such trips among the ready-made offers from tour operators operating in Russia.
Among the already familiar procedures and entertainment of Egyptian resorts, Sheikh can offer:
- Hammam.
- Spa treatments and all kinds of massages.
- Yachting, speed boats and water skiing.
- Parasailing.
In Sharm el-Sheikh, vacations are designed for everyone, both singles, childless couples, and families with children of different ages. Each resort hotel has several full-time animators whose direct responsibility is to organize leisure activities.
The peculiarity of local services is that the animator deals not only with children, but also with adults, acting as an escort to clubs, casinos, restaurants and other “evening” places.
Evan Wilson / flickr.com
As for general indicators, the number of hotels with water “mini-parks”. Which are important when holidaying with children, in Hurghada it is 16, and in Sharm - 25. This resort is more in demand among Western European tourists than among Russians, but the staff speaks Russian here, as well as in English and French and in German. Germans predominate among vacationers, but there are also quite a few of our compatriots.
Prices
A holiday in Sharm el-Sheikh is more expensive than in Hurghada, but the quality of services, hotel offers and variety of leisure activities here are at a higher level.
The average price for a ready-made all-inclusive tour for 8 days/7 nights for two with flights is $750-800. This price does not include any excursions and does not imply payment of a visa fee, and the documents are marked accordingly - “Sinai Only”.
There is no need to be afraid of this restriction, which means that tourists do not have the right to leave the Sinai Peninsula. A visa can always be opened directly upon leaving Sinai by paying $10.
It is cheapest to purchase vouchers for the end of February and the beginning of March, that is, before the opening of the holiday season. In Hurghada at this time it is still cool, and in Sharm, surrounded by mountains, the weather is completely conducive to a beach holiday. The cheapest prices are in December-January, but during these months you will have to limit yourself to swimming in the pool, since the sea is quite cool.
Vyacheslav Argenberg / flickr.com
The airport in Sharm el-Sheikh is located a 10-15 minute drive from the tourist beach area. As a rule, in order to get to the hotel after arrival, travelers use the transfer service, which is available in every hotel and is always included in the price of the trip. If you wish, you can take a taxi, paying at least 7 dollars, after haggling with the driver.
The most popular bazaar among holidaymakers is located on Soho Square. You can buy almost everything here, but when going for souvenirs you need to remember that Egypt is the East, and you will have to bargain. You can reduce the price by 3-4 times from the one originally stated by the sellers. For example, for 30 cm figurines depicting Egyptian gods, they initially ask for from 20 to 25 dollars.
Typically, vacationers buy them at $10, but this figure is not at all the price limit for bargaining; it is quite possible to buy a deity for $3-5, especially if there is no influx of buyers.
If you want to buy something more colorful and useful than traditional figurines, you need to take a walk to the Elmirkato bazaar. Here you can easily buy leather bags from $13, suitcases and backpacks from $20, and forged boxes from $7. It is quite possible to buy bracelets, rings and necklaces in the Egyptian style here, paying from a dollar to ten, depending on what exactly you buy.
The cost of food and water at this resort depends on the place of purchase. In small shopping pavilions along the beaches, a 0.5-liter bottle of cold water can cost $5 at the height of the tourist season. The same bottled water, but in stores in the city it costs 1-1.5 dollars.
Fruits at the city market cost from 1 to 5 dollars per kg, which is quite reasonable; you can always bargain and pick up a whole basket of mangoes, persimmons and dates by paying a dollar or two.
However, for those who go on an all-inclusive vacation, the cost of water and food is not relevant, because food and drinks are provided at the hotel, and you just need to take bottled water with you in the minibar of your room or simply in the hotel bars.
When it comes to tipping in Sharm el-Sheikh, there is an unspoken rule - leave the room cleaner a dollar a day. However, this does not have to be done; remuneration is always at the discretion of the guests.
Quite often in the hot Egyptian climate there is a need to purchase T-shirts or sundresses, however, Egyptian dresses are bought without the need. T-shirts in the markets cost $3, but you can bargain for one dollar. Dresses cost 8-20 dollars and the bargain is successful only up to half of the initially required amount.
Scuba diving along with training and under the supervision of an instructor costs 40-45 dollars, but if you have your own equipment and experience, then you can dive on your own, there are no restrictions. Equipment rental without training and instructor services costs half as much – 20-25 dollars.
rick manwaring / flickr.com
Snorkeling will cost $20-22 for beginners, $14-16 for experienced swimmers, and if you have your own equipment you won’t have to pay anything.
Regarding excursion trips, the situation in prices is more complicated; costs depend on:
- where to go;
- for how long;
- what will be included in the trip.
For example, a tour to Israel involves an 8-hour bus ride in one direction only, and some time to cross the border in the direction of the Holy Land. As a rule, at the border the bus costs from 2 to 3 hours. The cost of such a trip varies from 45 to 90 dollars, depending on the objects of inspection and whether meals are included in the tour.
A trip to the Bedouins on quad bikes with a further night camel ride will cost from 40 to 50 dollars.
