Sharm el-Sheikh
Sharm el-Sheikh is Egypt's Red Sea showpiece and the Sinai side of the country's all-inclusive coast: reef walls a few metres off the shore, the calmest and clearest water in Egypt, sunshine near enough guaranteed, and Ras Mohammed national park at the tip of the peninsula. People come to dive and snorkel above all else, and the resorts are built for it, with jetties over the coral and house reefs you can swim to before breakfast.
- Airport
- Sharm el-Sheikh (SSH), most resorts 10–30 min
- The bays
- Naama Bay (the strip), Sharks Bay and Nabq Bay (the resort coast north of it)
- Best for
- Snorkelling and diving from the beach, weather-proof sun
- Entry
- Sinai-only stays up to 15 days get a free entry permit
- a visa is needed to leave the peninsula
- Weather risk
- None
- effectively no rain
Where Sharm el-Sheikh splits
The resort areas are not interchangeable. What each one is actually for.
When to go to Sharm el-Sheikh
Climate normals for Sharm el-Sheikh, and our verdict on each month.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average daily high | 72 degrees Fahrenheit | 74 degrees Fahrenheit | 79 degrees Fahrenheit | 86 degrees Fahrenheit | 93 degrees Fahrenheit | 97 degrees Fahrenheit | 99 degrees Fahrenheit | 99 degrees Fahrenheit | 95 degrees Fahrenheit | 89 degrees Fahrenheit | 81 degrees Fahrenheit | 74 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Rainfall | 0.1″ | 0.1″ | 0.1″ | 0″ | 0″ | 0″ | 0″ | 0″ | 0″ | 0″ | 0.1″ | 0.1″ |
| Verdict | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime |
Sweet spot. October–May; high summer is very hot but dry, and the sea is at its warmest; rainy season runs None to speak of.
Storm risk. No tropical systems and effectively no rain: the calmest, clearest water in Egypt sits on this side of the Red Sea.
Figures are long-term climate normals for Sharm el-Sheikh, good for planning. They are not a forecast.
Which bay?
Naama Bay is the original strip: a sandy bay with a promenade of restaurants and bars, the closest thing Sharm has to a town centre, and the busiest water. Sharks Bay, north of it, is where many of the big resorts sit, with reef right off the shore and a short run to the airport. Nabq Bay, further north still, is the quietest and newest stretch, with mangroves at its edge and the longest transfer, though nothing in Sharm is far.
The thing to check is the beach itself. Much of this coast is coral rather than sand at the waterline, so a resort either has a jetty over the reef, a sandy lagoon, or a walk over rock to get in. Snorkellers want the jetty; families with small children want the lagoon.
When to go
October to May is the sweet spot, with warm days and a sea that stays swimmable all winter. High summer is very hot, but it is dry and the water is at its warmest, so it still works for people who plan to be in it. There is effectively no rainy season and no tropical weather to plan around; this is the most weather-proof beach coast on this site.
The Sinai permit
If you fly into Sharm and stay within South Sinai for up to 15 days, U.S. citizens get a free entry-stamp permit on arrival rather than a visa. Want the Pyramids, Luxor or a longer stay? You need a tourist visa, easiest as an online e-Visa before you go. Our Egypt guide has the current rules and the safety picture, which treats the Sharm resort area differently from the rest of the Sinai.
Beyond the resort
Ras Mohammed national park for the best snorkelling and diving on the peninsula, boat trips to the Tiran island reefs, and the Thistlegorm wreck for certified divers. Inland it is St. Catherine's monastery and a pre-dawn climb of Mount Sinai. Cairo and the Pyramids are a flight or a very long day; most people here decide the reef is enough.
Where the Sharm el-Sheikh resorts are
6 resorts mapped stars are five-star properties
The best all-inclusive resorts in Sharm el-Sheikh
The Sharm el-Sheikh properties we would actually book.
Where to stay in Sharm el-Sheikh
The resort areas we cover, and which properties sit in each.
South Sinai Governorate
2Sharm El Sheikh
1Resort chains in Sharm el-Sheikh
The brands operating here. The ones we rank in full link through to the chain, what its plan really covers, and every resort of theirs we track.
Sharm el-Sheikh, head to head
Price, flights, sand, food and safety, compared honestly.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada better for snorkelling?
Sharm. The reef walls sit a few metres off the shore on the Sinai side and the water is the calmest and clearest in Egypt, so a resort with a jetty puts you over coral in a minute. Hurghada's beaches are sandier and the reefs are a boat ride away.
Do the Sharm beaches have sand?
Some do, and it matters. Naama Bay is sandy; much of the coast north of it is coral at the waterline, so resorts use jetties or a lagoon for swimming. Check which yours has before booking, especially with small children.