Anyone Been To Sharm?

[Cardi]

I'm planning on going to Sharm for a fortnight in May. The plan so far is to stay at the Amar Sina hotel in Hadaba outside of Naama bay. Has any one been there or alternatively does anyone know how far it is from town?

I'm not going to ask what is the Diving like, as I've dived Eygpt before and I know it will be amazing, I've just never been Sharm before (Ras Mohammed at last!)

[spottydog]

I've never been to that hotel but I understand that it is at Ras Um Sid which is a taxi ride from Naama Bay. There were very few hotels at Ras Um Sid when I first went to Sharm in 1999 so it will probably be a faily new one

Have a good trip.

Anne

[bobkat]

Yep, been twice but on livaboards. Diving is fantastic. OTOH, I havn't been anywhere else but I've seen them on the tele' :lol:
Bob

[ahoy]

Hadaba is about 10min east of Naama Bay in a taxi (barter price is about 20LE, or £1.75). It is quiet, with about 10 or so hotels (I think). In the town of 'Old Sharm', about a 15min walk due east of Hadaba, there is a legendary fish restaurant called the Sinai Star (frequented by the local folk) - give it a go - very cheap, BYO (beer next door is 6LE / bottle) and the quality is fantastic.

Enjoy, water Temp in May will be around 24oC, so a one-peice suit is the best option...
S.

[Haydn]

When you going/coming back. I'm on a liverboard- fly out on the 16th May and returning on the 25th. So our paths may cross.

Haydn

[Andy Hipkiss]

Cardi,

Is it too late to book a liveaboard instead? 'fraid there is little comparision between the two experiences IME ... ok, I'm maybe just weird ;)

[xxmattyxx]

Cardi, I was in Sharm last Nov, fantstic place for diving and booked my next excursion to Red Sea two days ago to fly out 5 weeks today, off to Hurghada this time, for the second time there. Gotta go temple hunting in Luxor for the first week prior to that though to please the missus. You may find this link uesful..
http://www.goredsea.com/EN_home.aspx

[Cardi]

Cheers for replies chaps,

Haydn we'll probably miss each other I fly out on the 9th and come back on the 23rd. You'll be on your boat!

Andy, I'd love to go on a liveaboard but although my missus dives with me she's not an out and out full on diver...Staying in the Red sea makes us both happy I get to do lots of great diving, she gets posh hotels, good service and sun sun sun!

Matty if you're looking for somewhere elese in the Red sea try the Gulf of Aquaba so time, I've been to Taba and Dahab and both were great, especially Taba its so un-crowded you can dive without seeing any one and of course Eilats only a 10min bus ride away..

[xxmattyxx]

Cardi, I know The Gulf of Aqaba quite well, I used to live in Eilat; well, slept on the beach there for six weeks then had a job re-furbishing a live-aboard and lived on that also. Was GREAT!!!! I remember waking on Eilat beach every morning as the sun came up over the mountains of Jordan, the rays hitting you in your sleeping bag and that was it, TOO BLEEDIN HOT, had to get up and go off on me boat!!!!!!! Sheeesh, those were the days, just a cheap back-packing bum, ha ha.
And it was in those days that I discovered coral for the first time, when Dahab was just a collection of Bedouin huts, and we'd sit round smoking, drinking and practising any form of debauchery going.
Ho-hum, nuff of that.........
Matt

[xxmattyxx]

Sorry, Cardi, just re-read your post, maybe you stayed in the hotel I worked at in Taba in the days when that stretch of land was owned by Israel, I believe it was called the sonesta in those days. That was back in 1987...

[Cardi]

I stayed in a Hotel called the Sea star about a 10-20min drive from the border where the Hilton is...although I did my Padi Opewn Water at the Aquasport Centre at the Hilton.

If you go back to Eilat now by the sounds of things you'll be surprised, its a big modern resort now with shopping malls, english bars and all that stuff straight out of the Spanish Costas, I would'nt want to sleep on the beach there now (unless inebriated after leaving a club!)

Thats why I like Taba its very chilled deserted and relaxed but only the short ride from the border and the shops/night life of eilat...the best of both worlds.

[indian joe]

Hello,
I'm heading out that way on 27th May.
Am staying in the Coral Beach Tiran - anyone got any advice on where / who to dive (drink) with?

B)
If you're out there around after this date - look for the sun burnt hippy with the permanent smile (due to being off work for 2 weeks).