Holidays in Dahab

Dahab means 'gold' in Arabic, and holidays in Dahab are certainly characterised by its beautiful, sandy beaches - whether you choose to sunbathe on them, swim from them, try a variety of watersports from them or simply enjoy gazing over them.

Originally a Bedouin fishing village and established in the 1970s as a hippie resort, Dahab today retains some of its bohemian atmosphere which combines with modern luxury hotels and traditional Bedouin life to create a truly unique holiday destination. The pace of life in Dahab is slow and relaxed - perfect for those who want to escape the crowds and be lulled by the sun, sea and atmosphere.

Dahab Bay features a mile long promenade of shops, restaurants and cafes with the shores of the Red Sea virtually on their doorstep, a perfect place to enjoy a quiet drink or haggle for a souvenir.

No holiday in Dahab would be complete without experiencing the underwater corals, reefs and marine life that the resort is famed for, and you will find plenty of diving and snorkelling opportunities available in resort. Divers will be particularly attracted by the renowned Blue Hole dive site and the opportunity to experience unique camel diving safaris.

The sandy beaches and reliable breeze in Dahab also create perfect conditions for a number of watersports including wind surfing, kite surfing, parasailing and more

Why visit Dahab?

Longwood Regional Manager Carrie says:

"In contrast to neighbouring Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab is a haven of peace and tranquillity. Originally a small Bedouin fishing village, Dahab has quickly grown a reputation for its staggering beauty, climate, and relaxed way of life. As Dahab now offers deluxe standard hotels, its popularity has increased in recent years - however this has not detracted from the resort's traditional small-town atmosphere.
Hotels are dotted along the meandering coastline, stretching from the northern tip of Dahab at the Blue Hole dive site, down to the southernmost lagoon area. The Blue Hole and Canyon areas feature world-famous reefs and marine life which are a magnet for divers and snorkellers. Set against the backdrop of the Sinai mountains, the hotels enjoy stunning views across the Gulf of Aqaba and the turquoise waters of the Red Sea. Further south, a sheltered shelving beach into the lagoon create perfect conditions for a number of watersports. Characterised by flat water year round in the bay, conditions for learning windsurfing or kite surfing are ideal, while the keen winds offshore offer thrills for the most experienced of enthusiasts.
Visiting the town centre is the perfect way to finish an idyllic day. Enjoy a drink and fresh seafood at one of the many beachfront restaurants, cafes and bars while watching the colours of the sunset over the water. Once refuelled, stroll along the promenade and enjoy haggling in the colourful bazaars and shops selling traditional local wares.
Dahab is also well situated for visiting Jerusalem in Israel and Petra in Jordan, while closer to home are both St. Catherine’s Monastery and Mount Sinai."

