Hadaba is peaceful resort located just ten minutes from Naama Bay. It is the perfect choice for a relaxing holiday but still within easy reach of the livelier resorts of the area. One of the six main areas that make up Sharm el Sheikh, Hadaba (meaning ‘the cliff’ in Arabic) is a much quieter resort than nearby Naama Bay. Sitting on an elevated area on the Ras Um Sid, or Om El Sid as it is also known, the resort offers spectacular

Ras Um Sid

views of the mountains and the sea. Hadaba has a good selection of restaurants, bars and shops and also the

Alf Leila Wa Leila (Fantasia)

enormous Alf Leila Wa Leila (meaning fantasia in Arabic) complex. Scuba diving, snorkelling, submarine rides, water sports, swimming pools, tennis, volleyball, go-carting and bowling are also available in Hadaba. Strolling round the town visitors will be treated to authentic Egyptian culture, don’t miss the local markets where you practice your bartering skills! Read more »

Coral Beach is a friendly, laid-back resort in the popular Egyptian region of Sharm el Sheikh.  The resort has beautiful beaches, great all-inclusive hotels, amazing views across the Red Sea to Tiran Island, is close to Naama Bay and is just a ten minute drive from Sharm el Sheikh Airport. Inland from the resort you will find the Sinai Desert with its stunning mountains and sand dunes.

Sharm el Sheikh

There is a great choice of hotels in Coral Beach of every category. Many of these luxury hotels offer a private beach, relaxing spa facilities, multiple swimming pools and restaurants serving a variety of cuisine. All of the best hotels provide activity programmes for the children, plenty of family activities and entertainment and a variety of sports facilities.

With warm waters and cooling sea breezes, Coral Beach is ideal for relaxing on the beach and enjoying a dip in the crystal clear sea. Read more »

Nosrani Bay is an exclusive resort offering some of the best hotels in the Sharm el Sheikh region. Noted for its beautiful sandy beach, crystal clear waters and amazing corals reefs, Nosrani Bay is the perfect choice for a quiet relaxing holiday in Egypt. The resort offers a much quieter atmosphere than the cheaper areas of Sharm like Naama Bay. Due to its reliable winter sunshine, the resort is a popular choice for December

Nosrani Bay

holidays, with visitors returning year after year for their winter sun holidays. All of the best Nosrani Bay hotels offer family entertainment and children’s activities, hence why the resort is a popular choice for family holiday packages to Egypt. Nosrani Bay boasts top-class hotels with fantastic swimming pools, stylish restaurants, in-house dive centres, private beaches and beautiful tropical gardens. The areas spa hotels, where guests can enjoy whirl pools, steam rooms, Ayurvedic massages, body wraps, facials and body scrubs, are ideal for a romantic getaway. Read more »

Al Pasha Bay is located in a quiet area of Sharm el Sheikh. Popular with couples and families looking for luxury holidays, the area offers top class four and five star rated hotels and quiet private beaches. Most of the all-inclusive hotels have multiple swimming pools, private beaches, spa and health centres, various dining options, bars and nightclubs. There are cheaper hotels in Al Pasha Bay which offer great value for money holidays for families and young water sports fans. Just off the beach area of Al Pasha Bay are lots of narrow streets where you will find cafes, small spice markets and street stalls. For lively nightlife and restaurants a short ride will take you to the livelier Naama Bay.

The sandy stretches of beach here offer warm crystal clear waters and are great for relaxing in the sun, taking a swim and enjoying water sports like water-skiing, windsurfing and kite-surfing. For snorkelling fans the beautiful clear warm waters and easily accessible reefs are just perfect. Just meters from the shore-line you can see an amazing array of marine life. Boat trips enable visitors to see the more inaccessible areas of the reef. Al Pasha Bay makes an excellent base for a diving holiday in Egypt with access to the stunning Red Sea reefs. Visitors can enjoy some of Egypt’s famous dive sites including Shark’s Bay, Turtle Bay, Yolanda Reef and the spectacular Ras Mohamed Marine Park. The Al Pasha dive schools offer courses for all divers from beginners to the more experienced. For non-divers there are glass-bottomed boat trips which explore the waters to see

Red Sea Reef

 the beautiful coral gardens which are home to brightly coloured fish and marine life.

When you need a break from the beach you can try a spot of shopping at the little shops and bazaars in Al Pasha Bay or take a walk around the Sharm el Sheikh souks. The souks are great place to buy gifts and souvenirs like jewellery, gold, glassware, rugs spices and tea whilst on your direct holidays to Egypt. Sample local culture on a trip out into the desert and experience life in a traditional Bedouin village or go on a camel or jeep safari through the amazing desert sand dunes. Visits to Cairo, the

Monastery of St Catherine at Mount Sinai

ancient sites at Luxor and to the Monastery of St Catherine at Mount Sinai are three places not to be missed on your holiday to Al Pasha Bay.

