# Naama Bay in Sharm El Sheikh > Naama Bay is Sharm El Sheikh's original resort centre: a sheltered sandy bay with a pedestrian promenade of cafés, shops and dive centres. The promenade is free, open round the clock and best after dark. Hotels own most of the beach; the public section charges a small fee. Allow 2 hours; the airport is 15 minutes away. Web page: https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/naama-bay - City: [Sharm El Sheikh](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh), Egypt - YesGo score: 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - Opening hours: Open 24 hours; the promenade is liveliest in the evening, hotel beaches set their own hours - With kids: Fine with kids - Promenade: Free, open 24 hours - Beach: Hotel sections; the public section charges a small entry fee (unofficial) - Time needed: About 2 hours, ideally in the evening - From the airport: About 15 minutes by taxi - From the Old Market: About 5 km: microbus along Peace Road or taxi - Money: Egyptian pounds in cash for transport and small shops; cards in hotels and big stores - Entry: Free “Sinai only” stamp for up to 15 days in the Sinai resorts - Visa on arrival: US$30 cash — needed to travel beyond the Sinai resorts - Coordinates: 27.90528, 34.32417 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **Resort centre** — Naama Bay is Sharm El Sheikh's main tourist hub of hotels, cafés and bazaars (source: English Wikipedia; Russian Wikipedia) - **Free** — to walk the promenade; the beachfront is almost all divided between hotels (source: eg-naama-bay.com guide; Wikivoyage; travelplanet.pl) - **≈ 15 min** — by taxi to Sharm El Sheikh International Airport (SSH) (source: eg-naama-bay.com guide; Wikivoyage) - **≈ 5 km** — to the Old Market in Sharm El Maya (source: eg-naama-bay.com guide; OpenStreetMap coordinates) - **1967–1982** — Sharm was under Israeli control and the settlement was called Ofira (source: English Wikipedia; Russian Wikipedia) - **Sandy bottom** — an easy entry into the sea, with no coral at the shoreline (source: Russian Wikipedia; travelplanet.pl) - **Near Garden** — the reef on the bay's northern headland, leading on to Middle Garden (source: PADI; SSI) - **25.6 °C** — average sea temperature in November; 24.4 °C in December (source: English Wikipedia (from seatemperature.org and Weather Atlas)) - **15 days** — visa-free on the free stamp — Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba only (source: GOV.UK; Dive Magazine) > **Most of the beach belongs to hotels** The Naama Bay beachfront is split between hotels, and their loungers and parasols are for guests. Staying elsewhere? Use the public section (a small entry fee, unofficial) or ask a hotel's reception about a day pass. The promenade along the sea is open to everyone for free. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/sharm-el-sheikh-old-market) is roughly 5 km south and [Soho Square](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/sharm-el-sheikh-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. ## How to get to Naama Bay 1. From the airport (SSH): taxi or a pre-booked transfer, about 15 minutes. Microbuses don't serve the terminals. Agree the fare before you get in — drivers rarely use the meter. 2. From a hotel in Nabq, Sharks Bay or Hadaba: take your hotel's shuttle to Naama Bay — free or a small fee; reception has the timetable. 3. From the Old Market: flag down a blue-and-white microbus heading north on Peace Road (Al Salam), say “Naama”, and get off where the pedestrian zone starts. About 15 minutes; the fare is around EGP 10 (unofficial). 4. By taxi from the Old Market: about 10 minutes. Settle the price first and pay in small Egyptian pound notes at the end. 5. Don't count on ride-hailing apps such as Uber: unofficial reports say they work patchily in Sharm. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/tiran-island), [White Island](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/sharm-el-sheikh-white-island) or [Ras Mohammed](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/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 | | Naama Bay | Old Market | Soho Square | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Bay with beach and promenade | Old town bazaar | Entertainment complex | | Where | Central Sharm | Sharm El Maya, south | Sharks Bay, north | | From Naama Bay | — | ≈ 5 km, 10 min by taxi | ≈ 9 km in a straight line | | Entry | Free | Free | Free | | Swimming | Yes | No | No | 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. > **Are there sharks in Naama Bay?** Shark attacks in Sharm are rare. Swim in the marked zones near the shore, stay inside the buoys and avoid swimming at dusk, dawn or night. If the authorities close a beach, stay out of the water. ## 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. