Naama Bay in Sharm El Sheikh

What is Naama Bay?

Naama Bay is the bay at the heart of Sharm El Sheikh, between Sharks Bay to the north and Hadaba and the Old Market to the south. It was the city's first resort strip and is still its busiest: hotels line the whole shore, and behind them runs a pedestrian zone of restaurants, shisha cafés, souvenir shops and dive centres. It is a district of Sharm, not a separate town.

The airport is about 11 km away in a straight line — around 15 minutes by taxi. The Old Market is roughly 5 km south and Soho Square about 9 km north. You will see the name spelled Naama, Na'ama or Ne'ma Bay; it's all the same place.

Israel held Sharm from 1967 to 1982, when the settlement here was called Ofira; the resort as you see it grew up after Sinai went back to Egypt. Today every vehicle entering Sharm passes a security checkpoint.

Is Naama Bay worth it?

Yes, for an evening. It is the one place in Sharm where you can walk between restaurants, bars and the sea without a taxi, and the calm, sandy bay is easy for children and weak swimmers. If you want a quiet beach or a great reef from the shore, it is not the best pick: the middle of the bay is mostly sand, and the music runs late.

As a base, it suits people who want to go out at night and book dive or boat trips on foot. Families after peace and quiet usually do better in Nabq or Sharks Bay and come to Naama for dinner. Most Sharm hotels run a shuttle here, free or for a small fee — ask at reception.

Naama Bay promenade: when to go

The promenade is a pedestrian walkway along the sea plus the street behind the hotels. It is free and never closes. By day it is hot and quiet; after sunset the cafés fill up, music plays, the neon comes on and shopkeepers call you in.

Arrive around 7–8 pm, walk the waterfront, have dinner and you have seen it in an hour or two. Sellers are persistent: a polite “la, shukran” (no, thank you) and walking on is enough, and skip any “free gift”. Souvenir prices aren't fixed, so haggle; buy water, sunscreen and medicine from supermarkets and pharmacies with price labels.

Naama Bay beach and snorkeling

The bay is sheltered from the waves, with a sandy bottom and a gentle slope — one of the easiest places in Sharm to swim. The trade-off is coral: the centre of the bay has little to see, so for a real reef you swim to the northern headland or take a boat.

The reef at the northern end is Near Garden, which runs on into Middle Garden — both are dive and snorkel sites served by the bay's dive centres. Glass-bottom boats also leave from Naama Bay if you'd like to see coral without getting wet.

You can swim from your own hotel's beach, the public section or with a day pass at another hotel; each hotel sets its own price. Topless sunbathing is not accepted on Egyptian beaches.

Things to do in Naama Bay

• Walk the promenade after dark, when the cafés and lights are on.
• Swim in the calm, sandy bay — easy with kids.
• Snorkel out to Near Garden on the northern headland, or join a dive-centre boat.
• Ride a glass-bottom boat over the coral.
• Try an introductory scuba dive — the dive centres are right on the beach.
• Book a boat day to Tiran Island, White Island or Ras Mohammed; boats pick up from hotels.
• Finish with fish by the sea or a shisha café.

Naama Bay vs the Old Market vs Soho Square

One evening only? Choose Naama Bay — sea and promenade in one place. The Old Market is for souvenirs and the Al Sahaba Mosque; Soho Square makes sense if you stay up north.

Naama Bay weather by season

The best months are October to May. In November days average about 27 °C, nights 19 °C and the sea 25–26 °C — perfect for swimming. December brings about 23 °C by day with the sea near 24 °C, and January about 22 °C with the sea at 23 °C, so take a layer for evenings by the water.

July and August average 37–38 °C in the afternoon; the promenade only fills after sunset. The bay is better sheltered than Sharm's open beaches, which makes it the nicer swim on a windy winter day.

Visa, Sinai stamp and money

Fly into Sharm El Sheikh, stay 15 days or less and keep to the Sinai resorts (Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba, Taba), and you can get a free Sinai only entry stamp instead of a visa — ask for it at passport control. For Cairo, Luxor, Hurghada or a longer stay you need a full visa: US$30 in cash on arrival. Ras Mohammed trips may also require the full visa, so check with the operator.

Carry Egyptian pounds in small notes: microbuses, taxis, cafés and market stalls want cash, and dollars or euros get poor change. Visa and Mastercard work in hotels, large supermarkets and chain stores; ATMs are easy to find in Naama Bay. If a card machine or ATM offers to charge in your home currency, choose pounds.

Sharm El Sheikh's sea spots compared

Every waterside place in Sharm El Sheikh rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

How to do it right

• Go after sunset: by day the promenade is hot and empty.
• Your hotel's shuttle to Naama Bay is almost always cheaper than a taxi.
• Agree taxi fares before you get in and pay in small pound notes.
• For coral, swim to the northern headland or take a boat — the middle of the bay is mostly sand.
• Staying only in the Sinai resorts for 15 days or less? Ask for the free “Sinai only” stamp.
• Souvenirs are often cheaper at the Old Market — haggle there too.

Questions