Holidays in Sharm el Sheikh

and is Egypt's biggest and most popular Red Sea resort. With a range of hotels to suit every taste and budget, an exciting variety of activities in the water and on land, and some of the region's best nightlife, holidays in Sharm el Sheikh can be as peaceful or as active as you choose. Divers are attracted to Sharm el Sheikh's variety and sheer number of dive sites, including Ras Mohamed National Park and the nearby wreck of the S/S Thistlegorm. Plentiful reefs also make for great snorkelling - and many hotels feature their own house reef (see individual hotel pages for details). For a complete Egypt experience, twin your Sharm el Sheikh holiday with a stay in Cairo or Luxor or a Nile Cruise, or visit some of the region's unmissable sights, including Petra and Jerusalem, on an excursion. Why should you visit Sharm el Sheikh? See what our Resort Manager Carrie Nightingale has to say... Resorts in Sharm el Sheikh Naama Bay If you want to be at the centre of the action, Naama Bay is the place to stay. - Naama Bay is Sharm el Sheikh's main centre, with hotels and dive centres overlooking sandy, gently shelving beaches. - an array of shops, cafés, bars and restaurants are located on and behind the main promenade. - many dive centres, including Red Sea Diving College, operate from Sharm el Sheikh's marina - there's a variety of shopping options from the old souk in downtown Sharm el Sheikh to the gold and silver sellers located in the modern shopping mall in the heart of Naama Bay. Garden Reef Bay Ideal for those looking for a holiday in a peaceful setting, within close proximity to the conveniences of Naama Bay. - set just to the north of Naama Bay - Garden Reef Bay is home to the renowned Gardens dive site, offering spectacular diving and snorkelling opportunities - a Red Sea Waterworld dive centre is based at the Hyatt Regency - a variety of fish and coral heads make the area particularly good for snorkelling. El Pasha & Um Marikha Bay Ideal for relaxing holidays by the pool or on the beach. - North of Garden Reef Bay - a quiet and peaceful area - home to Sharm el Sheikh's 18 hole golf course (in the Maritim Jolie Ville Golf Resort) - approximately a 10 minute drive from Naama Bay, Sharm el Sheikh's busy centre. Ras Nasrani, Sharks Bay, White Knight Bay & Nabq Bay (Northers Sharm el Sheikh) Sharm el Sheikh's fast-growing second centre, and a great alternative to Naama Bay. - this area is seeing massive growth and is set to become Sharm el Sheikh's second major centre. - near the airport - home to The Soho Square entertainment centre (near The Savoy), rapidly becoming a hotspot, with a range fo restaurants, ice rink, bowling alley, nightclub, ice bar and more - this area is home to some of Sharm el Sheikh's most upmarket hotels - the reefs are in very good condition in this area, making it a favourite with divers and snorkelers. Ras Um Sid Great views over Sharm el Sheikh and the Red Sea, near the National Park. - South of Naama Bay - Ras Um Sid is close to Sharm el Sheikh's old souk - also close to Ras Mohamed National Park, with its stunning coral formations and abundance of underwater life. - Ras Um Sid is set on a rocky headland with spectacular views of the Red Sea and reefs. - please note hotels in this area may not be appropriate for those with walking difficulties, due to the characteristic steep slopes. Flights We offer holidays to Sharm el Sheikh year round from both Gatwick and Manchester. We can also tailormake a holiday to Sharm el Sheikh from several regional airports - please call us for further information. All our flights are direct to Sharm el Sheikh airport and include 20kg luggage allowance, in-flight meals and taxes

Dahab Egypt

The scarred desert landscape of Sinai is home to the Bedouins. Originally nomadic people, they have changed with the times and now many of live in and around Dahab. The Bedouins in the Dahab area are called Muzeina and are an important part of the area. The Bedouins give Dahab much of its unique, relaxed atmosphere. Dahab is a famous dive resort that has managed to keep its small-town, hippy feel, unlike the larger centres of Sharm el Sheik and Hurgada.
DahabDahab is one of the oldest and most famous dive areas in the Red Sea offering some of the most exciting and spectacular diving in Sinai. Dahab, which means ‘gold’ in Arabic, was named after its golden beaches, lying on the east coast of the Sinai Peninsula on the Gulf of Aqaba. The journey from the airport in the more touristy Sharm is an hour’s drive through the magnificent desert and mountains.
Dahab’s atmosphere can’t be compared to Sharm; Sharm is a typical built-up holiday resort, while Dahab is smaller and quieter, and still attracts a more ‘alternative’ and younger crowd

The bars, restaurants, and cafes line the beach of the small bay – everywhere offers relaxed seating, ‘Bedouin-style’, on cushions and low sofas, enabling you to enjoy the sun, overlooking the sea, do some quality people watching, playing backgammon or smoking a shesha (the traditional Arabic water pipe).

