My experience in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt – things I wish I’d known

I’m stuck in the airport on a layover, so here’s what I wish I’d known before I left! :)

When I arrived, I got scammed right away at the VODAFONE stand in the airport. They sold me a 20 GB SIM card for 10 €—cash only because their terminal wasn’t working—and it stopped working the next day… After that, I got an Orange SIM in town for 10 €, and it worked perfectly.

I’d booked my airport transfer online with B… for 7 €, but it’s even cheaper on the spot with Indrive—I paid 4 € for the return trip. Indrive helps you avoid getting ripped off, because scamming is basically the national sport here…

Naama Bay, along with Old Sharm, is the heart of the nightlife: a few bars with music and shisha, and tons of shops selling knockoffs. The beach is nice, but there aren’t any corals.

Watch out: the beaches are all paid, costing around 2 to 3 € each time, and you’ll be packed in like sardines on sun loungers that are all squished together! Only hotels have private beaches, often with a shuttle running once or twice a day. Good to know if you’re thinking of renting an apartment…

Another issue with apartments is the food—there’s not much variety in the small supermarkets.

There’s apparently a free beach in Hadaba, but I couldn’t find it. I did find Shark Bay, which is amazing… but it’s a bit far.

At first, I rented an apartment, but I ended up switching to all-inclusive stays at different hotels for the same price…

AVOID booking with STAYFORLONG!!! I booked an all-inclusive stay through them, and when I arrived, the hotel told me it was only half-board! I couldn’t get in touch with them at all… That site is a total scam.

In early February, it’s chilly at night but hot in the sun during the day. The pool water is pretty cold, but the sea is fine for swimming.

The corals are incredible! Take advantage of them!!!

That said, once you’re out of the water, there’s not much else to do…

Hi, When I read your "experience feedback," I wonder if I ever actually went to Sharm el Sheikh—it sounds so surreal to me! Paid beaches?! I’ve experienced vast, untouched landscapes from Eilat, stopping by St. Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Moses, and more on the way, with just a few basic small hotels here and there. Sharm el Sheikh (especially Ras Mohammed) remains one of the places in the Red Sea where I saw (while snorkeling) the most stunning drop-off along the entire coast, from Eilat to Nuweiba and Dahab. Gorgeous coral and I’d never seen so many fish so close to shore… and there was no one around. It was a time when we didn’t book anything in advance and never ran into scams. We explored places and always asked around on-site before paying for anything.

Yeah, things must have changed a lot since your time... now Sharm is a string of luxury hotels stretching for dozens of kilometers, packed with loud and not always well-mannered Russians and Italians rushing for the first available sun lounger. The beaches aren’t just paid access—they’re small and crowded because of the cliffs... That said, if you get out of the city, you can still find places like the ones you described. The beach you mentioned, Ras Mohammed, is 30 km away. I went there—it’s an excursion that costs 20 € and is indeed preserved and very pretty... but it’s a protected national park... with tourists getting off buses...

Yes, definitely a national park! Not paid yet... Pretty surreal because there was already an entrance with a "guard" in a hut who gave us a brochure describing this park (buildings, circuits with stops, trails, attractions? etc.). But in my opinion, it had just been opened to the public because there was absolutely nothing! Just desert and the sea... Everything in the brochure was only a projection! !😏

Hi everyone, For SIM cards, always check if the pack hasn’t already been opened—normally, you should’ve been asked for ID? Scams aren’t a national sport in Egypt, but unfortunately, they can happen anywhere, and Egypt isn’t immune. The beaches? Yes, they’re paid, and don’t even think about sneaking onto a nearby beach—you’ll be quickly sent back where you came from. Thoutmosis

Can't move around freely anymore? Have a picnic by the sea? Rent a vehicle to visit Sinai?🤪 Hike Mount Moses or go to St. Catherine's Monastery with your own vehicle?

Hello everyone, So, is it no longer possible to go to Saint Catherine on your own? Thoutmosis

I don’t know, I was just asking... Do you have the answer?

Hi everyone, If you rent a vehicle or go with a private taxi or a vehicle booked through your hotel, there shouldn’t normally be any issues—unless things have changed again, as they have for some time now. A lot of things change, and not always in the tourist’s favor. Personally, I never go to that area anyway 😉 Thutmose

I preferred Sinai to the rest of Egypt because it was the only region where, traveling independently without an agency or guide, we were truly left in peace—no harassment from vendors or camel drivers, no baksheesh... pure bliss! Plus, I’m not really into ancient ruins; I’d much rather have nature, the desert, and the sea!

I just handed over my passport and phone, and they installed the map after asking for 10 € in cash. This kind of scam really does happen everywhere... I wasn’t expecting it at the airport, though! After that, you’ve got to negotiate everything and be prepared not to always get the best price ;)

Hi everyone, Yes, that’s exactly it—since the price is printed on the package, there’s no room to negotiate. If that happens, it’s a red flag, especially at the airport. Thoutmosis