Arriving in Sharm el-Sheikh, all tourists can not wait to check into a hotel as soon as possible and dive into the gentle waves of the Red Sea. Already at the airport, vacationers begin to look around, dreaming that the transfer to their place of residence would take place as soon as possible. The most impatient even pick up a hotel as close as possible to the place of arrival, in Sharks Bay. This area of Sharm el-Sheikh is located just 5 km from the airport, so the trip to its hotels is fast. But this is not the main advantage of Shark Bay (this is how the name is translated). The main thing is a real coral paradise, which a tourist enters simply by going to any of the beaches of the bay. If you dreamed of seeing colorful fish and coral reefs, plenty of snorkelling and your first dives under water, Sharks Bay is your choice!
Shopping and stores
Literally everything is thought out for the convenience of tourists in Sharm el-Sheikh. Each district of the city has its own entertainment, shops, souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants in addition to hotel ones. In Sharks Bay, the vast majority of such establishments are located on Soho Square (Soho Square, sometimes our compatriots call it Soho Square). It is located near large hotels (near Savoy and Four Seasons) and is a huge shopping and entertainment center, perhaps one-story and open-air. All traditional souvenirs, from papyri to towels, can be bought in local shops. True, prices there are somewhat higher than in Naama Bay, so many tourists prefer to shop there and have fun in Soho.
The beaches of Sharks Bay
According to cachedhealth, the beaches in this bay are amazing. Real coral plateaus start from the very shore and go quite far into the sea. Therefore, most of the beaches of the bay are equipped with pontoon bridges that extend beyond the reefs. You go on it, put on a mask and snorkel and go ahead, explore the underwater jungle. Although the clear water of the Auley Bay makes it easy to see a stunning amount of marine life just from the pontoon. On some beaches, special children’s paths have been cleared for safe and comfortable entry into the water, but, nevertheless, swimming in Sharks Bay is not for kids. Even at high tide, you can’t swim much above the corals on a circle, you will either have to enter the water from a pontoon, or limit yourself to pools in hotels.
A little about the organization of the beaches themselves. The entire coast of the bay is divided into hotel sectors, which are monitored by the attendants of the adjacent hotel. Many of them are located on the hills and their beaches are organized in terraces. Naturally, the most sought after first line of sun loungers. To take it you have to get up early or buy your place. Beach workers occupy sunbeds for “booked” vacationers. Recently, the number of hotels where staff earn extra money in this way is growing. In fairness, it should be noted that you will always find a place on the beach, you just have to indicate that you are a guest of this hotel.
To all the beaches from the hotels of the second line there are free buses and some kind of golf cars with an awning. The walk is not long, a maximum of 15-20 minutes, but in the heat, especially having grown mad in the sun, it is not very pleasant to return back to the room on your own two feet.
Entertainment and attractions of Sharks Bay
How to entertain yourself in Sharks Bay, except for hotel animation? You can use the sports grounds and courts of the hotel, visit the sauna or steam room (in many hotels they are free for their guests), take a course of spa treatments and massages (you will have to pay extra here). You can always go to have fun in Soho: watch a historical film in Russian or a feature film in English at the cinema, ride an indoor skating rink, sit in a bar or by a light and music fountain. Or go to Naama Bay (15 km from Sharks Bay), which never sleeps. Almost all hotels have a free bus that takes tourists back and forth.
Diving in Sharks Bay
Snorkeling fans dearly love Sharks Bay for the opportunity to watch the underwater world in all its glory every day. Even the abundance of vacationers does not scare away the fish, among which you can easily meet large Napoleons, rays and dangerous lionfish, surgeon fish, moray eels. Therefore, no matter how tempting it may seem, do not try to touch the marine inhabitants with your hands.
If you have long dreamed of diving, you will not find a better place to acquire the necessary skills. There are dive centers at every hotel, experienced instructors will teach you the basics of skill and accompany you on a dive. You can literally dive from the shore, there are practically no currents, the average depth is about 20 m, visibility is excellent (the same 20 m). Well, there is something to see! There are vast sandy canyons, and diverse vegetation, and coral jungles with their inhabitants. More experienced divers can go on night dives that are even more spectacular.