Dahab now has a good selection of bars and clubs, which are well worth a visit in the afternoons and evenings. Sinai is warm the whole year round – water temperatures range from 21 degrees to 27 in the summer. Dahab is neither as hot nor as crowded as Sharm.
The Red SeaThe Red Sea is known the world over as a first class diving area. Here you can find some of the most exciting and beautiful underwater landscapes of any of our oceans.
The corals are one of the world’s natural phenomena with their colours and species, as well as being home to thousands of species of fish including manta rays, turtles, moray eel, tropical coral fish, clown fish (remember Finding Nemo?), loads of skate and sharks (for example, whale sharks and hammer heads), dolphins and whales.
The Red Sea itself is very narrow but about 2350 km long (350 km at it’s widest point). In the south of the Red Sea there is a narrow Strait called Bab el Mandeb (which literally means the ‘Gate of Tears’), only 29km across which connects it to the Gulf

Dahab lies on the east coast of the Sinai Peninsula, directly on the Gulf of Aqaba, which reaches a depth of almost 2000m. Most reefs in Dahab are shore dives, making diving simple – you just walk into the sea from the beach, keeping Dahab’s waters free from exhaust and noise pollution from dive boats.
The Red Sea was created over 40 million years ago and is one of the most fascinating off-shoots of our oceans. Its name comes originally from a type of algae (trichodesmium erythraeum), which creates a red sheen across the surface when it blooms. However, you could be mistaken for thinking the name comes from the surrounding mountains, which also turn a stunning rosy, rusty red at dawn and sunset, reflecting their colours on the water.
The Red Sea doesn’t have any fresh water inlets and the limited flow of water to and from the Indian Ocean is compensated for by the high levels of evaporation. This gives the Red Sea a relatively high salt content compared to other waters, in fact it is one of the highest on the planet.
Volcanic activity below the surface of the sea remains high due to the high water temperatures in the Red Sea. For example, the Indian Ocean typically measures just 6-7 degrees at 1000m, while the Red Sea remains an amazing 21 degrees at the same depth. It is therefore the warmest and saltiest sea on each, making it therefore the only place where you will see many species of fish, crustaceans, invertebrate and other such underwater wildlife.
The Bedouin cultureThe Bedouin way of life is very different from the dominant Arabic-Islamic cultures in Egypt. For example the Bedouins here take their culture back through the generations to Ishmael in the Bible.
The Bedouins are a proud people with a strong sense of identity, having preserved their sense of community and their excellent hospitality, which many of Dahab’s visitors enjoy. As a minority, the various ‘tribes’ manage their land and culture relatively independent of Egyptian society.
It is extremely important to the Bedouins to maintain their original traditions and ways of life; for instance they usually still wear their colourful traditional dress, the ‘galibia’.
If you’re in Dahab you should definitely take the opportunity to go for a Bedouin dinner and music in the WADIS (small valleys) in the Sinai mountains. The Bedouin DINNER under a clear, star-studded sky deep in the desert is a truly special unforgettable experience.
The main aim of the Dahab.net is to ensure that you get the best out of your diving, eating out and accommodation. You will experience the remarkable variety of the Red Sea, and the real culture of one of the oldest and most interesting countries. You will truly relax in Dahab as you discover the peace of the desert and enjoy the hospitality of the Bedouins.
You are guaranteed to have an amazing, memorable holiday in Dahab with lots of interesting people and experiences

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The Tomb of Khaemwaset (A Son of Ramesses III) in the Valley of the Queens

The tomb of Khaemwaset, one of the sons of Ramesses III, is number QV 44 in the Valley of the Queens on the West Bank of Luxor (ancient Thebes). It was discovered in February 1903, with a numerous sarcophagi pilled up in the entrance corridor.  This was a clear sign that it had been used for common burial.

Khaemwaset had among his most important roles, that of Priest of Ptah in Memphis. His major titles included "Fan-bearer to the Right of the King" and "Sem-priest" as indicated by reliefs in the temple of Medinet Habu. We believe he was probably Ramesses III's oldest sons, and the latest information indicates that his mother was probably Queen Tyti. Why his father's brother rather than he ascended the throne after Ramesses III's death is unknown.

The inscriptions on Khaemwaset's fragmentary sarcophagus indicated that he probably did not die during the reign of Ramesses III, but rather later during that of Ramesses III's brother, Ramesses IV.

Osiris

The walls of the tomb have bas relief decorations, the painted colors of which remain in outstanding condition and are of elegant workmanship.

