What’s all the Fuss about Sharm el Sheikh?
Posted by Jody on June 11, 2012
Today’s Featured Writer: Gemma Stone
What’s all the Fuss about Sharm el Sheikh?
Once just a modest fishing village, Sharm el Sheikh has become Egypt’s most-visited beach resort, particularly for people who are beach lovers and keen divers. In recent years a number of cities including Nuweiba, Taba and Dahab have become beach hotspots, but Sharm el Sheikh remains the most popular of all.
So what is it about Sharm that brings people back year after year? Just less than half a century ago, the city was not worth mentioning, and yet today, it is packed with classy hotels that never rise more than two or three storeys and which command views across the Red Sea that just can’t be beaten.
For many, the weather is one highly desirable factor. It’s hot in the summer and pleasantly warm in winter, delivering long days of sunshine that extend into starlit evenings. No matter when you choose to go there (the city is accessible via the Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport that hosts national and international charter flights), you can be guaranteed of the best beach weather.
Next, and perhaps the most emphatic reason, is the landscape both on the beaches and underwater on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula. Lapped by clear water and covered in kaleidoscopic reefs, this region is a haven for scuba divers of all levels who come to explore renowned sites in the Ras Mohammed National Park, and the Gardens, Paradise and Ras Umm Sid – to name a few! Experienced divers also flock to the well-known wrecks of the Thistlegorm and Dunraven.
For those who are less eager to venture into the deep, there’s plenty of snorkeling and paddling in the shallows, which are met by long sand-and-pebble beaches, set against a backdrop of sweeping desert. If you’re eager to do some water sports, try your hand at wind surfing, parasailing, boating or sea kayaking, but remember to wear sun lotion as the desert sun can be harsh in the summer.
So if you’re keen to explore a beach resort unlike any other, consider Sharm el Sheikh, from where it’s possible to take a day trip into Cairo to glimpse the Sphinx, or bump into a camel at the seaside cooling his hooves in the waves.
Bio: Gemma Stone is a travel fundi who spent some time back-packing in Nepal and Australia. Her most recent beach adventure in Sharm el Sheikh has provided her with amazing stories of trekking through the desert with camels en tow. Gemma is based in London and writes about finding budget holidays.
Jody said
Thanks, Gemma! Sounds like such a wonderful spot with lots of activities to choose from! Camels on the beach always peak my interest.
Sharm El Sheikh Hotels, said
What an excellent description what Sharm El Sheikh has to offer! This destination not only sounds great but even looks amazing and can tell that from the lovely pictures. One thing however that anyone can be guaranteed of is that a personal visit to Sharm El Sheikh is actually ten times better than simply hearing about it or seeing photos of this place. Great post though, really enjoyed it.
Jody said
Thanks so much for for checking in!