Whether you visit Al Pasha during the winter or the summer you can expect long sunny days with clear blue skies and perfect warm clear waters. You are unlikely to see any rain in Al Pasha at any time of the year. Night-time temperatures in the desert are always cooler at any time of the year but are still totally enjoyable. July and August are the hottest months with 10 hours of sunshine a day with June and September being cooler and more bearable for many people. April and May are probably the best months to visit as temperatures are around 30C and there are always plenty of last minute holiday deals to be found on-line.

Ras Um Sid is situated in a quiet part of Sharm el Sheikh. Located at the tip of a small headland overlooking Red Sea beaches, Ras Um Sid is the ideal location for families and couples looking for a relaxing holiday atmosphere.

Beach

When the time comes for a bit more excitement then you can head off to nearby Naama Bay where you will find plenty of nightlife and great places to eat. Naama Bay is just a 10 minute ride from Ras Um Sid where many of the hotels provide shuttle buses for the journey.

There are many excellent hotels in the area, some of which are built on beautiful hillside terraces with lifts and cable cars which take guests to the glorious sandy beaches below.

With perfect weather conditions, ideal safe shallow warm waters, no strong currents and a fascinating reef close to the beach, Ras Um Sid is one of the most popular Red Sea choices for snorkelling and watersports fans.

Marine Life

Snorkelling in the clear blue waters here gives you the chance to see the wonderful brightly coloured marine life, corals and sponges of the reef. Ras Mohamed Marine Park which is home to the amazing Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef, Anemone City and the Straits of Tirin are all close to Ras Um Sid and offer excellent scuba diving opportunities. The area has lots of dive schools which offer lessons for divers of all ages and levels. Water sports include windsurfing, water-skiing, parasailing, sailing and deep-sea fishing.

Apart from the great diving opportunities, there is plenty more to do and see in the area. A trip into the Sinai Desert is a must for the whole family to enjoy together. This can include a quiet camel trek, an exciting jeep safari, a visit to a Bedouin village, an authentic meal under the open skies and much

St Catherine's

 much more. Then there are visits to Naama Bay, Nabq Bay and Sharks Bay which all offer great shopping and restaurants. If you are looking for more culture then there are trips to St Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai, walks through the wonderful Coloured Canyon and for ancient attractions you can head to Luxor where you can also enjoy a leisurely cruise along the Nile. To sample some local culture then don’t miss the authentic shops at Sharm el Sheikh’s souks. Here you will find everything from souvenirs to locally produced rugs and from spices to jewellery and gold.

A must on your last minute holiday deals to this amazing country is to sample the delicious cuisine. Visit the restaurants and cafes which serve traditional spicy food, including various grilled meats, kebabs and koftas.

Ras Um Sid is popular with families, couples, diving and water sports enthusiasts looking for cheap holidays to Egypt which are always available throughout the internet.

Sharks Bay is located on the eastern side of the southern most point of the Sinai Peninsula, just 5 miles from Sharm el Sheikh Airport and a 10 minute bus ride from Naama Bay. Both Sharm el Sheikh and Naama Bay offer great beaches, restaurants, bars and shops and are in easy reach of Sharks Bay.

Sharks Bay

The resort is the ideal location to discover the Red Sea’s fascinating undersea kingdom, including the beautiful coral reefs which are some of the finest in the world. For beginners and more experienced divers the Sharks Bay Diving School offers tuition from friendly professional instructors.
The beaches here also make Sharks Bay an excellent place for a relaxing holiday on the sandy beach or by your hotel pool.

Sharks Bay diving

There are lots of top class hotels in Sharks Bay that offer excellent pools, health spa’s, evening entertainment and cater well for families with children.

Whilst on holiday one may consider a lovely Nile Cruise, taking in the glorious cities of Cairo, Luxor and Alexandria on the Mediterranean. When on a Nile cruise there are lots of excursions on offer, including the Great Pyramid and Sphinx near Cairo, the Valley of the Kings near Luxor and the twin temples of Abu Simbel on the banks of Lake Nasser.
Egypt is steeped in history with pyramids, relics and tombs just waiting to be

Sphinx

 explored.

Sharks Bay enjoys long hot summers and mild winters, with no rain during the summer season and temperatures often reaching 37C during July. The best more comfortable time to explore the ancient sites is during the winter months when the temperature is lower, around 21C.
July and August boast 13 hours of sunshine a day, making this the best time for diving in the crystal clear blue seas.
In November the temperature drops to a pleasant 27C but still with very little rainfall, very often just one day during the whole month.
The winter season lasts from December to February but temperatures still only drop to around 22C.

Due to the pleasant climate all year round Sharks Bay is ideal for family holidays at any time of the year.

For your perfect diving holiday or a relaxing family holiday there are lots of holiday packages available throughout the internet.

