It wasn’t that long ago that the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh was most well known for being a military base for the Egyptian Navy. For over 25 years the city was very much isolated from the rest of Egypt and its only significance was its strategic military position. However, in the mid 1980s a lot of money was invested in developing the city and changing it from its commercial shipping and military roots into the family friendly tourist destination that we know today.
The city is located on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula and has grown to become one of Egypt’s most popular tourist destinations. Egypt has always been known for its culture and incredible historical monuments and buildings, but Sharm el-Sheikh offers something a bit more relaxed than the busy streets of Cairo and Giza’s famous Pyramids. There are a mix of small boutique hotels and sprawling luxury five star complexes, long sandy beaches and some incredible spots for scuba diving and snorkelling in the Red Sea.
Luckily, the fast development of Sharm el-Sheikh has not meant that the surrounding natural beauty has been destroyed. There are strict environmental laws in place so that developers can’t build over a certain height, which keeps the beautiful backdrop of alluvial plains, valleys, mountains and dunes.