# Tiran Island, Sharm El Sheikh > Tiran Island is a desert island at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, Saudi territory since 2017. You can't land on it: boat trips from Sharm snorkel the reefs of the Strait of Tiran, with two or three stops. Expect 8–9 hours with hotel transfers and roughly US$30–50 on a shared boat, plus a US$5 park fee (unofficial). Web page: https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/tiran-island - City: [Sharm El Sheikh](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh), Egypt - YesGo score: 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 4 h - Entry: ≈ US$30–50 + ≈ US$5 park fee - Opening hours: Daytime boat trips only — usually 8:00 to 17:00 with transfers; no landing on the island - With kids: Fine with kids - Trip price: Shared boat ≈ US$30–50 per person; private yacht from ≈ US$900 (unofficial) - Park fee: ≈ US$5 per person, included by some operators, cash on the day with others (unofficial) - Time needed: 8–9 hours door to door, 2–3 reef stops - Landing: None — the island is closed to visitors - Sovereignty: Saudi Arabia, under a deal with Egypt ratified in 2017 - Documents: Passport or a copy — checked at the jetty - Payment: Book by card online or at your hotel; cash (US$ and EGP) on the boat and at the jetty - Coordinates: 27.95194, 34.56611 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **No landing** — visitors aren't allowed ashore — boats moor at the reefs in the strait (source: Russian Wikipedia; Tripster; Sharm Club; tonkosti.ru) - **Saudi Arabia** — sovereignty passed from Egypt under a 2016 deal ratified in June 2017 (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Four reefs** — Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse and Jackson, between Sinai and the island (source: Tripster; egyptra.pro; tonkosti.ru; Dive Magazine) - **≈ 80 km²** — area of the island, which is uninhabited (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Lara and Loullia** — two cargo ships that ran aground on Jackson and Gordon reefs in 1981 (source: Tripster; Sputnik8; tonkosti.ru) - **8–9 hours** — length of a typical boat day including hotel transfers (source: tonkosti.ru; Sharm Club; egyptra.pro) - **1967** — Egypt's closure of the Strait of Tiran to Israeli shipping triggered the Six-Day War (source: English Wikipedia: Tiran Island, Straits of Tiran) - **1983–2017** — the island was part of Egypt's Ras Mohammed protected area (source: Russian Wikipedia; English Wikipedia) - **MFO** — international observers of the Egypt–Israel peace treaty were based on the island (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Asharq Al-Awsat) - **≈ US$5** — park fee per person, often not in the tour price (unofficial) (source: tonkosti.ru; Tripster) > **You can't land on Tiran Island** Tiran is seen from the water only. Visitors aren't allowed ashore: it's closed Saudi territory, it hosted an international observer post for decades, and unofficial sources say parts of the shore are still mined. A "Tiran Island trip" means a day of snorkelling on the reefs of the strait, not a walk on the island. If someone sells you a beach on Tiran itself, ask again. ## Tiran Island snorkeling trip: how the day works It's a **full day at sea**. Your boat heads north from Sharm into the Strait of Tiran and moors at two or three reefs for snorkelling, sometimes with diving too. Pick-up is around 7:00–8:00 at your hotel, then a short drive to the jetty, where passports (or copies) are checked and life vests handed out — some operators include masks and fins, others don't. Getting to the first reef usually takes about an hour, depending on the jetty and the reef. Lunch is served on board between stops, typically a buffet with soft drinks. The island is in view all day — steep desert mountains dropping into blue water — but boats stay on the strait side and never go in to the shore. You're back at the jetty around 17:00 and at your hotel by about 18:00. Inclusions vary: some boats include snorkel gear, others rent it at the jetty for a few dozen Egyptian pounds per item, and try-dives cost extra. The guide picks the reefs on the day — in strong wind, boats stick closer to the Sinai coast. ## How much is a Tiran Island trip? There's no official price; operators set their own. A shared boat with lunch and hotel transfers costs **roughly US$30–50 per person**, with bigger yachts up to about US$70. A speedboat for one to five people runs around US$100–200 per group, and a private yacht for the day starts at about US$900. All of these are unofficial and change with season and agency. On top of that there's often a **park fee of about US$5** per person: some operators include it, others collect it in cash on the day. Extras can include snorkel gear and wetsuit rental, a try-dive (around US$20), a photographer and tips for the crew. Payment: you can usually book by card online or through your hotel. On the day, the jetty and the boat are cash-only in practice — bring small US dollar notes and some Egyptian pounds. ## Who owns Tiran Island? **Saudi Arabia.