Sharm El Sheikh Luxury Resorts and Diving

Sharm El Sheikh has been the Red Sea's best-known resort for decades, and for good reason: the reefs of Ras Mohammed National Park and the Straits of Tiran are among the most beautiful dive sites in the world, and they start a short boat ride from the hotel beach. The town has grown into a polished resort city, host to global conferences, with a renewed Old Market and SOHO Square for evenings out.

Beyond the beach lie the granite mountains of the Sinai, Mount Sinai and the ancient Monastery of St. Catherine. Combine Sharm with Cairo, an hour away by air, or with the Red Sea coast at El Gouna. See our guide to luxury vacations in Egypt.

Ras Mohammed National Park, at the very tip of the Sinai, is famed for its walls of coral, shoals of fish and sharks at Shark and Yolanda Reefs. The four reefs of the Straits of Tiran offer drift dives along vivid coral gardens, and the wreck of the SS Thistlegorm, a cargo ship resting on the seabed since 1941, is one of the world's most celebrated wreck dives. Snorkelers find superb house reefs at many hotels.

Private dive boats and liveaboards can be arranged for every level, from beginner courses to technical diving. See diving and the outdoors and superyacht charter.

Naama Bay, SOHO Square and the Old Market all have lively restaurant scenes, from fresh seafood to Lebanese and Italian. The Four Seasons offers fine dining with sea views, and an evening Bedouin dinner in the desert, with music and stars, is a Sinai classic.

Americans can buy an e-visa online or a visa on arrival (each about $30), each for up to 30 days, with a passport valid for at least six months. Resorts are relaxed, with beachwear normal and alcohol widely available. Respect marine park rules and use reef-safe sunscreen. Modest dress for St. Catherine's Monastery.