Sharm el-Sheikh: coral reefs of the Sinai

The day begins with an outing by boat to the Ras Mohammed National Park, at the southern tip of Sinai, where walls that drop steeply to eight hundred meters of depth protect some of the richest coral reefs in the Red Sea.

Returning to the tourist center, hotels, restaurants and shops along a protected bay make Naama Bay the heart of the city and the main boarding point for snorkeling and diving.

Off shore, at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, parrotfish, sea turtles and occasional reef sharks populate the most photographed coral formations in the region, those on Tiran Island.

Toward evening, spices, mint tea and Bedouin handicrafts animate the Old Market of Sharm el-Sheikh, closer to local daily life than the touristy coastal zones.

Underwater, just past the Ras Mohammed barrier, the sound of speedboats nearly disappears: only the breath through the regulator and the seafloor plunging into dark blue remain.

Many of the most spectacular dives require a certification, but even those without one can try a first taste of diving in shallow waters organized by dive centers in Naama Bay.