My the Cat - Guardian of the gates to the Kingdom of Osiris

This tomb follows a straight axes with a descending entrance corridor leading to the first main long room, a vestibule, with offset annexes to either side.  The vestibule leads directly to a burial chamber with niches and a read annex.

As we enter the vestibule, on the left there is an image of Ptah followed by a scene of Ramesses III and Khaemwaset in front of Anubis and Re-Harakhty. On the right wall of this room is the king bringing offerings to Ptah-Sokar along with a representation of he and Khaemwaset presenting Geb with offerings of incense prior to being welcomed by the god Shu.

Ramesses III and Khaemwaset

In the annex to the left (east) of this room, we find the prince alone before deities including Anubis, Horus-Inmutef, Selkis and Neith, and another scene of Nephthys and Isis in the presence of Osiris. Isis and Nephthys are painted predominantly in yellow, a color typical of these female deities.  In the right annex the prince is shown with the sons of Horus and other deities. There are also scenes of Isis in the presence of Osiris and Nephthys opposite Ptah-Sokaris.

From here, entering the burial chamber, we first find on the left chapters 145-146 of the Book of the Dead. Another scene shows Ramesses III being followed by the prince, and then we have scenes of the genies guarding the gates of the kingdom of Osiris (gates 10, 12, 14 and 16). On the rear wall of the chamber the king presents his son to Sekhenur (The Great Tightener), My (The Cat), Saupen (The Protector) and Dikesu-uden-bega-per-em-mut (He Who Imposes Abasement, Who Provokes Weakness and Emerges as Death).

On the right in this room we also find the chapters 145 and 146 from the Book of the Dead, the prince following the king but this time the gate watchers have opened the way for the prince. , These genies guarding the gates of the kingdom of Osiris include Dendeni "the Furious", guarding gate 9, Pefesakuef The one who inflames his brazier" guarding gate 11, Hedjiaua and bird headed Nehes-oer-em-duat (which means, "Vigilant Face Emerging from Duat")

The Jackal and Lion

In these scenes, Ramesses III followed by his son head towards the obstacles (gates) to the kingdom of Osiris.  Phaemwaset will have to confront the gatekeepers with magic spells from the Book of the Dead in order to surmount these obstacles and enter the afterworld kingdom.

In the rear annex we find a scene of Anubis the Jackal, a lion and then the king along presenting offerings to Thoth and Harsiesis, who was heir to his father, Osiris. Harsiesis is shown with a falcon head, wearing the atef-crown. To the right are the genii Nebneru and Khaemwaset who takes on the form of another genii, Hery-matt and then Ramesses III making offerings in front of Horus and Shepes.  On the rear wall of this chamber is a double scene of Osiris with green skin facing Neith (left) and Nephthys (right). Emerging from a blue lotus flower at Osiris feet are the figures representing the sons of Horus, Imsety, Duamutef, Qebhsenuef and Hapy.

Valley of the Queens

The Valley of the Queens is located on the West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes). There are between 75 and 80 tombs in the Valley of the Queens, or Biban al-Harim.  These belong to Queens of the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties.

These include The Tomb of Khaemwese (Tomb 44): Scenes in Khaemwese's tomb show him being presented to the guardians of the gates to the afterlife along with his father.  He is making an offering in the scene, and is dressed in a robe, wearing a necklace and the sidelocks of youth.

The Tomb of Queent Titi (Tomb 52): She is probably the queen of a 20th Dynasty.  She is depicted with the sidelocks common to the Egyptian young of the period and in the presence of the gods Thoth, Atum, Isis and Nephthys.  In the next chamber the queen is shown making offerings to Hathor the cow, and in the last chamber the gods Neith, Osiris, Selquit, Nephthys and Thoth.

The Tomb of Amenhikhopeshef (Tomb 55): Amenhikhopeshef was a son of Ramesses III and scenes show him with his father and the gods Thoth, Ptah and others. He was probably about nine years old when he died.  Scenes show him being presented to various gods, including Anubis, the Jackal-headed god of the dead, by his father, Ramesses III. A premature baby was also found in to tomb. This belonged to this mother, who aborted upon learning of Amenhikhopeshef's death.