A trip to Luxor or Giza costs $38-45, a tour including both the Luxor temple complex and the Giza Valley costs $80-90.
In general, reviews about holidays in Sharm el-Sheikh are positive, as for prices, they are slightly higher than those established in Hurghada, moreover, when purchasing a tour with meals and excursion services already included, you will not have to pay for anything except souvenirs or any entertainment. And those who want to pre-calculate probable costs will benefit from reviews from tourists who have already vacationed at this resort.
Video: holiday in Sharm El Sheikh - the beauty of the Red Sea!
Sharm El Sheikh– second most popular Egyptian resort on the shores of the Red Sea, located at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. This is a relatively young resort that has been actively developing over the past 25 years. Unlike Hurghada, which used to be a small fishing village, Sharm el-Sheikh was built from scratch, immediately as an upscale world-class resort. Therefore, hotels of the world's leading chains, such as Hilton, Sheraton, Ritz-Carlton, Savoy, Four Seasons and others, were immediately registered here. And immediately the corresponding infrastructure was thought out at the resort - restaurants, discos, golf courses, casinos and shops.
The main resort areas of Sharm El Sheikh.
Sharm el-Sheikh can be divided into 3 areas, each of which gravitates towards its own bay: Naama Bay , Sharks Bay And Sharm el Maya .
Naama Bay is the beginning of all beginnings.
Naama Bay– this is the center of Sharm el-Sheikh, this is where it all began. There is a promenade along the coast, where life does not stop day or night. The most popular hotels are located here, and the best beaches are here. Basically, the entire coast near Sharm el-Sheikh is covered with corals, but in the old hotels in Naama Bay, entries into the sea are cut into the corals, and their width is such that in their catalogs the hotels rightly write that their beach is sandy. Subsequently, local authorities introduced environmental legislation and in newer hotels, entry into the sea is organized using special floating pontoons.
Sharks Bay - only reef sharks here.
Almost all hotels in the bay Sharks Bay entrance to the sea from a pontoon. However, hotels in this bay are popular because of the beautiful coral reef, which is inhabited by a variety of fish and marine animals. It is here that numerous excursions are brought for those who like to admire the underwater world. In addition, this newest part of Sharm el-Sheikh is developing its own resort area. In Sharks Bay, we recommend taking a walk along the boardwalk near the Savoy Hotel. There are restaurants, including Russian, Ukrainian, Italian cuisine, an indoor ice skating rink, a conference center, a sports bar, a disco, a night club with bowling, souvenir shops and shops. In general, everything is very European.
Sharm el Maya Bay is a place for families with children.
Sharm el Maya- this is the only bay in Sharm el-Sheikh with a sandy beach about a kilometer long. It is located in the Old-town area. The hotels here are mostly 4*, but the gentle slope into the sea, fine gray-yellow sand, and the presence of a large market with souvenirs, fruits and clothes make this bay popular for families with small children. By the way, not far from here there is a large water park with several dozen water slides at the Albatros Aqua Blue hotel; people are brought here on excursions from all over Sharm el-Sheikh.
Excursion programs in Sharm El-Sheikh.
In addition to the sea, Sharm El-Sheikh offers a rather rich excursion program. In addition to traditional tours to the coral islands of the Ras Mohammed nature reserve and various safaris on jeeps, motorcycles and ATVs, pilgrimage tours to Mount Moses and the Monastery of St. Catherine, excursions to the Jordanian Petra to the ancient city carved into the rocks are popular. From Sharm el-Sheikh you can go to the holy places in Jerusalem or go to the Egyptian capital to the great pyramids, visit the Cairo Museum, see the treasures of the pharaohs, mummies, sarcophagi and ancient papyri and many other interesting exhibits.
Where to buy a tour to Sharm El Sheikh?
If you want to combine on your vacation accommodation in a quality hotel, warm sun, lively sea, full of exotic fish and corals, historical excursions and adrenaline-pumping safari tours, then a holiday in Sharm el-Sheikh will be the best choice for you. Contact Flagman Travel - our specialists know Sharm hotels very well and choose only reliable and cost-effective tour operators. You'll like it!
Its excellent beaches, entertainment centers and first-class hotels stretch for 35 km. The mild, pleasant climate and developed infrastructure of Sharm El-Sheikh create excellent conditions for a complete seaside holiday.
All life in the region revolves around tourism; every year the resort changes and flourishes, new gourmet restaurants and comfortable hotels appear. Tours to Sharm El-Sheikh are especially popular among Russian tourists, because everything here is created for a relaxed and carefree holiday - bars and lively discos, many shops with low prices and hotels offering impeccable service. Well-equipped beaches on the coast and the rich underwater kingdom of the Red Sea attract lovers of water diving. A special pride of Sharm El-Sheikh is its amazingly beautiful coral reefs, which you can even observe with a mask.
Seasonality and climate. When is the best time to go on holiday to Sharm El Sheikh?
