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We offer holidays to the four corners of the globe. If you want specialist advise please phone our travel team and we will be happy to help.
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- Destinations
- Africa
- Egypt
- The Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea
- Sharm el-Sheikh
Sharm el-Sheikh
A world-acclaimed dive centre and the most developed of the Red
Sea resorts, Sharm el-Sheikh has many holiday activities, luxury
accommodation and restaurants available. Most Sharm el-Sheikh
hotels and diving centres are situated four miles (7km) from the
city at Naama Bay and it has become a busy holiday resort with
plenty of shopping opportunities, late night entertainment and an
attractive holiday atmosphere.
Numerous dive sites are within reach of Sharm el-Sheikh,
including the huge drop-offs at Ras Mohammed in the extreme
southern part of the peninsula, the Straits of Tiran, various
wrecks and 28 sites located along the coast that are reached by
boat. Naama Bay has a gently sloping sandy bottom, is ideal for
dive classes, and provides diving and snorkelling opportunities for
all levels without having to use a boat or car to get there.
Besides excellent diving and snorkelling, which are the main
activities when in Sharm el-Sheikh on holiday, there are plenty of
watersports available if one feels like doing more than just
soaking up the sun. Add a vibrant nightlife with casinos, discos
and nightclubs and one can't complain of boredom!
Information & Facts
Activities
On holiday in Sharm el-Sheikh, diving and snorkelling are the
main activities but there are a range of other activities available
including horseback and camel riding, golf, desert safaris and
health treatments, and a variety of watersports. The desert holds
numerous attractions and trips are offered to Mt Sinai and St
Catherine's Monastery, among others.
Language
Arabic is the official language although English and
French are widely spoken, especially in the tourist
areas.
Money
The unit of currency is the Egyptian Pound (EGP), which is
divided into 100 piastres. Most credit cards are accepted in major
hotels and restaurants. Visitors are advised to take travellers
cheques in US Dollars or Pounds to avoid additional exchange rate
charges. Banks are usually closed on Friday and Saturday, but
private exchange bureaux, called 'Forex', are open daily and banks
in major hotels are open 24 hours. Cairo branches of the Egyptian
British Bank and Banque Misr now have ATMs available that accept
Visa, MasterCard and Cirrus and are quite common in the main
tourist areas.
Negatives
Shopkeepers and hawkers can become a nuisance but a polite
though firm 'no, thank you' should ward them off.
Night Life
Sharm el-Sheikh casinos, discos, pubs and bars cater to those
ready to party the night away while on holiday. Entertainment
ranges from dance clubs to informal hangouts, with local favourites
like the Pirates Bar, Zabadi and The Tavern Pub.
Restaurants
Between Sharm el-Sheikh's two tourist districts of Old Sharm and
Naama Bay, there are a huge variety of dining options while on
holiday, from hotel restaurants and international fast food chains
like KFC, to local eateries and fresh fish. Anything from Mexican
to Japanese is represented in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Shopping
Avid shoppers will find a good variety of goods in the old
market and Sharm El-Sheikh mall, where shops sell both foreign and
local products, including jewellery, leather goods, clothing,
pottery and books. Naama Bay offers a more upmarket shopping
experience at the Naama Centre, where shopkeepers are less inclined
to bargain but everything from souvenirs to scarves can be had.