# White Island, Sharm El Sheikh > White Island is a sandbar in the marine part of Ras Mohammed National Park: exposed at low tide, under water at high tide. You can only get there on a full-day boat trip from Sharm — 8–10 hours with hotel pick-up, usually 30–60 minutes on the sand. Group trips cost around US$30–50 plus a US$5 park fee (unofficial). Daytime only. Web page: https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/sharm-el-sheikh-white-island - City: [Sharm El Sheikh](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh), Egypt - YesGo score: 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 30 min - Entry: Tour ≈ US$30–50 + park fee ≈ US$5 - Opening hours: Daytime boat trips only; landing on the sandbar at low tide and in calm seas - With kids: Fine with kids - Trip price: Group boat ≈ US$30–50 per person; private yacht from ≈ US$750 (unofficial) - Park fee: ≈ US$5 per person, often paid separately (unofficial) - Time needed: 8–10 hours door to door, ≈ 30–60 minutes on the sandbar - When it shows: At low tide; under water at a strong high tide - Getting there: Boat only, from the port in Old Sharm; swim the last stretch - Documents: Passport or a copy — checked at the port - Payment: Bring US dollars and Egyptian pounds in cash; foreign cards work at hotels, rarely on boats - Coordinates: 27.74426, 34.16378 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **A sandbar** — a strip of white sand in open water, with no buildings or trees (source: Tripster; travel2unlimited; yachtcharterfleet) - **Low tide only** — at a strong high tide the sandbar disappears and landings are cancelled (source: Tripster; Headout; Sharm Club) - **Ras Mohammed** — in the marine part of the national park, off the west side of the peninsula (source: OpenStreetMap; travel2unlimited; yachtcharterfleet) - **20–50 m swim** — boats can't reach the sand — you swim or wade chest-deep for the last stretch (source: Tripster; egyptra.pro; Sputnik8) - **8–10 hours** — length of a typical boat day including hotel transfers (source: Sputnik8; Sharm Club; egyptra.pro) - **≈ US$5** — Ras Mohammed park fee per person, often not in the tour price (unofficial) (source: Headout; Sputnik8) - **1989** — Ras Mohammed became Egypt's first national park (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Two gulfs** — the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba meet at Ras Mohammed (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **"Egyptian Maldives"** — a nickname used to sell the trips — marketing, not a fair comparison (source: Sputnik8; travel2unlimited) > **The sandbar isn't always there** White Island only appears at low tide. At a strong high tide, or when the sea is rough, the landing is cancelled and the day becomes a Ras Mohammed snorkelling trip. Before you pay, ask the operator what time they plan to reach the sandbar and what happens if it's under water. Refunds for a missed landing are rare. ## White Island boat trip: how the day works White Island is almost never sold on its own. It's a stop on a **full-day boat trip to Ras Mohammed**. A typical day: a bus picks you up from your hotel around 7:30–8:00 and drives to the port in Old Sharm (Sharm El Maya). Passports are checked and guests sorted onto boats, which can take 30 minutes to an hour. Boats leave around 9:00–9:30. During the day you get two or three snorkelling or diving stops on the park's reefs, lunch on board, and the White Island stop. The boat anchors 20–50 metres off the sand; you swim over in a life vest or wade chest-deep behind the guide. Most groups spend 30 minutes to an hour on the sandbar. Boats are back in port by 16:30–17:00 and you're at your hotel by about 18:00. What's included varies: some operators include masks and fins, others charge for them, and some add try-dives. If you get seasick or are nervous in deep water, take the road trip to [Ras Mohammed](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/ras-mohammed) instead. ## How much does a White Island trip cost? There's no official price — operators set their own. A shared boat with lunch and hotel transfers runs **roughly US$30–50 per person**, with premium boats up to about US$70–80. A private yacht for up to ten people starts around US$750. All of these are unofficial figures that change with season and agency. On top of that there's usually the **Ras Mohammed park fee of about US$5** per person (young children are often exempt). Some operators include it; others