Sharm el-Sheikh
A vacation in Sharm is perceived differently from a vacation elsewhere in Sinai, and the truth is quite rightly so. Sharm is a different kind of Sinai – it is a city, in the full sense of the word, that offers the infrastructure and facilities of a city, the offer of hotels and hospitality of a city, many and varied attractions and above all a different experience, one that preserves the vibe of Sinai but adds a twist to it that does not exist in any other area. This does not mean that lovers of “classic” Chinese cannot enjoy a vacation in Sharm – the opposite is true. Everyone can find the right place for them in Sharm, one that also provides the right atmosphere, but also spices it up with a few more options for recreation and enjoyment.
If all of this sounds too good to be true, then not only is it all completely true, but we haven’t told you the really good part yet. All this goodness can be obtained at prices that are half, and sometimes a third or a quarter, of what we are used to paying in Israel or other places in the world. A family vacation of a week, all inclusive, in a pampering hotel with a rare beach of beauty for a sum of 5 figures? Where does this sound like? It turns out that Sharm is heard and heard. It’s not that there aren’t hotels in Sharm for which you’ll pay a lot more, after all, you pay for quality. But in Sharm you can get quality at a reasonable price, and you’ll have extra left over for coffee in Eilat on the way back.
By the way, you don’t have to go through Eilat at all. In April 2022, the possibility of a direct flight from Tel Aviv to Sharm (an hour and ten minutes!) was opened, making the hundreds of kilometers that separate it from your home more accessible than ever before. The opening of the flight line changed the rules of the game, making Sharm an even more popular destination and the new hit for Israelis. Also Excellent hotels at a reasonable price, also a direct flight that is not long, also nature reserves with a mesmerizing view, also night life, also a rare beach. You really can’t ask for more.
But let’s start at the beginning and make some order, and the first thing to do before the vacation in Sharm is to close a hotel.
Accommodation in Sharm
It is very important to close a hotel in Sharm as early as possible, as soon as you know the dates of your vacation, also because it is the first place you will arrive from the airport (or after the long journey) and you want it to be the most comfortable and luxurious, and also because the really comfortable and luxurious places fill up first.
No one wants to arrive on their vacation and start dealing with an unsuitable room or something missing or not working. Therefore, it is important to choose a good hotel, one that suits you and in an area in Sharm that suits the nature of your trip. The offer in Sharm is very wide, both in terms of the level of hotels and in terms of prices (over 40,000 hotel rooms!) so there is no reason to compromise on this matter.
The best way to find the hotel tailored to your needs is of course to read about the different places, and check recommendations and opinions of those who have already been there. We have made life even easier for you and have already done these tests for you. The hotels on the site are the hotels that received the highest ratings from thousands of visitors who left positive opinions and reviews. In most hotels, the recommendation is also based on our personal experience, which is constantly growing, and we of course update accordingly.
Recommended hotels in Sharm
For a list of all the hotels in Sharm according to the Travelico rating, click here >>
Arrival in Sharm
After you have closed a hotel and you are in peace of mind that you have a place to sleep during the vacation, you need to think about how to get to Sharm. The classic way is of course to cross the Taba border crossing on foot, and from there take a taxi for a two and a half hour drive to Sharm. It is a road of approximately 230 kilometers, with an amazing view in most parts of the way, and those who are not afraid of long trips can definitely enjoy it.
On the other hand, there is also the possibility of flying to Sharm, with several weekly flights departing from Ben Gurion Airport, which will bring you within an hour and ten minutes from the center of the country directly to Sharm el-Sheikh. Sharm’s airport is in its northern part, near Nabak Bay, and if your hotel is in the area then you can actually be in a hotel room within two hours or so from the moment you get on the plane.
Taxi to Sharm
If you arrived in Eilat by car (and the truth is, even if you didn’t), that means a lot of hours on the road, so it’s worth making this long journey in a new and safe car that will guarantee you a smooth and pleasant ride. Therefore, the smart and recommended thing to do is to contract with a reliable taxi driver that you also trust, who will wait for you on the other side of the border (and will not disappear if he finds a more profitable ride), and will also charge a reasonable price without surprises and without endless haggling.