Naama Bay is a resort area of Sharm el Sheikh on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, with Shark’s Bay to it’s north and Hadaba to it’s south. The beach resort of Sharm el Sheikh stretches for 25 miles along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, with Naama Bay situated right in it’s heart.

Naama Bay

Visitors come to Naama Bay mainly for the scuba diving and snorkelling. The resort offers some of the most diverse dive sites in the world. There are lots of wreck dives along this stretch of the Red Sea, with the Ras Mohammed Marine Park which is home to Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef within easy reach of Naama Bay. Dive centres and dive schools are plentiful in the area, along with boat dives and dive jetties which enable divers easy access to the coral reefs and underwater sea life.
Other watersports on offer here include catamarans, canoeing, windsurfing, parasailing, water skiing, banana boats and pedaloes. There are also snorkelling trips available for non-divers. For visitors who wish to see the wonderful marine life but stay dry there are glass bottom boat rides on offer.

Ras Mohammed Marine Park

In Naama Bay you will find dive centres, a lovely pedestrian promenade which runs along the sandy beachfront, hotels (both large and small), restaurants, bars, casinos, discos and shops.

At night some of the larger hotels offer themed nights with belly dancing and local folk music. Most of the hotels in Naama Bay have their own private stretch of the mile long beach here.

Naama Bay offers lots of excursions, including Nile cruises, trips to the Sinai Desert, camel trekking, jeep excursions, horseback excursions, and visits to Luxor, Cairo, Nuweiba, Memphis, Alexandria, The Valley of the Kings and

The Valley of the Kings

the Temples of Abu Simbel. More local places to visit are St Catherines Monastery, Mount Moses, Wadi Ghazala and the Blue Desert.

With temperatures of 23-27C and 10 hours of sunshine a day during November and December, this is the ideal opportunity to grab one of the many winter late deals to Egypt that are on offer.

Enjoy some winter sunshine by booking one of the bargain holidays to this fascinating country which are on offer throughout the internet.

This review has been supplied by our reader Carole Weekes

“We are always on the lookout for bargain holidays so when this one came up we couldn’t resist as we have stayed here previously. As in our previous visit the hotel, room, food, staff and entertainments team were faultless. This time we spent a couple of days diving which was ‘out of this world’ and went on a glass bottom boat. As the hotel is really near the beach we spent quite a lot of time just relaxing. This is the best hotel we have stayed in when holidaying in Egypt and will be returning again. Remember there are plenty of places to visit and taxi fares are cheap.”

IBEROTEL PALACE OVERVIEW

Sharm El Sheikh is renowned for its all-singing, all-dancing hotels. However, because the Iberotel Palace is smaller and cosier both in looks and atmosphere, it is at the more intimate end of the Sharm spectrum.
With one end of the main terrace opening to the sandy beach, the Iberotel has two split-level lagoon pools ringed by bougainvillea-draped terraces, sunloungers and parasols.

Location

The hotel is set on its own exclusive beach, a two-minute walk (100m) from Old Sharm and a short bus or taxi ride from Naama Bay (8kms). The hotel runs free boats to and from an offshore coral reef for a spot of snorkelling.

Accommodation

The guest rooms are comfortable and are finished in soft creams with pale-wood furnishings and marble floors. All of the rooms have a balcony or terrace which are furnished with wicker patio sets.
All 254 rooms have Double bed/twin beds, air conditioning, hairdryer, satellite TV, telephone, internet access, minibar (filled on request), iron and board (on request), safety deposit box.

Food and Drink

2 restaurants including the main La Coupole restaurant, a la carte Italian restaurant, beach bar (serving food), swim-up pool bar.

Sport, Leisure and Activities

2 swimming pools, large sun terraces with sunbeds, indoor pool, scuba diving, daily activities programme, tennis, aqua aerobics, table tennis, billiards, sauna, massage.

Entertainment

Fun Pub opens daily 20:00-01:00, daily live music, occasional folklore or international show.

For Families

Hotel-run kid’s club, playroom, shallow end of main pool.

Other Facilities

24-hour reception, money exchange, 24-hour room service, shops, laundry service.

Review supplied by our reader Mark Parker

“Having read some bad reviews about this hotel we weren’t expecting too much but as the holiday was really cheap we decided to give it a go! So glad we did.
My wife and i had a fantastic week here. The hotel was clean, room was large and clean, food good and service and help really good.
As we like to relax on our holidays we spent a lot of time by the pools, especially the Roman Pool as it had plenty of shade.
We had a great week and will definitely go again.”

Sharm Plaza, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt

Sharm Plaza

Location
The hotel is located 6 kms from Naama Bay on its own private beach with the Far-Garden coral reef directly in front of the shore. There is a free shuttle service which goes to Naama Bay. 