collect it in cash on the day. Extras can include snorkel gear rental, a photographer, seafood at lunch and tips for the crew. Payment: you book in hotels, agencies or online, often by card. On the day, everything on the boat and at the port is cash — bring small US dollar notes and some Egyptian pounds. ## Where is White Island? White Island is in the Red Sea, inside **Ras Mohammed National Park** at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. OpenStreetMap places it off the west side of the peninsula, south-west of Sharm El Sheikh, near where the Gulf of Suez meets the Gulf of Aqaba. You can't drive there. Boats leave from the port in Old Sharm and round the cape, usually stopping at reefs on the way; expect one to one and a half hours to the first stop depending on the boat and the sea. Map apps place the sandbar in slightly different spots, so don't rely on a pin. > **Is the Sinai-only stamp enough?** According to the UK government, the free Sinai-only stamp covers the resorts of Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba; Ras Mohammed isn't mentioned. Tour sellers say the stamp is fine for boat trips but not for the land part of the park. That's unofficial — if you're unsure, buy the US$30 visa on arrival. ## How to get to White Island 1. You can't go independently: there are no scheduled boats. The only way is a boat tour — a shared boat or a private yacht hired from a local operator. 2. Book through your hotel, a local agency or online. Check whether the park fee, snorkel gear, lunch and transfers are included. 3. Pick-up is usually around 7:30–8:00 at your hotel gate; from Naama Bay the drive to the port in Old Sharm takes about 15–20 minutes. 4. Going on your own? Take a taxi to the port in Old Sharm (Sharm El Maya) and show the driver the pier name on your voucher — operators use different jetties. Agree the fare before you get in. 5. At the port, show your passport (or a copy) and voucher, then collect your mask and vest. 6. It's one to one and a half hours to the Ras Mohammed reefs. White Island is one of the stops, usually after snorkelling. 7. Swim 20–50 metres to the sand in a life vest behind the guide. Boats are back by 16:30–17:00. ## Is White Island worth it? Yes, if you're in Sharm for the sea and want a proper day of snorkelling at Ras Mohammed. The sandbar is a nice last stop, not the main event — nobody should spend a whole day at sea just for half an hour on the sand. In season it gets crowded: many boats arrive at the same time, so an empty white beach in your photos takes luck or an early start. There's no shade at all, and the sun bounces off the sand. Our advice: pick a smaller boat and ask when it reaches the sandbar — earlier is quieter. Skip it if you can't swim and won't jump off a boat, if you get seasick, or if your kids are too young for a long day on the water. ## Boat trip with White Island vs Ras Mohammed by road | | Boat with White Island | Ras Mohammed by road | | --- | --- | --- | | Length | 8–10 hours | ≈ 5 hours | | You see | Reefs from the water, the white sandbar | Allah's Gate, the crack, mangroves, salt lake, shore reefs | | Getting in the water | From the boat, straight into deep water | From the beach, through shallows | | Lunch | Usually on board | Usually not | | Best for | Confident swimmers, photographers | Kids, beginners, anyone prone to seasickness | Based on typical tour programmes — what's included varies by agency. ## What to see on the way and on the sandbar - **The sandbar** — walk on white sand in the middle of the sea and swim in shallow turquoise water. - **Ras Mohammed reefs** — two or three snorkelling stops with coral, parrotfish and, with luck, turtles. - **Shark and Yolanda reefs** — classic dive-boat stops; the guide picks sites according to the weather. - **Dolphins** — sometimes seen on the way out, never guaranteed. - **Photos** — the best shot is the turquoise water with dark coral heads, easiest from the deck before you land. ## What to bring - [ ] Passport, or a copy on your phone - [ ] Small US dollar notes and Egyptian pounds - [ ] Swimwear on under your clothes, and a towel - [ ] Reef shoes — there are rocks near the sandbar - [ ] Your own mask, or cash to rent one - [ ] Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses — there's no shade - [ ] Seasickness tablets if you need them - [ ] Waterproof phone pouch ## Sharm El Sheikh by the sea, compared Every waterside spot 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 ## Off the boat, into Old Sharm Boats return to the port in Old Sharm around five, close to the Old Market and Al Sahaba Mosque; finish on the Naama Bay promenade. YesGo works out timing and transfers. 