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Sharm El Sheikh

The southern coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, between Tiran Island and Ras Mohammed National Park, features some of the world’s most amazing underwater scenery. The crystal-clear waters and incredible variety of exotic fish darting in and out of the colourful coral reefs have made this a scuba-diving paradise. Purpose-built Sharm El Sheikh occupies a prime position here, devoting itself solely to sun-and-sea holidays offering a family-friendly vibe and resort comforts, with world-class diving thrown in.

That said, Sharm isn't everyone's cup of tea. The relentless sprawl of megahotels along the coastline here has led to pressing issues of sustainability and environmental degradation. Many independent travellers prefer the lower-key and more backpacker-friendly town of Dahab.

Explore Sharm El Sheikh

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Thistlegorm
One of the top five wreck dives in the world, the Thistlegorm is a 129m-long cargo ship built in Sunderland, England, which was sunk during World War II…
R
Ras Um Sid
One of the best dive sites in the area, Ras Um Sid features a spectacular gorgonian forest along a dramatic drop-off that hosts a great variety of reef…
T
Thomas Reef
The smallest, but easily the most spectacular, of the Tiran reefs, Thomas is home to steeply plunging walls that are lined with soft coral, schooling fish…
D
Dunraven
The Dunraven sank in 1876 on its way from Bombay to Newcastle. Today the wreck, found at the southeast tip of Sha’ab Mahmud, is encrusted in coral and…
G
Gardens
At the perennially popular Gardens there are actually three sites in one. Near Garden is home to a lovely chain of pinnacles; Middle Garden features a…
A
Amphoras
A good choice for a drift dive, this dive site gets its name from an Ottoman shipwreck found here which was carrying a cargo of amphoras. Not much remains…
A
Al Sahaba Mosque
Designed by Fouad Tawfik, Sharm El Sheikh's new mosque fuses Fatimid, Mamluk and Ottoman style elements into its architecture and interior design. Whether…
G
Gordon Reef
This large reef is fantastic for sealife spotting with banner fish, parrot fish, cornet fish and blue-spotted sting rays all flitting through the hard…
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Tower
The wide canyon here houses coral-covered pinnacles where you'll spot plenty of nudibranchs and flitting lionfish. This dive site is also known for chance…

T
Thistlegorm
One of the top five wreck dives in the world, the Thistlegorm is a 129m-long cargo ship built in Sunderland, England, which was sunk during World War II…
R
Ras Um Sid
One of the best dive sites in the area, Ras Um Sid features a spectacular gorgonian forest along a dramatic drop-off that hosts a great variety of reef…
T
Thomas Reef
The smallest, but easily the most spectacular, of the Tiran reefs, Thomas is home to steeply plunging walls that are lined with soft coral, schooling fish…
D
Dunraven
The Dunraven sank in 1876 on its way from Bombay to Newcastle. Today the wreck, found at the southeast tip of Sha’ab Mahmud, is encrusted in coral and…
G
Gardens
At the perennially popular Gardens there are actually three sites in one. Near Garden is home to a lovely chain of pinnacles; Middle Garden features a…
A
Amphoras
A good choice for a drift dive, this dive site gets its name from an Ottoman shipwreck found here which was carrying a cargo of amphoras. Not much remains…
A
Al Sahaba Mosque
Designed by Fouad Tawfik, Sharm El Sheikh's new mosque fuses Fatimid, Mamluk and Ottoman style elements into its architecture and interior design. Whether…
G
Gordon Reef
This large reef is fantastic for sealife spotting with banner fish, parrot fish, cornet fish and blue-spotted sting rays all flitting through the hard…
T
Tower
The wide canyon here houses coral-covered pinnacles where you'll spot plenty of nudibranchs and flitting lionfish. This dive site is also known for chance…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Sharm El Sheikh.

See
Thistlegorm
One of the top five wreck dives in the world, the Thistlegorm is a 129m-long cargo ship built in Sunderland, England, which was sunk during World War II…
See
Ras Um Sid
One of the best dive sites in the area, Ras Um Sid features a spectacular gorgonian forest along a dramatic drop-off that hosts a great variety of reef…
See
Thomas Reef
The smallest, but easily the most spectacular, of the Tiran reefs, Thomas is home to steeply plunging walls that are lined with soft coral, schooling fish…
See
Dunraven
The Dunraven sank in 1876 on its way from Bombay to Newcastle. Today the wreck, found at the southeast tip of Sha’ab Mahmud, is encrusted in coral and…
See
Gardens
At the perennially popular Gardens there are actually three sites in one. Near Garden is home to a lovely chain of pinnacles; Middle Garden features a…
See
Amphoras
A good choice for a drift dive, this dive site gets its name from an Ottoman shipwreck found here which was carrying a cargo of amphoras. Not much remains…
See
Al Sahaba Mosque
Designed by Fouad Tawfik, Sharm El Sheikh's new mosque fuses Fatimid, Mamluk and Ottoman style elements into its architecture and interior design. Whether…
See
Gordon Reef
This large reef is fantastic for sealife spotting with banner fish, parrot fish, cornet fish and blue-spotted sting rays all flitting through the hard…
See
Tower
The wide canyon here houses coral-covered pinnacles where you'll spot plenty of nudibranchs and flitting lionfish. This dive site is also known for chance…

Guidebooks

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