Key Facts
399 rooms
2 floors

Sharm Plaza

Accommodation
The twin rooms have a bath and shower, WC, hairdryer, cable tv, telephone, air conditioning, minibar, safety deposit box and a small balcony or french windows.
The deluxe rooms have a garden or pool view and the junior suites have a sea view.

Facilities
Five outdoor swimming pools, private beach, sun terrace with sun loungers, towels and parasols, two buffet restaurants, five a la carte restaurants (including tapas, seafood, BBQ, Italian and Lebanese), small shopping arcade, Arab style cafe, two tennis courts (floodlit), squash, sauna, jacuzzi, steam room and gym, spa, table tennis, billiards, animation programme, aqua centre with diving and watersports, internet cafe, evening

Sharm Plaza

entertainment.

For the family
Children’s swimming pool, kids club for 4-12 year olds, baby facilities, mini disco.

Sharm el Sheikh , Egypt

Originally a little fishing village, Sharm el-Sheikh has developed into a very popular tourist resort. Sunny weather, a plethora of charter flights, world famous scuba-diving sites, plus luxurious five-star hotels, shopping and entertainment make it one of the most important tourist resorts in the Red Sea.

Sharm el-Sheikh attracts scuba-divers from all around the world as well as package holidaymakers from Europe, including families and young partygoers.

Red Sea

Location
Sharm el-Sheikh is located in the Sinai Peninsula, on the coastal strip between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai in Egypt.

Sharm el-Sheikh is on a promontory overlooking the Strait of Tiran at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba. Surrounded by desert and reddish mountains, Sharm el-Sheikh consists of three main areas – the old town Sharm el-Maya (Moya) and its bay, a number of other bays where most of the tourist facilities are located and El Hadaba, where there are holiday villas, apartments, condos and a few hotels.

Weather
Sharm el-Sheikh has two main seasons, both of which remain dry. The winter months are between November and March when the daily temperature is still a warm average of 20°C. During the summer months of April to October the area is hot and humid but still bearable for holidaymakers, however in August the heat can often soar to an uncomfortable 40°C.

Diving in the Red Sea

Beach
Long stretches of natural sand and pebbles beaches are surrounded by a dramatic landscape. The waters around Sharm are clear and calm for most of the year. Coral reefs and marine life offer an amazing experience for divers. Other popular watersports include windsurfing, parasailing, boating and canoeing.

Away from the beach
Ras Mohammed Marine National Park, at the tip of Sinai, southwest of Sharm el-Sheikh, is considered as one of the best dive regions in the world. Also famous for its diving sites, the Strait of Tiran is only a few kilometres north of Sharm el-Sheikh. The strait separates Tiran Island from the east coast of Sinai and the main attractions are four coral reefs in the middle of the channel. Inland attractions around Sharm el-Sheikh include casinos, golf courses and spas.

Families
Sharm is a very family-orientated resort. Most major hotels have swimming pools, themed parks, tennis courts, a multitude of sports facilities, health clubs, diving centres, entertainment programmes and kids clubs. Horse and camel riding and desert safaris are also popular choices for day trips.

Shopping
The colourful Bedouin handicraft stands are always popular with tourists. The main shopping draws are gold and silver jewellery and semi-precious stones from Na’ama Bay or the Old Market. Spices, glass perfume bottles, slippers, leather bags, Bedouin embroidery and Turkish delights are also popular. Good buys include Egyptian cotton bed linen and beach towels. The Old Market is great for holiday bargains and cheaper than Na’ama Bay.

The Camel Bar

Nightlife
Na’ama Bay is the centre of nightlife, with most of Sharm’s clubs, cafes, restaurants and shops found here. Popular venues include Camel Bar (a popular hangout for divers), The Tavern (popular amongst Brits), Pirate’s Bar, Little Buddha (the sister venue of the Buddha-bar Paris) and the MovenPick Beach. Clubs such as The Bus Stop and the world-renowned Pacha throw parties almost every night of the year.

Food
Seafood is widely available, as well as Arabian cuisine and a selection of western options (mainly Italian). Most hotels have waterside grills offering the catch of the day as well as air-conditioned indoor restaurants catering for all tastes.For those who want to venture outside their hotel, Na’ama Bay has many restaurants next to bars and clubs.

Saint Catherine's Monastery

Exploring further afield
A visit to the desert is highly recommended. Hotels offer various trips to the rugged, red rock mountains and barren desert of the interior. The most visited spot is the Coloured Canyon, named for the layers of brightly-coloured stone along the deep canyon walls. Saint Catherine’s Monastery and Mount Sinai are other popular destinations, only a three-hour drive away. Mount Sinai is said to be the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments. The mountain is home to the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St Catherine, founded in the sixth century. Climbing the mountain on foot or by camel is the main objective for most visitors, but it’s worth spending a couple of hours admiring the monastery’s treasures.