The best way to find such a driver is to book a ride in advance. We are well aware of the problem of the reliability of Sinai’s taxi service, and are aware that such a long trip should be as fun and easy as possible. Booking a taxi in advance guarantees with a high probability that no matter how long it takes you to cross the border crossing, on the other side the driver will be waiting for you at the place you set.
If you decided to go to Sharm by taxi, you should book yourself a reliable driver ahead of time.
You can pre-book a taxi to Sharm here >>
Flight to Sharm
If your time is important to you and it’s worth investing a little more in it, then a flight to Sharm is probably the perfect solution for them. True, on the face of it it is more expensive than a taxi ride, but in the total calculation of the costs of the fuel to Eilat, the coffee and the sandwich on the way and the trip from Taba to Sharm, the difference may not be that high. What’s more, time is worth money, and sometimes it’s worth investing more to get more.
A flight to Sharm indeed gives more – more comfort, more flexibility, more efficiency and more time in Sharm. There are several flights a week from Tel Aviv to Sharm by the Israeli companies “El Al”, “Israel Air” and “Arkia” and also by the Egyptian “Air Cairo”. As with any flight anywhere in the world, the price is derived from the time of year, the day of the week and the time of day, so it is better to book in advance. The flight to Sharm takes about an hour and ten minutes from Tel Aviv, and as with any international flight, you must arrive at the airport about two to three hours before the flight.
Attractions in Sharm
Unlike other destinations in Sinai, where what you see when you arrive is about all there is, in Sharm el-Sheikh there is much more than that. Like a real Kit city, it offers a multitude of experiences, attractions, things to see and do, places to travel, good food and more. It is important to note that the abundance of options in Sharm makes it possible to enjoy it at any age and on any budget because the variety is very wide and definitely suitable for everyone.
A list of attractions in Sharm that are a must, and really should not be missed:
Ras Mohammed and Nabq Nature Reserves
Two huge nature reserves await you in Sharm, one to the north and one to the south. Both are slightly different from each other, so it is really worth visiting both because they are beautiful and because you will have a different experience in each of them. Because of their size (hundreds of square kilometers), the trip takes many hours, sometimes a whole day, and this must be taken into account in terms of organizing food and drink, because there is no possibility to buy them there.
Ras Muhammad
Ras Mohammed is the southernmost reserve, and in our opinion also the most beautiful, and a visit to it is absolutely a must. It is about a national park which is a kind of headland in the sea that brings together the Gulf of Suez on one side and the Gulf of Aqaba (Gulf of Eilat) on the other into one point of incredible beauty. Ras Mohammed is about a 20-minute drive south of Sharm and you can see amazing coral reefs at several diving sites, various species of protected animals and birds that live in the reserve, salt water pools in bright colors of azure and turquoise, a park of mangrove groves growing on the water, and more. You can reach Ras Mohammed by sea (by boat) or by land, with a local guide, alone or in a group. Entrance to the park costs 5 dollars, beyond the cost of the organized trip or the driver of course.
Nabq
Navek Reserve is about 5 kilometers north of Sharm and where you can see the mangrove groves that you saw in Ras Mohammed, only in much larger and more impressive dimensions, a real forest that penetrates into the water. Here, too, you will find a clear blue sea, beautiful diving and snorkeling sites (including a shipwreck) and sandy beaches where you can lie down. You can rent a jeep or ATV for a field trip and also stay in an authentic Bedouin tent.
diving sites
Beyond Ras Mohammed and Nabak, Sharm offers many other interesting diving sites that you should especially dwell on, one of which is the island of Tiran which is located in front of Shark Bay. The entire section between Shark Bay and Tiran Island abounds in diving sites that are considered the most beautiful in the region, and apparently have been preserved much better than the other sites, which is why they are more colorful and many other species of tropical fish and other sea inhabitants live in them. You can get to Tiran Island only through an organized tour, through the hotel or a travel company, and such a tour costs about 60 dollars on average. What you will see there underwater (also in snorkels) will be worth every cent.
