Hi we like Sharm and prefer it to Hurghada. We like to stay along the prom bed and breakfast such as Marriot, Novotel, Hilton Fayrouz and Jolie Ville. The prom is fully pedestrianised and on the beach and leads into Naama. ( max 15 min walk ) There are lots of restaurants and bars along the prom where you get no or very little hassle. There is a very good choice of bars, restaurants and shops in Naama bay where you will get hassled by the waiters and shop keepers but just politely same no thankyou and walk on.
There are lots of trips such as Ras Mohammed for snorkelling and a lovely boat trip with lunch to Tiran Island. You can do desert jeep safaris, quads, camel riding, dinner under the stars, The Monestry at St Catherines at the foot of Mount Moses, Coloured Canyon Dahab and Dolphin Bay. Cairo and Luxor are just a 50 min fliight away with Egyptair.
My husband was a non swimmer before we started going to Egypt. It is very easy to float and snorkle. He gets more confident each time and can now do a length!!
The beaches along the prom are shallow unlike some where the water is only accesible by a jetty which takes you into very deep water. You can paddle and snorkle along here very easily so it is ideal for non swimmers. On Tiran Island trip he wears a life jacket and one of the workers on the boat pull him along and he doesnt miss out on the snorkelling and loves it. The trip is a whole day and you can snorkel at 3 different points but this is not compulsory. Once you see everyone else getting in you will want to give it a go.
The All Inclusive hotels tend to be a bit hit and miss with the food and drink and tend to be a taxi ride away from Naama bay and Old Market. Eating out is very cheap compared to the UK.

Thanks for that Nana

Your welcome

Have to agree with nana
We were a bit apprehensive going to Egypt 3yrs ago and now love it. Naama bay is cheap and the people are really friendly, loads of place to eat at and if you're a shopaholic you will be in heaven

From the more northerly resorts, Nuweiba, Taba Heights or Taba you can take trips across the Red Sea to Petra in Jordan or up into Israel - Eilat for shopping and Dolphin Reef ,or further into the Holy Land with trips to the Dead Sea, or even as far as Jerusalem on offer. Locally there is desert scenery (the Coloured Canyon etc), the monastery of St Catherine (which is of historic and religious relevance to both Christian and Muslim faiths) and Mount Sinai - with spectacular sunsets from the summit after a nightime walk. So there can be quite a lot to see and do apart from enjoy the glorious sunshine and swim in the warm, clear seas with the fish and corals.

The resorts in this part of the country have relatively little to offer outside the hotels, but there are some nice establishments to stay in, right on the beach.

Thanks for that. I am quite tempted with Taba as I would like to go to Mt Sinai and Petra and have also heard good reports from a colleague who went out at Christmas.

Another area of Sharm you might like to consider is Ras um el Sid, it has various good quality hotels including the Rennaisance Golden View Beach Resort and the Hilton Waterfalls these are both B&B hotels, they seem to be a little cheaper than similar quality hotels in NB. You are 10 mins from NB and 5 mins from Old Sharm in a cab should you fancy a night out. You can walk to Fantasia, which has a show and there are other restaurants in the vicinity. The RGVB resort is a good hotel, I stayed there last year. Not 5* but pretty close. Snorkelling and swimming at this end of Sharm is off of hotel jettys. I'll try putting up the map with all the Sharm hotels on.

http://sharm-el-sheikh.ovh.org/index_engl.php

A new mall has also opened called El Mercato, but wasn't operational when I went last April.

About 45 mins north of Sharm you have Dahab, this is another resort you could consider, there are three of the big name hotels there, the Dahab Hilton, Iberotel and Le Meridien, but there are also many small 3* hotels. Only know this as I have been considering going there myself this April.

HTH Doe

Hi the area of Ras Um El Sid is not really for non swimmers as the current can be quite strong and the waves hit the rocks. You cannot walk along here and paddle like you can at the Prom in Naama. Il Mercato is a shopping mall that still is not completed. Some shops were open when I went last Easter and more have opened since I have returned in June, Oct and Nov. It has some shops open and is trying to attract the well known brands such as Burger King, KFC, Claires, Bodyshop, Costa Coffee, Timberland ( already open ) and Virgin which has just opened last week. Onions restaurant here is very good value for money - we take our own drink but ask 1st - and makes a very cheap night out. There is a chinese next door but more like a takeaway. They need more restaurants here. But it is a very nice place to sit and eat and people watch. They put on entertainment some nights and have Womens and Childrens afternoons as well.
Traveller with mobility issues be aware though as the loos are downstairs and non of the eateries have their own loos.
Alf Lela W'Lela is 15 le to enter for having a nose around the shops inside and for eating. The show with dinner is approx £9 and dont book with tour op just turn up on the night and pay on the door. Sat night is English night. Lots of shops, bars and restaurants on the outside including Columbus which is cheap and they give huge portions.
The new waterpark is just down the road and very good - see pickalbatros site for pics also for Alf Lela.
Old Market is cheaper than Naama but in my opinion not as nice and clean as Naama and alot of stray cats and dogs and street rubbish. The area with the waterfalls here though is quite nice.

Thanks for all your info. Having looked very closely at the area and what we would like to do we have decided that we would be better of in Taba as we would like to visit Petra and Mount Sinai so if anyone has any ideas about this please let me know.

Have a great time.