** In April 2016 Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed a maritime border agreement handing Tiran and neighbouring Sanafir to Riyadh. Egyptian courts ruled against it, but parliament approved the deal on 14 June 2017 and President Sisi ratified it on 24 June 2017. Egypt had run the islands since 1950, by arrangement with Saudi Arabia. Israel took Tiran in the 1967 Six-Day War and returned it under the peace treaty, completing the handover in 1982. After that the island hosted a post of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), which monitors the Egypt–Israel treaty. In July 2022 Israel signed off on the transfer and the US announced the observers would leave. We found no official confirmation that the withdrawal has been completed. For visitors, nothing changes: there was no landing under Egypt and there's none now, and boats from Sharm still visit the reefs of the strait. ## Where is Tiran Island? Tiran sits in the **Red Sea at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba**, north-east of Sharm El Sheikh. Between the island and the Sinai coast lies the Strait of Tiran — the only sea route from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Red Sea, and so the only way by sea to Eilat and Aqaba. Sanafir Island lies just east of Tiran, with the Saudi coast beyond. Closer to Sinai, a chain of four reefs runs through the strait: from south to north, Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse and Jackson. That's where the boats go. Gordon is nearest to Sharm; Jackson is the furthest north. Don't bother dropping a pin on the island — there's no way to reach it by land, and your operator will tell you which jetty to go to. On a clear day you can see the island from the shore too — a dark mountain on the horizon from Sharm's northern beaches. ## What to see: the reefs and wrecks of the Strait of Tiran - **Gordon Reef** — nearest to Sharm, with a shallow plateau and lagoon that suit beginners. The rusting hull of the cargo ship Loullia, aground since 1981, sits on its edge. - **Thomas Reef** — the smallest of the four, known for big gorgonian fans, with a canyon for experienced divers. - **Woodhouse Reef** — long and narrow; guides run drift snorkels along its wall, letting the current carry you past the coral. - **Jackson Reef** — the northernmost; the remains of the Cypriot freighter Lara lie off its northern end, also since 1981. - **The island** — bare mountains rising straight out of the sea, with no trees and no visitor facilities; best photographed from the deck. - **Marine life** — parrotfish, butterflyfish and moray eels; with luck, turtles or dolphins, though nobody can promise them. ## How to get to Tiran Island 1. You can't go independently: there are no scheduled boats to the reefs. The only way is a boat trip — a shared boat or a private yacht 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, and which jetty the boat leaves from. 3. Pick-up is usually around 7:00–8:00 at your hotel gate. From Naama Bay the drive to the jetty takes about 15 minutes. 4. Going on your own? Take a taxi to the jetty on your voucher — operators sail from Sharm marina in Old Sharm and from the Naama Bay jetty. Agree the fare before you get in. 5. At the jetty, show your passport (or a copy) and voucher, then collect your vest and gear. 6. It's about an hour to the first reef. Stops are at Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse or Jackson, depending on the weather. 7. The boat is back at the jetty around 17:00, and the bus takes you back to your hotel. > **Is the Sinai-only stamp enough?** According to the UK government, the free Sinai-only entry stamp covers the resorts of Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba. Tiran boats leave from Sharm and come back to Sharm, and tour sellers say the stamp is all you need. That's unofficial — if you're unsure, buy the US$30 visa on arrival. ## Tiran Island vs White Island | | Tiran reefs | White Island and Ras Mohammed | | --- | --- | --- | | Direction | North, into the Strait of Tiran | South, to Ras Mohammed | | Length | 8–9 hours with transfers | 8–10 hours with transfers | | Can you go ashore? | No | On the sandbar, at low tide | | You see | Four reefs, the Loullia wreck, the island's mountains | The park's reefs and a white sandbar | | Best for | Snorkellers who care most about reefs | Reefs plus a photo stop on the sand | Based on typical boat-trip programmes — what's included varies by agency. ## Is a Tiran Island trip worth it? Yes, if you're in Sharm for the sea. The reefs of the Strait of Tiran are among the best known in the Red Sea, and a day with two or three snorkelling stops shows you far more than your hotel's house reef. On a short holiday, we'd pick this as the first boat day. Just don't expect to set foot on the island — Tiran is a backdrop, not a beach. If standing on sand in the middle of the sea is the point, go to [White