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Egyptian pounds in small notes for taxis, microbuses and tips - [ ] Checked where my hotel's beach is and whether I need a pass - [ ] Sunscreen and water if I'm going by day - [ ] A light layer for winter evenings by the sea - [ ] Ride back sorted: hotel shuttle or a taxi with an agreed fare - [ ] Snorkel mask if I'm swimming out to the reef ## Sharm El Sheikh's sea spots compared Every waterside place in Sharm El Sheikh rated by YesGo. - [Naama Bay](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/naama-bay) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free (promenade) - [White Island](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/sharm-el-sheikh-white-island) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Tour ≈ US$30–50 + park fee ≈ US$5 - [Tiran Island](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/tiran-island) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ≈ US$30–50 + ≈ US$5 park fee - [Ras Mohammed National Park](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/ras-mohammed) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · ≈ US$5–7, usually included in tours ## An evening in Sharm: mosque to promenade The Al Sahaba Mosque and the Old Market by day, Naama Bay at sunset, Soho Square late. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Al Sahaba Mosque](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/al-sahaba-mosque) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 2. [Old Market (Old Sharm)](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/sharm-el-sheikh-old-market) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free entry 3. [Naama Bay](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/naama-bay) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free (promenade) 4. [SOHO Square](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/sharm-el-sheikh-soho-square) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free entry; activities are paid ## Good to know The twin-minaret Al Mustafa Mosque often listed with Naama Bay is not in the bay itself but in the Hay El Nour district, about 10 minutes away by car. Naama Bay is the resort side of town, with bars and shisha; dress more modestly in the Old Market and around mosques. ## Tips - 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 ### What is Naama Bay known for? It is Sharm El Sheikh's original resort centre: a sheltered sandy bay lined with hotels and a pedestrian promenade of restaurants, shisha cafés, shops and dive centres that comes alive at night. ### Is Naama Bay beach free? The promenade is free. The beach itself is mostly divided between hotels; non-guests use the public section, which charges a small entry fee (unofficial), or buy a hotel day pass. ### Is Naama Bay good for snorkeling? The centre of the bay is sand, so there is little to see. The Near Garden reef on the northern headland and Middle Garden beyond it are much better, by swimming out or by boat. ### How far is Naama Bay from the airport? About 11 km, roughly 15 minutes by taxi. Microbuses don't serve the airport, so take a taxi or a pre-booked transfer. ### How do I get from the Old Market to Naama Bay? Take a microbus north along Peace Road (about 15 minutes, around EGP 10, unofficial) or a taxi (about 10 minutes, fare agreed in advance). ### Is Naama Bay worth visiting? Yes, for an evening walk, dinner by the sea and an easy swim. It is not the place for a quiet beach or the best shore reef. ### Is Naama Bay safe at night? It is the busiest, best-lit part of Sharm in the evening, and vehicles are checked at the city's entrances. The main nuisance is pushy sellers — a polite no and walking on is enough. ### Are there sharks in Naama Bay? Attacks in Sharm are rare. Swim in the marked zones, stay inside the buoys and avoid swimming in the dark. ### What is the weather like in Naama Bay in November? Warm: about 27 °C by day, 19 °C at night and the sea at 25–26 °C — ideal for swimming. ### Do I need a visa for Naama Bay? If you fly into Sharm and stay up to 15 days in the Sinai resorts only, a free “Sinai only” stamp is enough. Travelling further needs a US$30 visa on arrival, paid in cash. ## How we checked Entry rules and the visa fee come from the UK government's official travel advice (GOV.UK); the free Sinai stamp is also described by Dive Magazine. Other facts are checked against at least two independent sources. The public-beach fee, microbus fare and ride-hailing availability are not published officially — they are unofficial and marked “verifying”. Taxi fares differ several-fold between sources, so we don't quote them. Distances to the Old Market, Soho Square and the airport are measured from OpenStreetMap coordinates. Weather figures are the averages in English Wikipedia's climate table. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Naama Bay; Sharm El Sheikh (history, climate) - Russian Wikipedia: Sharm El Sheikh - Wikidata: Q3869768 - GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Egypt — entry requirements - Dive Magazine: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism says visa fees remain unchanged (Sinai only stamp) - eg-naama-bay.com: How to get to Na'ama Bay - Wikivoyage: Sharm el-Sheikh - travelplanet.pl: Naama Bay guide - nashaplaneta.net: Sharm El Sheikh transport; paying in Egypt - PADI: Near Garden; SSI: Naama Bay - OpenStreetMap: coordinates of the Old Market, Soho Square and the airport --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.