Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

Hey everyone. Looking to just have a relaxing day. Any suggestions? Is it better to try to get a day at a beach resort, just strole around town? What have you done?

Hey everyone. Looking to just have an adrenalin-filled day. Any suggestions? What have you done?

Sharm is one of the world's best places for snorkelling.

Boats in the marina opposite the cruise pier, mebbe a 20 min walk, go to the best reefs.

You can snorkel from the resort's beach but it's much more bland - you need a taxi from the cruise pier to the centre of the resort (or resort-hotels) & it takes some hard-nosed bargaining with the drivers

Or quad-biking out into the desert is exhilarating and way better value than other places such as the Caribbean. The depot is a taxi-ride away on the edge of town & I think you need to pre-book. Since the value is so good, you'll probably find that even the ship's quad-bike excursion (same operators) is decent value & a lot simpler. After assessing folk over the first section, they offer different routes/speeds to suit everyone's comfort-level

JB :)

Sorry, had to change your question to fit in with my answer :D:D:D

Just be advised about some recent tourist problems in the Sharm El Sheikh area. Personally I would stay near the hotel.

1/28/2012:EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) – Egyptian officials says a French national has been killed in a shooting in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh....

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-01-28/french-tourist-killed-egypt/52842202/1

2/3/2012: Two tourists from the U.S. were kidnapped at gunpoint from a bus in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula Friday in an apparent attempt to hold them for ransom....The tourists were headed to the popular Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/292665/20120203/tourists-kidnapped-egypt-sinai-peninsula.htm

2/8/2012: ...a group of armed Bedouins attacked an exchange office in the famous Red Sea Resort of Sharm El-Sheikh leaving a French national dead and two Egyptians, a German and a Russian tourist injured.

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2012/1083/eg50.htm

2/8/2012: ... He added that there is a plot against tourism in Sharm El-Sheikh orchestrated by “Mubarak’s men” who have fled the country but are still funding criminals in Egypt...

http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/crime-a-accidents/police-thwarts-attempted-armed-robbery-on-sharm-el-sheikh-bank.html

Definitely try snorkelling, you could book a boat out to one of the reefs.

Or, a trip to St Catherine's Monastery? You would need to pre-book this though and check the times carefully.

Otherwise a stroll around the shops, stop for a hookah and a drink, then spend an hour or so on the beach.

are the beaches fairly close (walking distance) from the cruise ship? Same question for chartering a snorkel trip same day.

Hey everyone. Looking to just have a relaxing day. Any suggestions? Is it better to try to get a day at a beach resort, just strole around town? What have you done?

Yes we're looking for a beach resort. Wonder if there are any we can walk to. Maybe we have to pay for a day pass to use the facilities...

I went scuba diving there. my first time and i was very apprehensive, but it was beautiful!!!!

are the beaches fairly close (walking distance) from the cruise ship? Same question for chartering a snorkel trip same day.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=El-Bahr&hl=en&ll=27.855962,34.29378&spn=0.016695,0.026264&sll=27.855962,34.297128&sspn=0.016695,0.026264&geocode=FYIKqQEdPDQLAg%3BFXvwqAEdpncLAg&oq=iberotel+p&dirflg=w&doflg=ptm&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=15&t=h&z=15

From the port entrance (green A on the map) the main beach & facilities are 2 to 3 miles to the east (green B on the map), but there may be usable beaches closer.

Snorkelling boats go from piers/pontoons in the bay a few hundred yards to the west - vaguely in front of the Reef Oasis Blue Bay resort.

Ours was pre-booked (sorry can't remember the detail), best to either pre-book or at least check out whether you can go on spec.

Yes we're looking for a beach resort. Wonder if there are any we can walk to. Maybe we have to pay for a day pass to use the facilities...

Can't really help with resort-hotels, looking at googlemaps there's some within walking distance but I don't know whether they have a beach.

Most are A/I resorts, you wouldn't be able to just walk in & buy a drink, so I guess you'd need day-passes. Sharm is miles from anywhere and most of the accommodation is in resort-hotels, so I guess the only demand for day-passes would be from cruisers. Theoretically, those closest to the port are the most likely.

Iberotel Palace

http://www.iberotel.com/en/hotels/details.php?id=11

looks a possibility.

