4 days in Sharm El Sheikh with @gracegrangetravel

Egypt has so much more than the pyramids – endless beaches, coral reefs and a club scene that’s pretty popular. If it’s beachy days you’re after, Sharm El Sheikh is the one. It has 35 kilometres of dreamy coastline, and the sea has shipwrecks and reefs to explore. That’s not to mention the watersports, souks and unreal foodie scene. Check out what I got up to on my four-day trip there…

Day 1 – arrival and dinner at the hotel

After arriving in the late afternoon, it was a short and seamless transfer over to our hotel – Jaz Fanara Resort and Residence. One of the reasons I’d picked this hotel was because of its great location – right on the beach, and close to Sharm’s Old Town. The hotel grounds were beautiful and green, and our room was so bright and spacious. There were lots of lovely bars and seating areas at the hotel for drinks and to play cards. On our first evening, we checked out the hotel restaurants for dinner. There are two buffets with everything you can possibly imagine, plus an à la carte Italian restaurant – included for one night during your stay.

Day 2 – desert experience

We spent the morning relaxing by the pool – there are several to choose from, and plenty of activities throughout the day. I enjoyed the smaller, more relaxing pool, and it felt such a treat to be sunbathing in 25˚C in March – you don’t get that in Spain at this time of year! There was even a poolside BBQ lunch set-up, which was so tasty.

In the afternoon, we got picked up to go on an Arabian night experience with stargazing and Bedouin dinner with First Choice Experiences. I wasn’t sure what to expect before going, but it was SO much fun! We had a bumpy jeep ride to an amazing viewpoint in the desert, that looked like another planet, followed by Bedouin tea back at the camp. We learned how to make traditional bread and ate it alongside a delicious Bedouin dinner, cooked underground in the traditional way. It was amazing! The stargazing desert experience was definitely more peaceful and relaxed compared to some of the other experiences that included quad or buggy riding – so if you prefer something more laidback, this experience is for you. Once the sun had set, an astrology expert appeared out of nowhere with a big telescope and we could see Jupiter. He taught us about the constellations, and it was a lovely way to finish off the evening before heading back to our hotel.

Day 3 – boat trip and sightseeing in Sharm Old Town

We were up early for a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park, and I was really excited for this after hearing that apparently some of the best snorkelling and diving can be found here. Unfortunately, the wind was quite strong on this day, so we couldn’t visit the usual spots, but the crew made sure we didn’t miss out. The staff on board were so knowledgeable about the underwater world, and they were very careful about looking after everyone in the water – we had to swim as a group to stay safe. I couldn’t believe the coral and fish that I saw – they were SO vibrant and varied. I’ve snorkelled all over the world in places like Fiji, Thailand and the Bahamas – but this was the best. Because of the time of year, our boat was far from full so we could enjoy sunbathing as well as a delicious lunch. You could also book an adults-only ‘Elite VIP’ boat for an added level of luxury and fewer people, if you preferred.

On the way back from the port, we got dropped in Sharm Old Town where we enjoyed a wander and a juice from a local stall. The main attraction here is the VERY impressive Al-Sahaba Mosque. Although only built in recent years, it looks like it could have been standing for centuries. Old Sharm comes alive at night and it would be fun to visit if you fancy a change from your hotel one evening. We decided to visit the ‘viral’ Farsha Café to see if it was worth the hype – and WOW, I’ve never seen a bar like it. If you’re visiting here, expect it to be VERY busy (especially around sunset) and you have to queue for a ticket to be seated. But, it’s definitely worth doing! As the night went on, it got livelier and it was so much fun – plus, it was just a short walk from our hotel.

Day 4 – final morning before travelling home

Before heading to the airport for our flight home, we managed to squeeze in some snorkelling right off the hotel beach, which was amazing, and we had a gorgeous lunch at Del Mar Beach Lounge. It had the most unreal setting and it was literally next door to the Jaz Fanara. If we had more time, I would have loved to visit St Catherine’s Monastery and the diving town of Dahab – one for the next trip…

If @gracegrangetravel’s trip sounds like a bit of you, have a look at our Egypt holidays and you can find all her picks on our Insiders Hub.       