1. [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 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. [Al Sahaba Mosque](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/al-sahaba-mosque) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 4. [Naama Bay](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/naama-bay) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free (promenade) ## Good to know This White Island is not New Zealand's Whakaari / White Island volcano, nor the sandbar trips sold from Hurghada on the other side of the Red Sea. It's also separate from Tiran Island, which has its own boat trips from Sharm. ## Tips - Ask what time your boat reaches the sandbar — low tide and early means more sand and fewer people. - Not a strong swimmer? Wear a vest and stay with the guide: there can be a current near the sandbar. - Wear reef shoes, and don't take shells or coral — this is a national park. - Put sunscreen on before you board, ideally a reef-safe one. - Prone to seasickness? Take a tablet before you sail and sit near the stern. - The port is close to the [Old Market](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/sharm-el-sheikh-old-market) — a good stop on the way back. ## Questions ### Where is White Island in Sharm El Sheikh? In the Red Sea, in the marine part of Ras Mohammed National Park, off the west side of the peninsula. It's reached only by boat from the port in Old Sharm. ### How much is the White Island trip from Sharm? Shared boats run about US$30–50 per person and private yachts from about US$750, plus a park fee of around US$5. These are unofficial prices. ### Is White Island only visible at low tide? Yes. The sandbar shows at low tide and disappears at a strong high tide. Landings are also cancelled in rough seas. ### Can you do Ras Mohammed and White Island in one day? Yes — that's the standard boat trip: snorkelling on the park's reefs plus a stop at the sandbar. You won't see the park's land sights from the boat. ### How long is the White Island boat trip? 8–10 hours including hotel transfers: pick-up around 8:00, back around 18:00. Time on the sandbar itself is usually 30–60 minutes. ### Do you have to swim to White Island? Usually yes. Boats anchor 20–50 metres away and you swim or wade behind the guide. Life vests are provided. ### Do I need my passport for the boat trip? Yes, documents are checked at the port. A copy or a photo on your phone is usually accepted — check with your operator. ### Is White Island good for kids? It can be, if your kids cope with a full day on a boat. They'll need a vest and an adult in the water; diving usually starts at 10–12. ### Is White Island worth it? As part of a Ras Mohammed snorkelling day, yes. For the sandbar alone, no — it's busy, shadeless and you're there for under an hour. ## How we checked White Island has no Wikipedia article and no official page, so every fact about the sandbar was matched across at least two independent sources — tour descriptions and travel write-ups. There's no official price list or schedule: tour prices, the US$5 park fee and time on the sandbar are unofficial and marked as checking. Sources give anything from 30 minutes to 2 hours on the sand; we quote the most common range. Sailing time to the reefs ranges from about an hour (egyptra.pro) to an hour and a half (Sputnik8). Coordinates differ between sources by several kilometres, so we refer to OpenStreetMap and give no distance. We found no confirmation that park rangers control or time-limit landings, so we don't claim it. The Sinai-only stamp rules come from GOV.UK; only tour sellers say the stamp is fine for boat trips. Park facts are from Wikipedia. ## Sources - OpenStreetMap: White island, Ras Mohammed National Park - Tripster: White Island tours from Sharm El Sheikh - Sputnik8: White Island and Ras Mohammed by yacht - Headout: Sharm El Sheikh — Ras Mohamed & White Island - Sharm Club: White Island Ras Mohammed snorkeling tour - egyptra.pro: White Island - travel2unlimited: Ras Muhammad National Park — White Island - yachtcharterfleet: White Island - English and Russian Wikipedia: Ras Muhammad National Park - GOV.UK: Egypt — entry requirements (Sinai-only stamp) --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.