Sharm el-Sheikh Section of Populated Place

Address: Sharm el‑Sheikh, South Sinai Governorate, Egypt - city/resort area (no single address)

Sharm el-Sheikh is a resort city on the southern tip of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, located on the Gulf of Aqaba. It is a major international destination for beach tourism and diving on the Red Sea.

The area is known for coral reefs, sheltered dive sites and clear water; notable marine areas include Ras Mohammed National Park and dive sites around Tiran Island. Shorefront areas such as Naama Bay host hotels, restaurants and nightlife catering to international visitors.

Originally a small fishing and Bedouin community, the town expanded rapidly from the late 20th century as tourism infrastructure was developed. It has hosted international conferences and now functions as one of Egypt’s principal Red Sea resorts.

Sharm el-Sheikh sits at the southern tip of Sinai on the Gulf of Aqaba, overlooking the Straits of Tiran and providing coastal access to the Red Sea’s southern reefs.

• Diving: The city’s reefs and protected areas offer year-round diving in warm Red Sea waters and some of Egypt’s best coral sites.
• Ras Mohammed proximity: Ras Mohammed lies at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula and is a short boat trip from Sharm for day diving excursions.

What to See#

• Naama Bay: A sheltered bay and the heart of the city’s hotel and nightlife district, popular with tourists for beaches and promenades.
• Ras Mohammed National Park: A protected marine area at the southern tip of Sinai with coral reefs, cliffs and well-known dive sites.
• Tiran Island: An island at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba with reefs, diving sites and waters frequented by liveaboard trips.

Fly into Sharm el‑Sheikh International Airport (SSH), which has regular domestic flights from Cairo and many international charter and scheduled flights. From the airport take a hotel transfer, taxi or local shuttle to resort areas such as Naama Bay, Hadaba or Ras Umm Sid (transfers typically take under an hour depending on your resort).

Alternatively Sharm is reachable by long-distance road transfer from Cairo and other Egyptian cities; road journeys are long (roughly 400-500 km from Cairo) so most visitors prefer the short domestic flight or organized coach transfers.

• Visit outside the hottest months-October through April and especially October-April see the most comfortable temperatures for diving and excursions; the busiest tourist season is winter holidays, so plan shoulder-season dives for fewer crowds.
• For Red Sea day trips, book early-morning boat trips from Naama Bay or the marina at Sharm to reach sites in Ras Mohammed and Tiran Island before dive-boat traffic builds up.
• Choose Nabq Bay or Ras Nasrani shorelines if you prefer quieter beaches than Naama Bay's hotel strip; also consider a sunrise visit to the Colored Canyon to avoid the midday tour buses that crowd the trailhead.