Stunning Sharm (Sharm el Sheikh)

Member Name: girlscanboard

Product:	Sharm el Sheikh
Date:	02/12/07 (262 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great weather, good value, fantastic snorkelling

Disadvantages: the hassle from shopkeepers upsets some people

I was lucky enough to visit Sharm for free in March this year - one of the perks of being a travel agent is we occasionally get 'fam trips' which means we are taken to a destination and shown around numerous hotels and the sights so that we are able to sell it confidently when back home. These trips are really beneficial, and I think I certainly appreciate them more now I am self employed. So there was a group of about 10 of us and we visited about 6 hotels each day getting the full tour, camera and notebook in hand. I must admit the company we went with - Med Hotels - had a lot of clout in Sharm and we were treated like royalty wherever we went. In hindsight I suppose this may have given me a rose tinted view of the place as everything was done for us, we even got fastracked through the aiport avoiding the dreaded queue.
Med Hotels and MST tours were our hosts, the local reps were fantastic and as they are all Egyptian they are very respected by and have a good relationship with the hoteliers. I can totally recommend them as they provide a full rep service in resort, which you don't get most of the time if you book independently.

So I knew very little of Sharm and was a bit apprehensive as the closest place I had been was Tunisia and I hated it. But I was so surprised I really did love the place and the highlight for me was the snorkelling, I was totally blown away by it. The sea and coral are beautiful and the hundreds of fishes are breathtaking. As well as snorkelling from the hotel's beach (we stayed at the Sultan Gardens) we went on a boat trip to Tiran Island and here we snorkelled in the morning and afternoon and for lunch we had BBQ'd fish that had just been caught for us. On the way back we had the company of a pod of wild dolphins which was a delightful experience.
I found the people working in the hotels to be very friendly and happy, OK you do get hassled in the shops but just be strict (and polite). You cannot fail to notice the security everywhere, it shocked me a bit when I first arrived. But you get used to walking through metal detectors and Sharm is now a very safe place to be. Naama Bay is policed by plain clothes cops and the crime rate is extremely low.
I didn't expect the variety of restaurants and nighltife, a 3 course meal in TGI Fridays with drinks will cost around £10. Pascha nightclub was a good night out, we clubbed together and bought a couple of bottles of vodka to take in - we had to pay a high cover charge for this but it still worked out cheaper than buying drinks inside.

Must do:
Diving and Snorkelling - Sharm is one of the best dive destinations in the world. The corals here are fantastic. Many hotels have house reefs, Sharks Bay is a good area to be based. You can take boat trips to lots of dive sites, the most popular being Ras Mohammed.
Quad bikes in the desert, great fun.

Camel ride and star gazing, after a camel ride at sunset you are taken to a Bedouin tent in the desert where you can drink mint tea and watch the stars. Sounds wacky but the sky here is so clear it feels like you can reach up and pluck a star out of the sky.
Also day trips to Luxor and Cairo available, but except a long day.

Shopping:
First of all you have got to haggle, it is expected and actually quite good fun once you get into it. Naama Bay has lots of shops, selling all kinds of goods. They even have shops calling themselves 'hassle free' shops! For better prices head to old Sharm. The best time to shop is early evening, then the shops and markets come alive. I came home with beautiful pashmina's, lots of spices and a bongo drum! If I wasn't on a budget I would have bought lots more.
Hotels:
Sharm is still developing and new hotels are being built all the time. They really do have something for everyone here, from cheap and cheerful to luxury hotels such as the Ritz, Four Seasons etc. Most people opt for all inclusive, this represents great value. The rooms are generally of a high standard and very spacious. A few of my favourites are the Reef Oasis, the LTI Grand Azur and the Sultan Gardens where we stayed. The Sultan Gardens is run by a Canadian guy called Basel and he is so nice and friendly, as are his staff.

Food: this is always the most common complaint people have. You have to remember that us British make up a small percentage of visitors to Sharm, so they have to cater for Russians and Italians etc which gives very varied cuisine. I couldn't be bothered being fussy so yes I had ice cubes in my drinks and the salads were so nice I just ate them every day. I was not ill once. I think the standard of food in the hotels can vary quite a lot though, and each hotel has different rules on what's included in the 'all inclusive', ie in the LTI Grand Azur you are free to eat once in each of the a la carte restaurants, whereas in some other hotels you have to pay.
Hot tips:
If all inclusive is not your thing, stay in a hotel close to Naama Bay as here you will find a huge choice of restaurants, both local and international, ie Hard Rock Cafe, TGI Friday's.

If you're not planning on leaving the Sinai peninsular you will not need a visa (if travelling on a UK passport). Bypass the queue at the airport and save yourself some money.
Take some pound coins/small euro notes for tips

Be aware that many beaches do not offer direct access into the sea due to the coral. If this is the case you can walk along a floating jetty, or some have a pathway marked out.
BOOK EARLY - Sharm is getting more and more popular and the best prices can usually be found by booking in advance.
please contact me if you need any advice, always happy to help - being the Sharm expert!!

Summary: JUST GO!!