In short
Sharm el-Sheikh is a resort built for tourism, at the southern tip of Sinai, between desert and Red Sea. You do not come for the town but for what is under the water.
Naama Bay is the historic centre of the resort, with its promenade and bars. Sharks Bay and Nabq, further north, line up the large complexes. The Old Market is the part closest to an ordinary Egyptian town.
Arriving and getting around
The airport takes direct charter flights from Europe.
One entry point deserves attention. Travellers arriving at Sharm and staying within the Sinai resorts may obtain on arrival a free permit known as "Sinai only", limited in duration and in area. It does not cover excursions outside that zone, including Ras Mohammed National Park, for which a full visa is needed. Conditions depend on nationality and change: check with the relevant Egyptian consulate before departure. Rule gathered from secondary sources, not confirmed on an official Egyptian site as of 23/09/2026 — to be confirmed.
On the ground, taxis and hotel shuttles do everything; the distances between bays are real.
What it really costs
The dominant model is all-inclusive, which makes the budget predictable but locks you into the resort.
Diving is the real item: multi-dive packages, equipment hire, and national park fees for the protected sites.
When to come
March–May and September–November. Summer regularly passes 40 °C; winter is mild by day but the water cools and the northerly wind gets up.
What nobody tells you
The Strait of Tiran and Ras Mohammed are among the most celebrated dive sites in the world, with coral reefs and drop-offs. Ras Mohammed is a paying national park, and land access requires the right entry document.
The reefs are fragile and protected: touching or standing on coral is forbidden and penalised. Much of the observed damage comes from inexperienced swimmers rather than divers.
Sinai is large and its areas do not all share the same security status. Official travel advice distinguishes the south, where the resorts are, from the north. Consult your own government's advice before travelling around.