Where to stay · Sharm El Sheikh · Egypt
Where to stay in Sharm El Sheikh
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Naama Bay. The original resort bay, with a pedestrian promenade, bars and a sandy beach. Best alternatives — families: Sharks Bay.
Key facts
- First visit
- Naama Bay
- Families
- Sharks Bay
- Budget
- Naama Bay
- Nightlife
- Naama Bay
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Naama Bay | The original resort bay, with a pedestrian promenade, bars and a sandy beach |
| Families | Sharks Bay | Clifftop resorts above a reef-lined bay north of Naama |
| Couples | Sharks Bay | Clifftop resorts above a reef-lined bay north of Naama |
| Budget | Naama Bay | The original resort bay, with a pedestrian promenade, bars and a sandy beach |
| Nightlife | Naama Bay | The original resort bay, with a pedestrian promenade, bars and a sandy beach |
| Food lovers | Sharm El Maya and Old Market | The original town with the marina, the Old Market and the Al Sahaba Mosque |
| Solo travellers | Sharm El Maya and Old Market | The original town with the marina, the Old Market and the Al Sahaba Mosque |
| Quiet stays | Ras Nasrani | Large resorts on the headland facing the Strait of Tiran |
| Beach | Naama Bay | The original resort bay, with a pedestrian promenade, bars and a sandy beach |
Sharm El Sheikh neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, budget and beach
Naama Bay
Naama Bay is Sharm's central resort area, a sheltered sandy bay lined with hotels and a pedestrian promenade of restaurants, shisha cafés, dive centres and shops. It is the liveliest base in the evening and the easiest for walking out to eat, with dive boats leaving from the jetty and nearby marinas.
- Good
- Restaurants and bars within walking distance; Sandy, sheltered beach; Dive centres everywhere
- Watch out
- Busy and noisy at night; Beach can be crowded; Sales pressure on the promenade
- Nearby
- Naama Bay promenade, Naama Bay beach, Dive centres
$$$ · Best for couples, families and beach
Sharks Bay
Sharks Bay sits a few kilometres north of Naama Bay, with resorts stepped down the cliffs to pontoons over coral-rich reefs. It is quieter than Naama, and the Soho Square entertainment complex is nearby for restaurants and evening shows.
- Good
- Good house reefs; Calmer than Naama; Close to the airport
- Watch out
- Taxi needed for Naama and the Old Market; Steep paths in some resorts
- Nearby
- Soho Square, Sharks Bay reef, Sharm El Sheikh airport
$$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and beach
Ras Nasrani
On the headland closest to the Strait of Tiran and the airport, Ras Nasrani has big resorts with long pontoons over drop-offs that are good for snorkelling and shore diving. It is self-contained resort territory rather than a town, with views across to Tiran Island.
- Good
- Dramatic reef drop-offs; Views of Tiran Island; Quiet
- Watch out
- Aircraft noise in places; Isolated from town
- Nearby
- Strait of Tiran, Sharm El Sheikh airport, Sharks Bay
$$ · Best for families, budget and beach
Nabq Bay
North of the airport, Nabq Bay is a strip of newer, large resorts, many with water parks and big pools, fronting a wide, shallow reef flat. It is popular with families and all-inclusive holidays, and borders the Nabq Protected Area with its mangroves.
- Good
- Big pools and water parks; Good value all-inclusive deals; Space for children
- Watch out
- Shallow reef flats make swimming tricky at low tide; Can be windy; Far from the Old Market
- Nearby
- Nabq Protected Area, Sharm El Sheikh airport
$$ · Best for budget, couples and beach
Hadaba and Ras Um Sid
Hadaba is a plateau between Naama Bay and the Old Market, crowned by the Ras Um Sid lighthouse, with mid-range resorts reaching down to reefs such as Ras Um Sid and Temple. The snorkelling and diving from shore are excellent, and the Old Market is a short taxi ride away.
- Good
- Excellent shore snorkelling; Good-value hotels; Close to the Old Market
- Watch out
- Steep steps down to some beaches; Few restaurants outside hotels
- Nearby
- Ras Um Sid reef, Old Market, Ras Um Sid lighthouse
$ · Best for budget, food lovers, culture and solo travellers
Sharm El Maya and Old Market
Sharm El Maya is the oldest part of the city, around the marina where many dive and snorkelling boats depart and the Old Market, a pedestrianised area of spice shops, cafés and fish restaurants overlooked by the Al Sahaba Mosque. It has a more local feel than the resort bays, with cheaper hotels and food.
- Good
- Local atmosphere and food; Boat departures from the marina; Lowest prices
- Watch out
- Beach is small and less attractive; Further from the airport
- Nearby
- Old Market, Al Sahaba Mosque, Sharm marina, Heavenly Cathedral
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Naama Bay | $$ | Naama Bay promenade, Naama Bay beach, Dive centres |
| Sharks Bay | $$$ | Soho Square, Sharks Bay reef, Sharm El Sheikh airport |
| Ras Nasrani | $$$ | Strait of Tiran, Sharm El Sheikh airport, Sharks Bay |
| Nabq Bay | $$ | Nabq Protected Area, Sharm El Sheikh airport |
| Hadaba and Ras Um Sid | $$ | Ras Um Sid reef, Old Market, Ras Um Sid lighthouse |
| Sharm El Maya and Old Market | $ | Old Market, Al Sahaba Mosque, Sharm marina, Heavenly Cathedral |
Getting to your hotel
Sharm El Sheikh International Airport is about 10 km north of Naama Bay, close to Sharks Bay, Ras Nasrani and Nabq. Taxis and pre-booked transfers take about 10–15 minutes to Naama Bay and 20–25 minutes to the Old Market; many package holidays include transfers.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Sharm El Sheikh for first-time visitors?
Naama Bay. Naama Bay is Sharm's central resort area, a sheltered sandy bay lined with hotels and a pedestrian promenade of restaurants, shisha cafés, dive centres and shops.
+Where should families stay in Sharm El Sheikh?
Sharks Bay: Good house reefs.
+Which area of Sharm El Sheikh is best for a budget stay?
Naama Bay ($$): The original resort bay, with a pedestrian promenade, bars and a sandy beach.