Sharm el Sheikh
has developed into a luxury holiday resort most
treasured by divers and sun-lovers. Among famous hotel names are Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, Four Season and many
more sharing the beautiful bays between Ras Um Sid to Naama Bay and
Nabq.
Scuba diving and dive safaris in the Red Sea are offered along with all different kind of waterport activities.
Many local and international tour operators include daily excursions into their itineraries adding value to a memorable Sinai holiday.
Sharm
el Sheikh, Ras Mohammed and Tiran Island already appear on Spanish maps
in 1762. Yet, the first time Sharm el Sheikh made its
way into the world’s media was in 1967, when Egypt’s President
Gamal Abdel Nasser blocked the Strait of Tiran, cutting off Israel’s
access to the Red Sea.
The blockade of this strategic point led to the 6 Day War and
the occupation of the Sinai by Israel.
One year later in 1968 the Israelis built the settlement
Ophira on the cliff of Ras Um Sidd. This today is the "old
city" of Sharm El Shiekh known as Hadaba.
Naama Bay is known for its many de-luxe holiday resorts and the
actually center of activity.
The region of Sharm EL Sheikh is actually
a series of bays with innumerable and extraordinary coral reefs.
Sharm el Shiekh is located on the east shore at the southernmost tip of the
Sinai Peninsula and
has become the leading tourist spot of the entire
Sinai and an ultra modern Mecca for divers.
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Sharm el
Sheikh today is a region of over 60 km sandy beaches.
In the Bay of Sharm el Maya the port is located. The harbor is
under military surveillance. Egyptian forces and the Multinational
Observer Forces (MFO) - mainly Italians – control this important
strategic point.
Many private yachts and pleasure boats anchor here - the number
constantly increasing - ready to take scuba divers out to the
amazing reefs and to the National Park of Ras Muhammad, one of
the world’s most famous dive sites. Ras Muhammad National Park
was created in 1983 to protect coral reefs and the fragile environment.
Ras Um Sidd is famous for its coral
reefs and the very high cliff, where many exclusive hotels have
been built and still many are under construction.
On top of the cliff, in El Hadaba, villas, apartments and recently
constructed condominiums are providing Sharmers with accommodation
and offices. The area is developing with new hotel establishments.
The municipality, the post office and telecommunication center
are located here.
Downhill in Sharm el Moya in the suq one can stroll
the many bazaars, supermarkets and restaurants.
The main tourist attraction, the center of tourism is Naama Bay.
Naama means "pleasant" in Hebrew and this best describes
Naama Bay. A slightly different pronunciation leads to the Arabic
word for ostrich. The ostrich as many other animals and plants
of the Savanna had been common here until the land became more
and more arid.
Most hotels and dive centers are located in Naama Bay and makes
it a paradise for sun lovers and water-sport enthusiasts. Shopping
Malls, tourist offices and other services are contributing to
comfort the tourist - and the Sharmers.
Many new resorts in a fascinating surrounding have developed along
the coastline to the north on the way to the international airport
, which provides the Sinai peninsula with daily charter flights,
from Ras Nasrani to Nabq, the beautiful Nature Protectorate known
for the mangroves.
A phenomena and a natural attraction is an odd limestone boulder
two kilometers north of the edge of downtown that is shaped through
erosion into the portrait of J. F. Kennedy.
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Activities
There is plenty to do in Sharm el Sheikh. Though the main activities
are water sport activities and diving, the terrific interior of
the Sinai desert invites for adventurous and fascinating trips
by quad runners, motorbikes and jeeps . Another exciting adventure is a ride
out into the desert on camel or horseback.
Fun Town is an amusement park your
children love or choose the Bowling Center which has got also
an ice skating area.
Nightlife
Every resort has got its
own bar with different happy hour offers. An evening stroll along
the promenade gives you an insight of what the beach bars of the
hotels have to offer for the evening. Some hotels entertain their
guests with belly dancing performances . After the shows you can dance the night
through in one of Sharm’s discos.
Some hotels offer special evening
events which is usually a dinner and disco or show in the desert
under the million stars.
If you are not in a dancing mood
you find play pool tables at some places or you hang out in the
coffee shops until late night smoking the water pipe and play
backgammon or chess. An outdoor cinema shows recent Hollywood
films or you can spend the evening in one of the Casinos and win
or loose a fortune.
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