Sharm El Sheikh

Cheap Sharm El Sheikh holidays from Travelwasp

Cheap and all-inclusive Sharm El Sheikh holidays from Travelwasp that leave you plenty of spending money

Why opt for a holiday in Sharm El Sheikh …

Sharm El Sheikh has grown into the most popular holiday region in Egypt on that back of superb facilities, guaranteed sun and world class diving. It's also been helped by companies like Travelwasp who provide such good prices on all-inclusive holidays to Sharm El Sheikh that those in the know keep coming back.

Overview
A world-acclaimed dive centre and the most developed of the Red Sea resorts, Sharm el-Sheikh has many activities, luxury accommodation and restaurants available. Most hotels and diving centres are situated four miles (7km) from the city at Naama Bayand it has become a busy holiday resort with plenty of shopping opportunities, late night entertainment and an attractive resort atmosphere. Numerous dive sites are within reach of Sharm el-Sheikh, including the huge drop-offs at Ras Mohammed in the extreme southern part of the peninsula, the Straits of Tiran, wrecks and 28 sites located along the coast that are reached by boat. Naama Bay has a gently sloping sandy bottom, is ideal for dive classes, and provides diving and snorkelling opportunities for all levels without having to use a boat or car to get there. Besides excellent diving and snorkelling, which are the main activities, there are plenty of watersports available if one feels like doing more than just soaking up the sun. Add a vibrant nightlife with casinos, discos and nightclubs and one cannot complain of boredom.

Money
The unit of currency is the Egyptian Pound (EGP), which is divided into 100 piastres. Most credit cards are accepted in major hotels and restaurants. Visitors are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds to avoid additional exchange ratec harges. Banks are usually closed on Friday and Saturday, but private exchange bureaux, called 'Forex', are open daily and banksin major hotels are open 24 hours. Cairo branches of the Egyptian British Bank and Banque Misr now have ATMs available that accept Visa, MasterCard and Cirrus and are quite common in the main tourist areas.

Time
Local time is GMT +2 (GMT +3 from last Friday in April to last Friday in August).

Language
Arabic is the official language although English and French are widely spoken, especially in the tourist areas.

Shopping
Avid shoppers will find a good variety of goods in the old market and Sharm El-Sheikh mall where shops sell both foreign and local products, including jewellery, leather goods, clothing, pottery and books. Naama Bay offers a more upmarket shopping experience at the Naama Centre where shopkeepers are less inclined to bargain, but everything from souvenirs to scarves can be had.

Nightlife
Casinos, discos, pubs and bars cater to those ready to party the night away. Entertainment ranges from dance clubs to informal hangouts, with local favourites like the Pirates Bar, Zabadi andThe Tavern Pub.

Activities
Diving and snorkelling are the main activities, but there are arange of other activities available including horse and camelriding, golf, desert safaris and health treatments, and a varietyof watersports. The desert holds numerous attractions and trips areoffered to Mt Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery, among others.

Restaurants
Between the two tourist districts of Old Sharm and Naama Baythere is a huge variety of dining options, from hotel restaurants,and international fast food chains like KFC, to local eateries andfresh fish. Anything from Mexican to Japanese is represented intown.