Sharm el-Sheikh is a quickly growing resort town in Egypt on Red Sea coast at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, a popular diving destination in close vicinity of culturally significant sites like Mount Sinai.
The city attracts visitors all year round due to its gorgeous nature and dry temperate climate. Average temperatures are between 20°C and 45°C in the summer and between 15°C and 35°C between November and March. The temperature of the sea near Sharm el-Sheikh is between 21°C and 28°C, depending on the month.
The area features long stretches of natural beaches, and the waters are clear and mostly calm which makes Sharm el-Sheikh an attractive destination for water sports, one of the best worldwide for scuba dving and snorkeling. There are hundreds of coral reefs and thousands of marine life species in the part of Red Sea near Sinai Peninsula comprising unique underwater scenery. Wind surfing, kite surfing, and canoeing are also popular.
Sharm el-Sheikh's strategic location on the Gulf of Aqaba turned it from a small fishing village into a port and a major naval base in the 20th century. The area was captured by Israel in 1956, returned to Egypt the next year and again controlled by Israel between 1967 and 1982. It was during the second Israeli occupation that the area's tourist potential was discovered.
Some of the first elements of tourist infrastructure included hotels, resorts, diving clubs and the promenade at Naama Bay which now serves as the city centre, with golf courses further up the coast. Naama Bay Hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh is one of the oldest in the city.
Development continued after the Israeli withdrawal, with number of resorts growing from three to over a hundred and guest numbers increasing dramatically. International chains have been attracted to the Sharm el-Sheikh hotel market, with Accor, Marriott, Four Seasons etc. offering accomodation options ranging from three to five stars.
There are numerous luxury resorts and hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh but budget options are also available thanks to last-minute deals, low-season rates and discounts. go4hotels.com can help with booking any type of hotel in Sharm ek-Sheikh, from the recognised top international brands through to the cheap local hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh. Family-friendly hotels can offer discounted rates for children.
Government of Egypt introduced laws protecting marine environment which greatly reduced commercial shipping, and limited height of buildings in Sharm el-Sheikh so as not to obscure the beauty of nature.
Local handicraft related to the colourful Bedouin culture also constitutes something of a tourist attraction.
Tourist facilities and resorts constitute most of the area of the city which presently has a permanent population of about 35,000 residents.
Sharm el-Sheikh is known as City of Peace after a number of international peace conferences, mostly for the Middle East, were held there. The Maritim Sharm el-Sheikh International Congress Centre has a capacity of nearly 5,000 delegates and is a conference venue of worldwide renoun.
There is also vibrant, varied nightlife, with some international restaurant and danceclub franchises making a presense. Little Buddha, Camel Bar, Pacha and The Tavern are among the more popular night spots in Sharm el-Sheikh.
The marina allows private yachts and sailboats to dock, and Sharm el-Sheikh is a port of call for cruise ships. There is also a ferry service to Aqaba and Hurghada, and bus route to Cairo. Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport (SSH) is the second busiest in Egypt, handling close to 8 million passengers per year.
While the city of Sharm el-Sheikh is relatively new, there are also several important sites nearby.
- Ras Muhammad national park which is situated 12 kilometres from town between the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba protects the unique rich marine life of the Red Sea Riviera. The national park encompasses mangrove forest and sand dunes, underwater caves and mountains. The reef walls are up to 800 metres deep. Some of the popular diving sites include Shark Reef, Yolanda Reef, Shark Observatory and the wreckage of SS Thistlegorm which was sunk by the Germans in 1941.
- The Greek Orthodox St. Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO as it is one of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the world. Chapel of the Burning Bush was built in the 4th century at the site where, according to the Bible, God has given laws to Israelites. There were monks living on Mount Sinai as early as the 380s, and the fortified monastery was built in the 6th century. It has never in its history been sacked so the collections it possesses are unique. The monastery's library is second only to Vatican in the number of early codices and manuscripts, and its large icon collection has been untouched by Byzantine iconoclasm and includes items dating back to 5th century, as well as the largest collection of Crusader art in the world.
- The 2,285 metres tall Mount Sinai is sacred for Jews, Christians and Muslims, and its summit takes several hours on foot to reach. The "Moses' cave" where, according the the Bible, Moses waited to receive the Ten Commandments is at the summit, as are a mosque and a Greek Orthodox chapel, neither of which is open to the public.