Sharm El Sheikh Things to Do Tips by ukmagicman

St. Catherine's Monastery St. Catherine's Monastery Review

Located at the foot of Mount Moses, St. Catherine's Monastery, was constructed by order of the Emperor Justinian between 527 and 565 AD. It is built around Moses' Burning Bush, which has a chapel built atop it.

It is a spectacular natural setting for priceless works of art, including a wonderful Byzantine mosaic dating back to the 6th century, Arab mosaics, Greek and Russian icons, Western oil paintings, paintings on wax, fine sacerdotal ornaments, marbles, enamels, chalices, reliquaries, including one donated by Czar Alexander II in the 19th century, and another by Empress Catherine of Russia in the 17th century. The Monastery even has a small 10th or 11th century Fatimid mosque.

It takes 3 or 4 hours to get to the Monastery from Sharm el Sheik. It was nice to take a guided tour however they did rush us round too quickly. It is really a must see and pretty amazing.... a lovely building with an oasis of greenery in the middle of a desert and sandy mountains.

Directions: 3 to 4 hours from Sharm el Sheik.

Glass Bottom Boat Tour Glass Bottom Boat Review

In Sharm el Sheik, they offer numerous glass bottom boat tours, but I think they are truely a waste of money unless you really can't get in the sea to see the reef.

The boats do not go anywhere special, they all just meander along the coast where all the hotels are. I saw a lot more just jumping in the sea next to the hotel and it was a lot more interesting.

This tour is a bit of a tourist trap. You spend about 30 min looking through the glass bottom and then they move you to the top of the deck as they float for a while and sell you drinks.

Directions: All over

Ras Mohamed Ras Mohammed National Park Review

Ras Mohammed is the headland at the southern most tip of the Sinai Peninsula, overlooking the juncture of the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. The islands of Tiran and Sanafir are part of the site.

Littoral habitats include a mangrove community, salt marshes, inter-tidal flats, a diversity of shoreline configurations and coral reef ecosystems.

The Park is not the most interesting National Park I visited, but is still worth a visit. You can see multiple cracks in the earth from earthquakes, and can snorkel in the sea in the coral reef in the park. The reef was very pretty with some amazing fish, however when I went there was an abundance of jelly fish so best to wear a wet suit top.

The park is very close to Sharm el Sheik and you can either go by your rented vehicle or by an organized tour. The tour was ok but hustled us along too quick.

Take water etc as there are no places to buy anything in the park. To see the park fully and dive, you probably need about 2 to 3 hours.

Directions: About 20 minutes into the mountains along the coast from Shark el Sheik

The Colored Canyon Coloured Canyon Review

The Colored Canyon is a popular safari trek and lies between St. Catherine's Monastery and the town of Nuweiba. The strange rock formations and colored canyon walls are dramatic and the silence within only adds to the oddity. As you meander through the Canyon you move move white rocks to yellow to red to multicolored. It is a facinating place.

If you go in the summer, take lots of water. You will be exposed the entire trek and it gets very hot with the sun beating down and will all the climbing up and down the rocks.

From Sharm el Sheik, the travel time is about 2 to 3 hours. To get to the Canyon, you have to go offroad for about 10miles, which is a real bone shaker.

I recomend visiting with an organized tour rather than on your own.

Directions: Between St. Catherine's Monastery and the town of Nuweiba