This is all supposition, unless you get any definitive answers all I can suggest is that you trawl Sharm's resort-hotels on the 'net.

Happy huntin'

Sorry to both, all a bit vague :rolleyes:

JB :)

Thanks JB, your answers are vague but very helpful.

extract...

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=El-Bahr&hl=en&ll=27.855962,34.29378&spn=0.016695,0.026264&sll=27.855962,34.297128&sspn=0.016695,0.026264&geocode=FYIKqQEdPDQLAg%3BFXvwqAEdpncLAg&oq=iberotel+p&dirflg=w&doflg=ptm&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=15&t=h&z=15

 

From the port entrance (green A on the map) the main beach & facilities are 2 to 3 miles to the east (green B on the map), but there may be usable beaches closer. Snorkelling boats go from piers/pontoons in the bay a few hundred yards to the west - vaguely in front of the Reef Oasis Blue Bay resort.....JB :)

Thanks JB for the useful map pinpointing the port :)

There are a number of hotels in Naama Bay including 2 Hiltons but not sure they allow day visitors. Quite honestly, I wouldn't bother. Get a taxi to the shopping area in Naama Bay where you can get a few drinks and food then there's a good promenade walk parallel to the beach which also has stalls, drinks, etc. If you want to use any of the sunbeds on the beach I'm sure you'd be able to pay for them when you arrive. Also, at this part of the beach you can snorkel from the shore.

Hey everyone. Looking to just have a relaxing day. Any suggestions? Is it better to try to get a day at a beach resort, just strole around town? What have you done?

Click on:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=29494008&postcount=214

for information on viewing my shore excursion video of Sharm el-Sheikh. We were really disappointed that our stop in Safaga was cancelled at the last minuet and Sharm was substituted, but we have a nice time touring this Red Sea resort.

Ron

Hey everyone. Looking to just have a relaxing day. Any suggestions? Is it better to try to get a day at a beach resort, just strole around town? What have you done?

Hi we are on the same cruise as you. We have been to Sharm 3 times. Not sure where the ship docks but I think it may be near where a lot of the boats depart for snorkelling trips. Naama Bay, which is the main tourist area is not that great to wander round, the usual trying to get you to go into their shops and calling out to you all the time. The old town is supposed to be nice but have never been. I think to get to all areas it would be a taxi ride. Not sure if you can get a day pass into any of the hotels, there are some nice ones.

Hi we are on the same cruise as you. We have been to Sharm 3 times. Not sure where the ship docks but I think it may be near where a lot of the boats depart for snorkelling trips. Naama Bay, which is the main tourist area is not that great to wander round, the usual trying to get you to go into their shops and calling out to you all the time. The old town is supposed to be nice but have never been. I think to get to all areas it would be a taxi ride. Not sure if you can get a day pass into any of the hotels, there are some nice ones.

Not sure what to do while we are there. Not booked on any tours. Would like to wander around but it sounds dicey.

Not sure what to do while we are there. Not booked on any tours. Would like to wander around but it sounds dicey.

Didn't mean to put anybody off going out and about in Sharm, it is really ok to wander about.

Ann

Dicey? Most definitely not. It's perfectly safe to walk around but you may find the pressure to "look at my shop" irritating. I just smile and carry on walking, unless I'm really interested in buying something.

We're looking to do an excursion to Petra - has anyone done this, what tour group did you use and any other information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

We're looking to do an excursion to Petra - has anyone done this, what tour group did you use and any other information would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Petra from Aqaba is the norm - its about 2 hours by road, all within Jordan.

It's also offered from Sharm. Not something I've done. I don't recall the precise details, though they're on the web and on a thread buried somewhere on CC.

A choice between:

1. a very very long day by bus, ferry, bus. About a 3am :eek: start, back late evening. It has to avoid going thro' Israel, hence the ferry.

Or

2. a very expensive trip by air & bus. About a 7am start, back mid-evening.

Both options do give sufficient time in Petra, but I couldn't recommend either because of the cost, & the ratio of travelling time vs time at destination.

Just MHO

JB :)

Thanks! Much appreciated.

Yes, it's safe if you pay attention and keep your wits about you...just like anywhere. I wouldn't waste much time shopping though with all those AMAZING fish and reefs out there...snorkeling is THE thing to do!!!!