Hotels & accommodation (5/10):Most of the hotels are for charter tourists. Typically middle class and up- family hotels. For budget travel/backpackers, there really isnt much. However, you get a lot for your money, if you can find something.
Places to eat (3/10): Big dissapointment. Expected to indulge in the north-african cousine, problem is hardly anyone serves local food. McDonalds, Hard Rock Cafe and Italian pizzaresturants youll find plenty of, but the only place serving real local food ripped me of (and gave me a stomach ache)
Beach (5/10):The beach itself is pretty good, and the diving is world class (so they say). Still I'll only give it 5 out of 10, the problem beeing, if youre not staying in one of the big hotels, you only get to use a tiny party (the worst part) of the beach. Each hotels has their own spot of the beach, and its seems the cheaper hotels get the worst spots.
Shopping (2/10):Nothing to buy at all, really. Some fake souvenirs, parfume and papyrus (who needs papyrus?) is the only thing sold in this town.
Local culture & people (2/10):No one really lives in Sharm el Sheik. People work there for two weeks, and then gets transported home to Cairo, for a new bussload of workers to arrive for their 2 week shift. Its a made up city, a tourist trap, consisting only of hotels, resturants and souvenir shops. The souvenirs/perfume/papyrus sellers are very aggressive, so walking the streets can make you very tired.
Activities & Attractions (4/10):In sharm; diving, thats it. Outside Sharm you can visit nomade triebs, living in the desert (they werent really nomades though, just there for the tourists :), Chapel of the Burning Bush, and the real gem (only 10 hour busride), Cairo and the pyramides
Nightlife (2/10):A few bars serve alchol, many bars serve tea. Don't go there for the nightlife..
Summary:If you are into diving youll propably have a nice holiday. If you don't dig beeing under water, stay clear. The winter climate is good though.
-Review by Ötzi, Austria
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hotels & accommodation (5/10):Lots of package holiday run hotels most pretending to be 4 and 5 star, although the standards vary.
Places to eat (5/10): Most hotels run on an all inclusive basis and maybe this is why there is a limited selection of quality eating places. Trying to find local fair is difficult but well catered for if you like TGis Pizza Hut etc and these were cheaply priced.
Beach (5/10):Each hotel had its own private area of the beach the better the hotel the better the area of beach.
Shopping (5/10):Many shops selling much the same as the last one. Haggling is the way to buy anything here although there are a few shops with fixed prices.Bargains can be had if your up to the pushy sales patter and dont mind going home with a bag full of tatter
Local culture & people (5/10):Sharm is a tourist resort and the workers are bused in and out every few weeks from Cairo.Everything is aimed at tourists and the money they can bring. The staff in the hotel are helpful if not a little to friendly and the shop keepers can be pushy and persistant. Wouldnt got into town unless your read for it.
Activites & Attractions (5/10):If diving is your thing then thats the place to go. Not much else in the resort except the weather of course.
Nightlife (2/10):Couple of night clubs and a few pubs and plent opportunity to have a go at a pretend shesha and people watch.
-Review by Fiona, Edinburgh
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hotels & accommodation (2/10):golden sharm resort hotel.does not cater for english, all italian. entertainment staff are rude and ignorant, will not even talk to english unless numbers of italians are low. this hotel is not all inclusive pay for drinks at one bar but not the other, coffee at one beer at the other, they change it to suit themselves. waiters are very rude too stretching across you as you are eating to remove dishes, they even removed one couples plates before they had finished eating. beware when they get you to sign for your drinks too, they have a nice little scam going. beware gardeners too you think they are being nice and will offer you seeds from plants then follow you around until you give them money, take your own cutting. beware the guy on the gate too. as soon as your pop your head out of the hotel entrance he is up the path like a shot. do not let him take you to cairo or luxor in his own car. he has his hands in allsorts of pies too.
Places to eat (4/10): macdonalds pizza hut kfc???????
Beach (5/10):hotel share with complex near er the beach. small
Shopping (3/10):constantly hassled. not much to buy anyway same old same old
Local culture & people (5/10):every where you go you are constantly hassled. if you look towards a shop window you have a crowd trying to push you in to the shop to get a business card(they don't have business cards).DO NOT GO IN TO LEAVE A MESSAGE IN A BOOK THEY WILL NOT LET YOU OUT UNTIL YOU BUY.
Activites & Attractions (4/10):unless you book trips to cairo, luxor or any of the other places there is not actually a lot to see in sharm el sheik, mainly beach or hotel sunbed.
Nightlife (5/10):naama bay is the place to go for night life, plenty of clubs.
-Review by Jan, Liverpool