Sharm El Sheikh is situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, surrounded by the warm, crystal clear waters of the Red Sea and the famous Mount Sinai; the highest mountain in Egypt. The town overlooks the straits of Tiran at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, and consists of six main tourist areas, including the main areas of Naama Bay, Nabq Bay, Ras Nasrani, Ras Um Sid, El Pasha Bay, Om El Sid Hill, White Knight Beach, Sharks Bay and the old town of Sharm El Maya.
Sharm El Sheikh is now one of the most popular tourist destinations outside the Euro zone due to its year-round sunshine, luxury hotels, and short flight times from the UK (approx. 6 hours).
This desert paradise has it all, including ancient culture, amazing historical sites, world class diving, great watersports, fantastic entertainment and nightlife, and those perfect sandy beaches.
Sharm El Sheikh History
Over 70 million years ago, the Sinai and Arabian peninsulas formed a single mass of land. However vast land movements over time, cause the land to separate, and the southern peninsula of the Sinai became isolated, creating two large gulfs. To the west, the Suez, and to the east, the gulf of Aqaba, which forms part of the immense ‘Great Rift Valley’, which extends from the Taurus Mountains in Turkey, and as far as Kenya. The progressive shift of the Egyptian coast away from the Arabian coast is still continuing today at the rate of two centimetres a year, and geologists estimate that 150 million years from now, the Red Sea will be as wide as the Atlantic Ocean.
Sharm El Sheikhs strategic importance led to its transformation from a small fishing village in to a major port and naval base for the Egyptian Navy.
Sharm El Sheikh was captured by Israel during the Sinai conflict of 1956, and given back to Egypt a year later. From 1957-1967 a UN peacekeeping force was stationed in Sharm El Sheikh, until the Six-Day War, when Israel recaptured the Sinai.
The Egyptian president, Nassar, closed the Straits of Tiran in 1967, blocking access to the Red Sea, which lead to the brief, but famous, Six-Day war between Egypt and Israel. Given the exceptional strategic importance of Sinai Peninsula, Israel recaptured the peninsula and built a small colony called Ophira, on the rocky point of Ras Um Sid, where the old city of Sharm El Sheikh stands. Sharm el Sheikh remained under Israeli control until the Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt in 1982 after the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty of 1979. The military buildings and bunkers were destroyed and were later modified in to luxury hotels, following an initiative to encourage development in the town. Foreign investors soon jumped at the chance to turn to the town in to the modern tourist attraction it is today, with its bright lights, big hotels, and English pubs.
Sharm el Sheikh gained its nickname “City of Peace” due to several peace conferences being held in the town. Representatives of Israel and Palestine met in Sharm El Sheikh, and agreed to give Palestine control over the Gaza Stip. At the same time, unfortunately, the town has experienced some violence by terrorists motivated by Islamic fundamentalism. The most recent was on July 23-2005, on Egypt’s Revolution Day, when hotels and cafes were targeted, killing over 80 people and wounding at least 150. Though this rare event shocked Sharm el Sheikh Tourists and locals, it continues to attract thousands of holiday-makers every year, and has been voted one of the best holiday destinations for two consecutive years, with its warms seas, world class diving, and natural beauty.
