Best things to do in Sharm El Sheikh
From great resorts and the lofty Mt Sinai to the Oasis of Feiran and charming Old Sharm, these are the best things to do in Sharm El Sheikh.
#1 Check out Al-Tur
Al-Tur, the capital and largest town in South Sinai, is reached after 75km (45 miles) of hot driving through a wide valley. Settled in ancient times because of its good water supply and excellent harbour, it was the chief quarantine station for pilgrims returning to Egypt from Mecca.
Modern Al-Tur, despite scattered palm groves and a beautiful beach, retains this way-station atmosphere. The town’s population is a broad ethnic mix, many of them descended from Berber and African immigrants.
#2 Discover Old Sharm
Old Sharm lies a little way inland, as authentic a piece of Egypt as you will see on this part of the Sinai coast, with small shops on backstreets and an unhurried atmosphere: it is well worth a visit.
#3 Go diving at Na’ama Bay
Na’ama Bay is the centre of Sinai’s tourist boom, with hotels, restaurants, camping grounds and diving shops. It is over-developed but it makes a good base for visiting local beaches.
Some of the best for diving and snorkelling are The Tower, Ras Umm Sid, Ras Nasrani and Nabq. Equipment can be rented at one of many diving centres, where boat trips to Gazirat Tiran, an island in the middle of the straits with superb corals, can also be arranged. Shipwrecks dot the shoreline, testifying to the difficulty of navigation between the reefs.