Where to stay in Sharm El Sheikh depends mostly on how you like to spend your evenings. Choose Naama Bay if you want to walk out to restaurants and nightlife, Sharks Bay or Hadaba if you want a reef right below your hotel, Nabq for big, quiet resorts close to the airport, and the Old Market for local life and simpler hotels. Here’s how the five main areas really compare, from people who drive between them every day.
Sharm El Sheikh areas at a glance
The quickest way to decide where to stay in Sharm El Sheikh is to match the area to your evenings and your beach:
| Area | Vibe | Best for | Sea & reef | Nightlife | From the airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naama Bay | Busy, walkable centre | First-timers, couples, groups of friends | Sandy bay, gentle entry | The liveliest in Sharm | 15–20 min |
| Nabq Bay | Large, quiet resorts | Families, all-inclusive stays | Long shoreline, shallow reef flats | Mostly in-hotel | about 10 min |
| Sharks Bay | Cliffs and coves | Snorkelers, couples | House reefs, often via jetties | Soho Square nearby | about 10 min |
| Old Market | Local town feel | Culture, food, budget-conscious travellers | Varies by hotel | Cafés and evening shopping | about 25 min |
| Hadaba / Ras Um Sid | Cliff-top, relaxed | Divers, snorkelers, sunset lovers | Reef below the cliffs | Quiet, plus Farsha Café | 25–30 min |
The five areas compared
Naama Bay
The vibe: Naama Bay is the heart of tourist Sharm — a curved, sandy bay with a pedestrian promenade lined with restaurants, cafés, bars and shops. It’s the one area where you can step out of your hotel at night and have everything within walking distance.
Who it suits: first-time visitors, couples and groups of friends who want to eat out and go out without arranging a ride every evening.
Beach and reef: the bay is sandy with an easy, gradual entry, which makes it comfortable for paddling and swimming. The better coral tends to be at the edges of the bay rather than right in front of the beach.
Nightlife: the liveliest in Sharm, from relaxed shisha cafés to late bars.
From the airport: about 12–15 km, typically 15–20 minutes.
Nabq Bay
The vibe: north of the airport, Nabq is the newer side of Sharm — large resorts, wide gardens and a long shoreline facing the Strait of Tiran. Days are quiet and evenings mostly happen inside the hotel.
Who it suits: families who want a big all-inclusive resort with pools and family facilities, and anyone who wants a very short ride from the airport.
Beach and reef: shallow reef flats run along much of the shore, so many hotels use a jetty to reach deeper water, and the shallows can stretch a long way out. Reef shoes are a good idea for children. The Nabq Protected Area, with its mangroves and dunes, is right next door — and it’s where our horse riding on the beach takes place.
Nightlife: limited outside the resorts; Naama Bay and Soho Square are a taxi ride away.
From the airport: about 10 minutes.
Tip: Nabq resorts can be very large. Ask how far your room block is from the beach and the main pool — it makes a real difference with small children.
Sharks Bay
The vibe: between the airport and Naama Bay, Sharks Bay is a stretch of cliffs and small coves, with hotels stepping down towards the water. It feels calmer than Naama but is close to everything.
Who it suits: snorkelers and couples who want a house reef on the doorstep and an easy evening out nearby.
Beach and reef: beaches are often small, and many hotels reach the reef by jetty or pontoon, so you can be over coral within a few fin kicks. It’s one of the best areas for snorkeling straight from your hotel.
Nightlife: Soho Square, in the Sharks Bay / White Knight area, has restaurants, dancing fountains, bowling and an ice bar — a short ride from most hotels here.
From the airport: about 10 minutes.
Old Market (Sharm El Maya / Old Sharm)
The vibe: the most local part of the resort. Al Sahaba Mosque, an Ottoman-style landmark, sits above lanes of spice shops, souvenir stalls and cafés, and the streets fill up in the evening with locals as well as visitors.
Who it suits: travellers who care more about atmosphere, food and value than a big resort, and anyone who likes to wander.
Beach and reef: this varies more than anywhere else in Sharm. Some hotels have their own beach, others use one a short ride away — check before you book.
Nightlife: cafés, shisha and late-evening shopping rather than clubs. Naama Bay is about 10–15 minutes by car.
From the airport: about 25 minutes.
Hadaba / Ras Um Sid
The vibe: a cliff-top neighbourhood on the south side of Sharm, above the Ras Um Sid reef. It’s residential and relaxed, close to the Old Market, with the Heavenly Cathedral (a Coptic church) and Farsha Café, the famous cliff-top lounge.
Who it suits: divers, keen snorkelers and couples who want sunsets and quiet evenings rather than a busy strip.
Beach and reef: many hotels sit on the cliff edge, with steps or paths down to the beach and pontoons out over the reef. The coral is right there, but check how easy the access is if anyone in your group has mobility issues.
Nightlife: quiet; a sunset drink at Farsha Café is the classic evening, and the Old Market is a short taxi ride away.
From the airport: typically 25–30 minutes.
Getting around between the areas
Sharm is spread out along the coast, so outside Naama Bay you’ll rely on cars for evenings out. Some hotels run shuttles to Naama Bay or Soho Square — ask what yours offers. For everything else:
- Short rides around town: a local taxi in Sharm El Sheikh with a fair, agreed price — Taxi Mido covers Naama Bay, the Old Market, Soho Square, restaurants and beaches.
- Shopping trips, evenings out or a full day of sightseeing: a private driver by the hour or day waits for you between stops.
- Arrival and departure: a door-to-door airport transfer from SSH to your hotel. Our airport arrival guide has drive times for every area.
Where to stay in Sharm El Sheikh: quick picks
- First trip, want to walk out to dinner: Naama Bay.
- Snorkeling from your hotel every day: Sharks Bay or Hadaba / Ras Um Sid.
- Young children, all-inclusive, short airport ride: Nabq Bay — and see our guide to Sharm El Sheikh with kids.
- Local life, markets and food: the Old Market.
- Quiet evenings and sunsets: Hadaba.
Tip: Before you book, look at whether the hotel beach is sand, reef flat or jetty access. It matters more to your holiday than the number of pools.
Wherever you stay, the excursions come to you: Mido Tours picks up from hotels in every area of Sharm. For ideas, see our guide to the best things to do in Sharm El Sheikh, and if you’re still deciding between two hotels, message us on WhatsApp at +20 10 1868 1624 — we’ll tell you honestly how each location works for getting around.
