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Sharm El Sheikh
Red Sea reefs at the tip of Sinai
- Best time to visit
- Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov
- Currency
- EGP
- Time zone
- UTC+3
- Country
- Egypt
A resort town at the southern tip of Sinai, with warm sea all year and some of the world's best coral reefs within a short boat ride.
- Cairo
- Alexandria
- Giza
- Luxor
- Aswan
Quick facts
- Country
- Egypt
- Capital
- Cairo
- City population
- 75,000
- Population of Egypt
- 107M
- Country area
- 1,001,450 km²
- Official language
- Arabic
- Currency
- Egyptian Pound (EGP) · 1 USD ≈ 52.38 EGP
- Time zone
- UTC+3
- Calling code
- +20
- Drives on the
- Right
- Elevation
- 20 m
- Plugs
- C / F · 220V
- Emergency numbers
- 122 · 123
- Best time to visit
- Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov
Temperatures through the year
Average daily high and low for each month in °C. Months marked with a drop are often rainy.
Temperatures through the year
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | 22° | 23° | 25° | 29° | 33° | 36° | 37° | 37° | 35° | 31° | 27° | 23° |
| Low | 13° | 13° | 16° | 19° | 23° | 26° | 27° | 28° | 26° | 23° | 18° | 14° |
Best time to visitOther months
Approximate daily cost
Per adult per day: food, local transport and half a double room, without activities or flights.
- ConservativeSimple stays, free and low-cost sights first.$43
- HighComfortable hotels, a balanced mix of sights and trips.$110
- LuxuryLuxury hotels, more paid experiences and day trips.$315
Top things to do
- ≈ $45
Day trip: Ras Mohammed National Park
Boat trips to some of the Red Sea's richest coral reefs, with snorkelling stops; the park fee is extra.
- Full day
- Ras Mohammed and Tiran
- Good for kids
- ≈ $10
Snorkelling from the shore
Many hotels have jetties over their own reef; Naama Bay's beaches are sandy and calm.
- Half day
- Naama Bay
- Good for kids
- ≈ $70
Try a dive or a boat to Tiran
Beginner 'discover' dives with a certified centre, or a snorkel boat to the reefs of the Straits of Tiran.
- Half day
- Ras Mohammed and Tiran
- Free
Old Market and Al Sahaba Mosque
Spice and souvenir stalls around a striking modern Ottoman-style mosque, lit up at night.
- Half day
- Old Market (Sharm El Maya)
- Good for kids
- Good in the evening
- ≈ $50
Mount Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery
An overnight trip: climb at night for sunrise on the summit, then visit the ancient monastery. Check the current travel advice first.
- Full day
- Sinai mountains
Before you go
Entry and visas
If you arrive by air at Sharm El-Sheikh and stay less than 15 days at resorts in Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, you do not need a visa; you get a free entry permission stamp at the airport. If you plan to travel outside those resort areas or stay longer than 15 days, you need a visa, which you can get at Sharm El-Sheikh Airport or online. Visas on arrival cost 30 US dollars in cash; from 1 August 2026, digital visas on arrival at Cairo International Airport cost 36 US dollars by card. Always check your nationality and the official Egyptian visa portal before you book.
Official websiteFrom the airport
Sharm El Sheikh International Airport has flights from Cairo, the Gulf and Europe; Naama Bay is about 15 minutes by taxi. Some nationalities can get a free Sinai-only entry stamp for short stays on the coast.
Getting around
Hotel shuttles, taxis and local minibuses link the bays; agree taxi fares first.
Local tips
- Wear reef-safe sunscreen and never stand on coral.
- Choose licensed boat and dive operators with safety briefings.
- Summer is very hot; winter evenings can be cool and windy.
- Check travel advice for inland Sinai before booking trips beyond the resort.
Areas worth knowing
- Naama Bay
- Ras Mohammed and Tiran
- Sinai mountains
- Old Market (Sharm El Maya)
The UK Foreign Office last updated its advice for this country on August 4, 2026. The advice includes warnings against travel to some areas. Read it before booking.
Read the advice on GOV.UKMore cities in Egypt
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Sources: Egypt e-Visa portal (official) · Experience Egypt (official) · GOV.UK: Egypt travel advice