The Tomb of Nefertari (Tomb 66): One of five wives of Ramesses II, Nefertari was his favorite and the tomb here has been is said to be one of the most beautiful in Egypt.  The tomb is completely painted with scenes though out.  In most of these, Nefertari, known as 'the most beautiful of them', is accompanied by gods.  She is usually wearing a golden crown with two feathers extended from the back of a vulture and clothed in a white, gossamer  gown. Be sure not to miss the side room where one scene depicts the queen worshipping the mummified body of Osiris.  Near the stairs to the burial chamber is another wonderful scene with Nefertarti offering milk to the goddess Hathor.

The Suez Canal

There seems to have always been an interest in linking the Mediterranean and Red Sea. Most of the early efforts were directed towards a link from the Nile to the Red Sea, thus indirectly linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean through the Nile.  Strabo and Pliny record that the earliest effort was directed by Senusret III, but no evidence that there was an actual canal built exists.  The earliest efforts may have actually occurred at the command of Seti I or Ramesses II during the 13th century BC.

According to the Chronicle of the Pharaohs by Peter A. Clayton, under Necho II (610-595 BC) a canal was built between the Pelusian branch of the Nile and the northern end of the Bitter Lakes (which lies between the two seas)  at a cost of, reportedly, 100,000 lives.  However, over many years, the canal fell into disrepair, only to be extended, abandoned, and rebuilt again.  After having been neglected, it was rebuilt by the Persian ruler, Darius I (522-486 BC), who's canal can still be seen along the Wadi Tumilat.  According to Herodotus, his canal was wide enough that two triremes could pass each other with oars extended, and that it took four days to navigate. He commemorated the completion of his canal with a series of granite stelae set up along the Nile Bank.

This canal is said to have been extended to the Red Sea by Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-246 BC), abandoned during the early Roman rule, but rebuilt again by Trajan (98-117 AD)  Over the next several centuries, it once again was abandoned and sometimes dredged by various rulers for various but limited purposes. Amr Ibn el-As rebuilt the canal after the Islamic takeover of Egypt creating a new supply line from Cairo, but in 767 AD, the Abbasid caliph El-Mansur closed the canal a final time to cut off supplies to insurgents located in the Delta. Of course, over time, ships grew in size and so the ancient attempts to connect the two seas would not have worked anyway today.

The first efforts to build a modern canal came from the Egypt Expedition of Napoleon Bonaparte, who hoped the project would create a devastating trade problem for the English. Though this project was begun in 1799 by Charles Le Pere, a miscalculation estimated that the levels between the Mediterranean Sea and the Read Sea were too great (estimating that the Red Sea was some ten meters higher than that of the Mediterranean Sea) and work was quickly suspended.

Then, in 1833, a group of French intellectuals known as the Saint-Simoniens arrived in Cairo and they became very interested in the Suez project despite such problems as the difference in sea levels.  Unfortunately, at that time Mohammed Ali had little interest in the project, and in 1835, the Saint-Simoniens were devastated by a plague epidemic. Most of the twenty or so engineers returned to France. They did leave behind several enthusiasts for the canal, including Ferdinand de Lesseps (who was then the French vice-consul in Alexandria) and Linant de Bellefonds

In Paris, the Saint-Simoniens created an association in 1846 to study the possibility of the Suez Canal once again.  In 1847, Bourdaloue confirmed that there was no real difference in the levels between the Mediterranean and Red Seas, and it was Linant de Bellefonds that drew up the technical report. Unfortunately, there was considerable British opposition to the project, and Mohammed Ali, who was ill by this time, was less than enthusiastic.

However, Pasha Said was very open to European influence, and in fact, was a childhood friend of Vicomte Ferdinand Marie de Lesseps, who ended up founding the La Campagnie Universelle du Canal Maritime de Suez (Universal Company of the Maritime Suez Canal) in 1858 to build the canal. This was a private company, which would build the canal under an agreement allowing it to operate the canal for 99 years, after which it would revert to Egyptian government ownership.

