Sharm El Sheikh

Which bay to stay in, then Ras Mohammed, Tiran and Mount Sinai

Base yourself by bay in Sharm El Sheikh: Na'ama Bay for nightlife and shops, Nabq for all-inclusive resorts, Old Market and Hadaba for local life. Snorkel the house reef first, then book boat days to Ras Mohammed and Tiran, a Thistlegorm wreck dive if qualified, and a night climb of Mount Sinai.

Compare hotels bay by bay.

• First days: snorkel the house reef; sharks are most active at night, at dawn and after sunset.
• Boat days: Ras Mohammed, at the southern tip of Sinai where the currents of the Gulfs of Aqaba and Suez meet, and the reefs of Tiran, each reached by boat within two hours. Expect company, since up to 20 boats can tie up at a popular reef. Check that your entry stamp covers a trip to Ras Mohammed before you book it.
• For divers: the SS Thistlegorm, sunk in 1941, is an advanced dive with strong currents and sections inside the wreck. A diving safari on a liveaboard escapes the day-boat crowds and costs no more overall than daily diving.
• Desert night: Mount Sinai lies about 230 km away, close to 3 hours by road. Tours reach the foot of the mountain around 1AM for the sunrise climb, and St Catherine's Monastery admits visitors only from 9AM to noon, closed Fridays and Sundays. Read the current Sinai road advisories before booking.

Desert tours head inland to the Coloured Canyon and White Canyon by quad bike or buggy, often stopping at a Bedouin camp.

Getting out of town, Superjet coaches take about 6 hours to Cairo and East Delta about 8, with several checkpoints on the way where you show your passport and ticket.

Sea and air temperatures in Sharm El Sheikh through the year

Snorkelling and diving work all year in Sharm El Sheikh, with the sea between about 21°C and 28°C. January days reach around 22°C, but evenings turn chilly when the shimal wind blows, and June to August highs hit 37 or 38°C. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable months, and rain is rare.

The shimal is a cold north wind. The sea feels cold after dusk too. Marsa Alam, Kosseir and Sharm have the warmest winter nights of Egypt's resorts, with January lows around 13°C. Pack a fleece for boat decks and rooftop dinners.

Summer nights stay around 27°C, and some years pass with no rain at all.

The summit stands 2,285 m above sea level, and at night temperatures can fall below zero; snow is not unknown. Dress in layers and carry a torch, or rent a blanket at the top. The climb itself takes 45 minutes to three hours on the Steps of Penitence, which has 3,750 steps, and about 2½ hours on the gentler Camel Path, so fitness decides when you need to start.

Old Market kebabs, Red Sea seafood and service charges in Sharm

Leave the resort buffet at least once for Sharm's Old Market, where El Masrien grills kebab and kofta late into the night, or eat Red Sea seafood at Fares in Horus Mall or Safsafa in Na'ama Bay. Bills usually include a 10 to 15% service charge, and drinks outside hotels carry extra tax.

El Masrien, by the market exit, also stuffs pigeon and duck, and serves no alcohol. A few doors down, GAD (look for the big red sign) does cheap Egyptian fast food. At Safsafa the grilled calamari stands out.

Pork never appears, even when a menu says it does: what arrives is salted beef. Outside the hotels, drinks carry an extra tax, so ask for the drinks menu before ordering, and check that no entrance fee is charged for a café floor show.

Without alcohol, fresh guava juice is the local favourite, with Bedouin tea or mint tea a close second. Na'ama Bay's pedestrian walkways are lined with coffee houses for a shisha and people-watching, while the late crowd heads for clubs like Little Buddha or Pacha, which is inside the Sanafir hotel.

For fixed prices without the patter, the Carrefour Express a street back from the main shopping drag sells staples, spices and small souvenirs and takes cards. In town, the Coptic El-Samaeyeen Cathedral is decorated with frescoes of Bible verses, and there is often a guide on hand to show visitors round.