Island](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/sharm-el-sheikh-white-island) instead. If you get seasick or don't want to jump off a boat into deep water, the road trip to [Ras Mohammed](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/ras-mohammed), with shore entries, is gentler. The strait can get choppy on windy days and boats change their route. Don't leave this trip for your last day — you'll have no room to reschedule. ## What to bring - [ ] Passport, or a copy - [ ] Small US dollar notes and Egyptian pounds - [ ] Swimwear on under your clothes, and a towel - [ ] Your own mask, or cash to rent one - [ ] Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses - [ ] A light top — the deck gets windy on the way back - [ ] 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 Naama Bay Boats are back around five: time to change, stroll the Naama Bay promenade and finish at Soho Square. YesGo works out timing and transfers. 1. [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 2. [Naama Bay](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/naama-bay) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free (promenade) 3. [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 Tiran Island in the Red Sea is not the town of Tiran near Isfahan in Iran. It's also not the same trip as White Island: White Island boats head south to Ras Mohammed, Tiran boats head north, so you can't combine them in one day. ## Tips - Don't promise kids a beach on the island — there's no landing, the whole day is on the boat and in the water. - Not a strong swimmer? Keep your vest on and stay with the guide: the strait can have currents. - Don't touch the coral or take anything from the reef — these are protected waters. - 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. - Ask which jetty you sail from: from the marina in Old Sharm, the [Old Market](https://yesgo.io/egypt/sharm-el-sheikh/sharm-el-sheikh-old-market) is close for the evening. ## Questions ### Can you go on Tiran Island? No. Visitors aren't allowed ashore. Tiran trips are boat days with snorkelling on the reefs of the strait. ### Who owns Tiran Island? Saudi Arabia. Egypt signed the transfer in 2016, and its parliament approved it and the president ratified it in June 2017. ### How much is a Tiran Island boat trip from Sharm El Sheikh? Shared boats run about US$30–50 per person and private yachts from about US$900, plus a park fee of around US$5. These are unofficial prices. ### How long is the Tiran Island trip? 8–9 hours including hotel transfers: pick-up around 7:00–8:00, back around 18:00, with two or three reef stops. ### Which reefs do Tiran trips visit? Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse and Jackson, in the strait between Sinai and the island. The guide picks two or three depending on the weather. ### What are the wrecks near Tiran Island? The Loullia sits on the edge of Gordon Reef and the remains of the Lara lie off Jackson Reef. Both ran aground in 1981. ### Is Tiran Island good for beginners and kids? Yes, if they're happy on a boat all day. Gordon Reef has a shallow plateau; kids need a vest and an adult with them in the water. ### Is there a military base on Tiran Island? An MFO observer post was based there for decades. The US announced its withdrawal in 2022; we found no official confirmation that it's complete. ### Can you do Tiran Island and White Island in one day? No. Tiran boats go north into the strait, White Island boats go south to Ras Mohammed, and each takes a full day. ## How we checked Sovereignty, area, the 1967 closure, Israeli control until 1982, the 2016–2017 transfer, the MFO post and the island's place in the Ras Mohammed protected area come from English and Russian Wikipedia; the observers' withdrawal announcement from Asharq Al-Awsat (July 2022). We found no recent official word on whether the observers have actually left, and say so. We give no height: English Wikipedia says 524 m, Russian Wikipedia 608 m, Wikidata 90 m. There's no official source for the boat trips: prices, the US$5 park fee, trip length and jetties come from tour listings (Tripster, Sharm Club, egyptra.pro, tonkosti.ru) and are marked as checking. Sailing time to the reefs ranges from 30–45 minutes (Domina) to two hours (Sharm Club); we say about an hour. Only Tripster and tonkosti.ru mention mines on the shore, so that's flagged as unofficial. The English core was built from search results and related questions. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Tiran Island - Russian Wikipedia: Tiran (island) - Wikidata: Q598889 - Dive Magazine: Egyptian government returns control of Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia - Asharq Al-Awsat: What Do You Know About Peacekeeping in Tiran - Tripster: Tiran Island tours from Sharm El Sheikh - Sputnik8: Tiran Island by yacht - Sharm Club: Tiran Island snorkeling trip - egyptra.pro: Tiran Island - tonkosti.ru: Tiran Island - Domina: Tiran Island excursion and snorkelling - 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.