The pilot study estimated that a total of 2,613 million cubic feet of earth would have to be moved, including 600 million on land, and another 2,013 million dredged from water.  The total original cost estimate was two hundred million francs.

When at first the company ran into financial problems, it was Pasha Said who purchased 44 percent of the company to keep it in operation.  However, the British and Turks were concerned with the venture and managed to have work suspended for a short time, until the intervention of Napoleon III.  Excavation of the canal actually began on April 25th, 1859, and between then and 1862, the first part of the canal was completed.  However, after Ismail succeeded Pasha Said in 1863, the work was again suspended.  After Ferdinand De Lesseps again appealed to Napoleon III, an international commission was formed in March of 1864.  The commission resolved the problems and within three years, the canal was completed.  On November 17, 1869 the barrage of the Suez plains reservoir was breached and waters of the Mediterranean flowed into the Red Sea.

The total original cost of building the canal was about $100 million, about twice its original estimated coast. However, about three times that sum was spent on later repairs and improvements.

The completion of the Suez Canal was a cause for considerable celebration.  In Port Said, the extravaganza began with fireworks and a ball attended by six thousand people.  They included many heads of state, including the Empress Eugenie, the Emperor of Austria, the Prince of Wales, the Prince of Prussia and the Prince of the Netherlands. Two convoys of ships entered the canal from its southern and northern points and met at Ismailia. Parties continued for weeks, and the celebration also marked the opening of Ismail's old Opera House in Cairo, which is now gone.

The canal had a dramatic affect on world trade almost from the time it was opened, and even on world politics. Now, it was much easier for European nations to penetrate and colonize Africa.

Because of external debts the British government purchased the shares owned by Egyptian interests, namely those of Said Pasha, in 1875, for some 400,000 pounds sterling. Yet France continued to have a majority interest. Under the terms of an international convention signed in 1888 (The Convention of Constantinople), the canal was opened to vessels of all nations without discrimination, in peace and war. Nevertheless, Britain considered the canal vital to the maintenance of its maritime power and colonial interests. Therefore, the provisions of the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 allowed Britain to maintain a defensive force along the Suez Canal Zone. However, Egyptian nationalists demanded repeatedly that Britain evacuate the Suez Canal Zone, and in 1954 the two countries signed a seven-year agreement that superseded the 1936 treaty and provided for the gradual withdrawal of all British troops from the zone.

By June 1956 all British troops had departed, and Egypt took over the British installations. Nevertheless, various conflicts caused the closure of the canal for intermittent periods.

Unfortunately between the Suez Crisis and later wars, the canal was damaged extensively and was not operated for several year after 1967.  However, on June 5th, 1975, the canal was again opened, and since then has been updated and enlarged.

The canal stretches over 100 miles (163 kilometers) from Port Said and the Mediterranean Sea to Suez and the Red Sea and, along with other such projects, changed the face of maritime world trade.

The famous Canal (Translated from Arabic as Qana al-Suways) of the modern era is one of the greatest engineering feats of modern record.  At its narrowest point, it is about 300 meters wide (197 feet) at the bottom. It is wide enough to allow ships having a a maximum draft of 16 meters (53 feet). The canal can accommodate ships as large as 150,000 dead weight tons fully loaded.

The Canal is really not wide enough to allow two way passage of ships, but there are several passing bays, and areas where ships may pass each other in the Bitter Lakes and between Qantarah and Ismailia. There is also a railway that runs the entire distance of the canal.

The Suez Canal has no locks, because the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Suez have roughly the same water level. Actually, the canal does not stretch continuously from one sea to the other. It really consists of two parts each flowing into the bitter lakes which lies between Port Said and Suez, and it also uses the waters of Lake Manzilah and Lake Timsah.