From May to October, hot summer reigns at the resort, and the thermometer reaches +45 °C, but low air humidity makes it easier to tolerate the heat. At this time, the water warms up to +30°C, making swimming and relaxing on the beaches unusually comfortable. Rain in Sharm el-Sheikh is extremely rare; the air is warm and dry all year round.
Winter is quite mild and windy; during the day the temperature stays around +25 °C and does not drop below +15 °C even at night. Throughout the winter period, the sea remains warm - +°20..+22°C. Travelers who prefer comfortable weather without sweltering heat choose tours to Sharm el-Sheikh in October-November. This time is ideal for excursions to the pyramids and other historical monuments of the country. The rest of the tourists stay at the resort even in the summer, devoting themselves entirely to exploring the underwater world.
Prices for tours to Sharm El Sheikh
Thanks to its unique location and climate, Sharm el-Sheikh welcomes those wishing to relax all year round. But the climate of the resort has its own nuances that determine seasonality and prices for accommodation. Thus, in the low season, the cost of a tour can be half as expensive as during peak tourist activity. The price of travel packages is also affected by the class of the hotel and its location.
During the most comfortable time for relaxation - spring and autumn - 7-day tours to Sharm el-Sheikh will cost 40-100 thousand rubles for two with departure from Moscow and stay in a 4-5 * hotel on an all-inclusive basis. Already in July, the cost of tours decreases by 10-20%, and in January it reaches minimum values, and you can find an option for 20-25 thousand rubles for two.
The cheapest options are traditionally offered by the early booking system. If you plan your vacation in your desired hotel in advance and buy your tour a few months before departure, you can save a lot. The cost of travel will be reduced by at least 20%, even if the vacation is planned during the high season.
Types of recreation. Things to do?
Sharm El-Sheikh is famous throughout the world for its unique coral reef, which has been preserved in perfect condition. However, relaxation at the resort is not limited to the blue transparent sea and spacious beaches. Tourists can enjoy exciting day excursions to historical and natural attractions. And in the evening the best entertainment venues turn on their lights.
Beach holiday
Tours to Sharm El Sheikh provide the opportunity to relax in comfortable hotels on the coast, surrounded by luxurious greenery of parks and gardens, and see luxurious coral gardens in the flawless blue of the Red Sea. The resort's beaches are a strip of golden sand, with pontoons built over corals and special entrances to the sea. The water there is very heavy and salty, so swimming is pleasant and easy. And in the evening you can have fun at vibrant parties in the nightclubs of Naama Bay - the heart of resort life.
Diving
The cherished dream of divers all over the world is to go on a diving tour in Sharm El-Sheikh. An incredible variety of fauna and flora is hidden by the coastal waters of the resort - massive porites and favites, moray eels and stingrays, soft and fire corals, surgeon fish and trevally, barracudas and hammerhead sharks impress even experienced divers. Moreover, the corals extend almost to the very shore, so to enjoy snorkeling, you just need to go into the water.
Mount Moses is one of the attractions of Egypt, which is definitely worth a visit when going on a tour to Sharm El Sheikh. According to legend, it was at its peak that Moses received the 10 commandments from the Lord. Popular among tourists are trips to the Monastery of St. Catherine, the natural reserves of Ras Mohammed and Abu Galum, as well as trips to Jordan, Cairo, Jerusalem, Luxor and Alexandria.
Beaches and their types
The beaches in Naama Bay are sandy, however, not everywhere is worth swimming without protective shoes. You can safely go barefoot into the water in Sharm El Maya Bay. Beach areas in new resort areas are predominantly coral and represent a conservation area. They will delight lovers of the underwater world, which is unusually rich here. There is practically no gentle descent into the sea anywhere.
Attractions
Many excursions and attractions await those who enjoy an eventful and educational holiday. Almost all of them are located in the vicinity of Sharm el-Sheikh, but the impressions of what you see are more than worth the time spent on the bus trip.
Ras Mohammed
Established in 1989, Ras Mohammed National Park is designed to protect the wall of coral reefs from destruction that once conquered Cousteau himself. Today everyone can admire their beauty; here you can see the most colorful underwater landscapes. Those who travel to the park by bus have the opportunity to explore the entrance to the reserve - the Gate of Allah, a tectonic fault, and a beautiful mangrove grove. Supporters of sea walks can go on an even more impressive excursion on a yacht, however, they do not always moor to the shore, and you will have to swim to get to the reef.
Coral Islands
Opposite Cape Ras Nasrani are the amazing Coral Islands. Among them, the central place is occupied by the famous Tiran, which attracts the attention of many travelers every day. In places where corals rise above the water, tourists with masks and fins, accompanied by a snorkeling instructor, are lowered from the yacht and allowed to swim in the warm sea, exploring the colorful underwater world.
Sinai desert
The Sinai Desert is the main tourist attraction in the vicinity of Sharm el-Sheikh. On its territory is the monastery of St. Catherine with an ancient temple built in the 6th century. Early in the morning, pilgrims rise to Mount Sinai to meet the first rays of the sun, which, according to legend, cleanse the soul of sins. According to legend, it was here that Moses received the tablets with the texts of the Ten Old Testament Commandments.
