3 Best Sights in Sharm el-Sheikh and Red Sea Coast, Egypt

In addition to offering Sharm's best shore diving and snorkeling, this public beach—at the southeastern tip of town and surrounded by cafés, bars, restaurants, and lounges—is a great place to relax before or after spending time in the water. Come early in the day to sip fresh juice on a waterfront swing or to curl up with a book on a cushy lounge chair. At lunch, enjoy pizza, pasta, or fresh seafood. In the evening, smoke a shisha and unwind while enjoying sunset views that are the best in the city. Things hop here till about 2 am; on weekends, a lot of places have live music. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunset.

This long strip of sand has many private stretches overseen by the hotels that line the beach. Some sections are calm and quiet, while others are busy, with loud music and resort-led exercise and dance classes. Some areas also attract a lot of families with extensive playgrounds, though these are typically only accessible to hotel guests. Note, too, that the entire beach area closes at sunset. Even if you don’t plan to get in the water, you can enjoy the view from one of many boardwalk restaurants that are open to everyone. Many dive shops and tour companies also have offices along the boardwalk, so it’s a good place to find out about tours and water-based activities. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: swimming, walking.

As part of a grand plan to showcase Egyptian history across the country, the state-of-the-art Sharm el-Sheikh Museum opened in 2017 with major ancient pharaonic artifacts. Notable items include the heads of statues of Hatshepsut and Ramses II; the inner and outer coffins of Isetemheb; and the ornate, 21st-Dynasty sarcophagus of the nobleman, Imesy, which was repatriated to Egypt by U.S. authorities in 2010. There's also a small collection of Coptic art.