Three convoys transit the canal on a typical day, two southbound and one northbound. The first southbound convoy enters the canal in the early morning hours and proceeds to the Great Bitter Lake, where the ships anchor out of the fairway and await the passage of the northbound convoy. The northbound convoy passes the second southbound convoy, which moors to the canal bank in a by-pass, in the vicinity of El Qantara. Egypt's Suez Canal Authority (SCA) reported that in 2003 17,224 ships passed through the canal. The canal averages about 8% of the world shipping traffic. The passage takes between 11 and 16 hours at a speed of around 8 knots. The low speed helps prevent erosion of the canal banks by ship's wakes.

Improvements are planned to allow supertanker passage though the canal by 2010. Presently, supertankers can offload part of their cargo onto a canal-owned boat and reload at the other end of the canal.

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Sharm el-Sheikh

Sharm el-Sheikh is on a promontory overlooking the Straits of Tiran at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba. Its strategic importance led to its transformation from a fishing village into a major port and naval base for the Egyptian Navy. It was captured by Israel during the Suez Crisis of 1956 and restored to Egypt in 1957. A United Nations peacekeeping force was subsequently stationed there until the 1967 Six-Day War when it was recaptured by Israel. Sharm el-Sheikh remained under Israeli control until the Sinai peninsula was restored again to Egypt in 1982 after the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty of 1979.^{[citation needed]}
A hierarchical planning approach was adopted for the Gulf of Aqaba, whereby their components were evaluated and subdivided into zones, cities and centers. In accordance with this approach the Gulf of Aqaba zone was subdivided into four cities: Taba, Nuweiba, Dahab and Sharm El-Sheikh. Sharm el-Sheikh city has been subdivided into five homogeneous centers, namely Nabq, Ras Nusrani, Naama Bay, Umm Sid and Sharm El Maya.

A street in Naama Bay.

Sharm el-Sheikh city together with Naama Bay, Hay el Nour, Hadaba, Rowaysat, Montazah and Shark's Bay form a metropolitan area.
Before 1967 Sharm el-Sheikh was little more than an occasional base of operations for local fishermen; the nearest permanent settlement was in Nabk, north of Ras el-Nasrani ("The Tiran Straits"). Commercial development of the area began during the Israeli presence in the area. The Israelis built the town of Ofira, overlooking Sharm el-Maya Bay and the Nesima area, and opened the first tourist-oriented establishments in the area 6 km north at Naama Bay. These included a marina hotel on the southern side of the bay, a nature field school on the northern side, diving clubs, a now well-known promenade, and the Naama Bay Hotel.^{[citation needed]}
After Sinai was restored to Egypt in 1982 the Egyptian government embarked on an initiative to encourage continued development of the city. Foreign investors – some of whom had discovered the potential of the locality during the Israeli occupation – contributed to a spate of building projects. Environmental zoning laws currently limit the height of buildings in Sharm el-Sheikh so as to avoid obscuring the natural beauty of the surroundings.
In 2005, the resort was hit by the Sharm el-Sheikh terrorist attacks, which were perpetrated by an extremist Islamist organisation, and aimed at Egypt's tourist industry. Eighty-eight people were killed, the majority of them Egyptians, and over 200 were wounded by the attack, making it the deadliest terrorist action in the country's history (exceeding the Luxor massacre of 1997).^[1]
The city has played host to a number of important Middle Eastern peace conferences, including the 4 September 1999 agreement to restore Palestinian self-rule over the Gaza Strip. A second summit was held at Sharm on 17 October 2000 following the outbreak of the second Palestinian intifada, but it failed to end the violence. A summit was held in the city on 3 August 2005 on developments in the Arab world such as the situation in Iraq and the Arab-Israeli conflict. The World Economic Forum on the Middle East 2008 was also hosted by Sharm el-Sheikh.^[2]
Amidst the 2011 Egyptian protests, President Hosni Mubarak reportedly went to Sharm el-Sheikh and resigned there on 11 February 2011.^[3]

The average temperatures during the winter months (November to March) range from 15 to 35 degrees Celsius (59-95°F) and during the summer months (April to October) from 20 to 45 degrees Celsius (68-113°F). The temperature of the Red Sea in this region ranges from 21 to 28 degrees Celsius (70-84°F) over the course of the year