Soho Square
Right next to the luxury hotels of Shark Bay – Savoy, Hilton, Concord and more – an entertainment complex with the obligatory name “Soho” was built, and it seems that it lives up to this commitment. This is a complex with many lighted displays, a huge selection of different types of restaurants, several bars, including one made entirely of ice, various attractions for children such as an ice skating complex, bowling and its large games, a musical and illuminated fountain, a shopping mall with luxury brands as well as stores with simpler items . A great place to spend an evening, as a couple or with the whole family.
The old city and the old market
The old market complex includes a huge selection of different shops, where there is a smaller and quite similar selection of items – from shoes and clothing items to souvenirs, decorations and swimming and diving equipment. The prices are not high, and after bargaining even lower. Also in the large complex is the beautiful Sahaba Mosque, an Old Egypt exhibit which is a kind of city carved out of rock, and of course a large selection of restaurants and cafes. It is recommended to come in the evening and at night, because it is very hot during the day and shade is a rare commodity in the area.
If you are into fresh fish and seafood, it is highly recommended to eat at the Fares Seafood restaurant where you actually choose the fish or seafood that will be served to you on a plate from the ice tray. For dessert, stop at Rayahen Confectionery and Cafe, which serves both excellent coffee and dozens of types of sweets, crackers and desserts.
Naama Bay
Naama Bay is also a place where there is a real difference between day and night. During the day, it is recommended to visit the beautiful coastal strip of the area, where you will find a variety of restaurants and bars, most of which belong to the hotels along the beach, but there are also some that are not. In any case, if you ask nicely, you probably won’t be denied entry anywhere, even if it belongs to a certain hotel.
At night, the place becomes a huge, bright and colorful shopping center that offers beyond the familiar mix of souvenir shops, spices and water sports equipment, also a selection of restaurants and bars, including some very familiar to the western tourist such as “Pizza Hut”, “McDonald’s” and “Hard Rock”. coffee”. In the local sector, the places worth getting to know are “Buddha Bar” which turns from a bar into a club at night and also the “Bohrat” and “Blue Stone” bars.
Parsha coffee
It is impossible to come to Sharm without visiting Parsha Cafe, which even calls itself a “tea house”. The place is not just a cafe and bar, but one of the most beautiful observation points in Sharm, on a mountainside overlooking the sunset and the amazing Al Panar beach. The atmosphere in the place is international, a little thrown, but very pleasant, very colorful and provides a fun experience. The menu does not include food, beyond very light dishes, and it mainly offers light, hot drinks and alcohol, including special cocktails.
Water parks
If you came to Sharm with the kids, and actually even if you didn’t, the city offers quite a few water parks that are all inside huge hotels, but most of them you can enter for a separate fee even if you are not staying at their specific hotel. The prominent parks are in the Albatros chain hotels “Aqua Park” and “Aqua Blue” which are adjacent to each other, and include dozens of water slides and many other facilities for adults and children. This is the largest park in the Middle East, and you can spend a whole day there easily and with fun without feeling at all. Entry for non-hotel guests costs 40-50 dollars, and it also includes lunch.
For the full list of attractions in Sharm, click here >>
Travel insurance to Sharm
Another and very important corner that needs to be covered before traveling to Sharm is travel insurance. To some of us, it seems that China is right here, close and accessible, and maybe that’s why it is not perceived as abroad. But the truth is that one step after crossing the Taba border is abroad for everything, and travel insurance is required for every trip outside the country’s borders. From insurance for shortening or canceling the trip, through insurance for your luggage and equipment and of course adequate coverage for any medical expenses in case you need it – travel insurance is simply something you don’t give up.
In the case of Sinai, and Sharam in particular, this is even more important because many of the attractions include activities that require extensions of the basic coverage, such as: diving, water sports and adventure sports, various trips and more. The issue of locating and rescuing, if necessary, is also important in Sinai, because medical services in Sinai are of significantly lower quality than those in Israel, and there are places in the Sinai desert where you simply cannot get out and will have to be rescued.
Therefore, do yourself a favor and don’t skimp on the most unnecessary place on your vacation. We offer you comprehensive travel insurance to Sharm, including all the necessary extensions depending on the purpose of your trip, with a skilled and professional agent who works with the old “Passportcard” company. The price for site surfers is particularly affordable and certainly worth the peace of mind on your vacation.
To purchase travel insurance online, click here >>