Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea - Egypt

Sharm El Sheikh is a resort destination situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, on the Red Sea coast in Egypt. This is a favorite destination of leaders and politicians worldwide and is often used as a meeting place for peace talks.

Sharm marks the point where the Red Sea splits into the gulfs of Suez and Aqaba. It is also a favorite spot for divers from around the world. It's famous for its transparent and calm water and the abundance of colors created by the presence of many different kinds of coral and the incredible variety of sea species The sea is a clear crisp turquoise and the reefs hold a myriad of beautiful corals and colorful fish.

The water temperature is good year round making this a favorite with divers and snorkelers every time. Many diving sites are easier reached in afew minutes with comfortable and convenient boats that offer the opportunities to have meals on board. There are also opportunities to rent a live aboard boat for longer periods.

Further out in the depths it is easy to find a number of wrecks. One of the most interesting is the THISTLEGORM wreck that we readily advise checking out. In these waters it is easy to see the bentonic species, meet big pelagic, tiny fishes, barracudas and sharks, and of course swim with the Dolphins.

The Red Sea was formed approx. 25 million years ago when the African and Asian continental plates started to move apart. It continues to widen at a rate of about 1-2 cm per year.

The Red Sea contains more than 1,000 species of fish and has over 2,000 kilometers of fringing reef, making it one of the most bio-diverse seas in the world. Extreme heat in this region results in a rapid rate of evaporation which results in a high concentration of salt. This makes the Red Sea among the saltiest bodies of water on Earth.

The Egyptian Red Sea has always been known as one of the most colorful seas of the world. The geological movements of the past created a unique condition that permitted marine life to grow in a fantastic variety of corals and reef fishes resulting in the widest possible range of colors.

As a result of the warm temperatures and the wonderful opportunities for diving the Red Sea along the Egyptian Coast has a become a mecca of resort cities – Sharm being the oldest but followed by Hurghada a city that has risen from a small village to a large city over the last few years. Many other resort cities are growing along the coast and have become popular destinations particularly for Europeans who can now get economical charter flights direct to these cities along the Red Sea coast.

Bordering the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Mediterranean the Sinai Peninsula is a land of rocky, mountainous desert, made up by sedimentary rock in the north and granite in the southern part. The granite is frequently mixed with long, hard intrusions of basalt. Over time the granite has eroded faster than the basalt creating amazing formations or ridges in the mountains cape resembling back bones of colossal animals.

During a visit to the desert you can see many fascinating types, shapes and colors of rock. There are green, red, yellow, purple and even blue rocks. It’s fascinating to use your imagination to pick out human and animal faces on the mountain sides. Travel north and see the unbelievable mixtures of colored layers in the mountains. Notably in the Colored Canyon.

Sinai is also known as a crossroad of myths, religions and historical happenings that now offer many choices for excursions and trips.