Middle East - Anthony Ham [156]
Shark’s Bay
Shark’s Bay Umbi Diving Village ( 360 0942; www.sharksbay.com; s/d huts without bathroom €12/15, cabins €20/30, cliffside chalets €30/40; ) Once a quiet bay 6km north of Na’ama Bay, these days this small stretch of beach bustles with bronzed bodies packed like sardines. The diving camp here, run by a Bedouin family, has expanded to try to facilitate the rush and somehow still manages to feel more laid back than the rest of Sharm. You can stay in some of their top-value original beach huts, opt for swishier beach bungalows or go for the even more robust cliffside chalets. There’s a relaxing bar/café and restaurant here serving decent grub, a small supermarket and a popular diving centre. They do pick-ups from the airport; otherwise the only way to get here from Na’ama Bay is by very overpriced taxi (E£40).
Eating
Sharm el-Sheikh
King (mains E£1.50-7; from 7am) With cheap and quick Egyptian eats like fuul and ta’amiyya being whipped up at lightning speed, it’s no surprise there’s always a line out the door of this popular take-away joint.
Felfela ( 012 915 4345; City Centre Mall, Old Market; meals E£8-45; ) This branch of the popular Cairo eatery serves up a whopping menu of Egyptian favourites in sparkling, modern and bright surroundings. There’s outdoor seating here to enjoy the sun, or an air-con indoor dining area to escape the heat. Try the roast pigeon (E£30 for two).
Red Sea Fish ( 366 4250; Old Market; meals E£15-40) One of the best-value seafood restaurants in Sharm, these guys do wonderful things to the catch of the day.
Ristorante & Beach Club El-Fanar ( 366 2218; Ras Um Sid; mains E£40-170) Perched on the side of a cliff next to the lighthouse, this glamorous Italian restaurant has the best location in Sharm. While the decor drips with Bedouin-influenced charm, the Italian menu is as authentic as the Colosseum. Expect to see the usual pastas, well-prepared mains and thin-crust pizzas, all promising fresh ingredients like mozzarella, anchovies and capers aplenty. You can buy imported wine by the glass here.
The reasonably priced Sharm Express Supermarket ( 8am-2am), in front of the Old Market, sells a limited range of toiletries, drinks and food.
Na’ama Bay
There are lots of cushioned places around Na’ama Bay where you can chill and have a shai and sheesha, though it’s best to steer clear of the food – it’s nothing special.
Gado ( 24hr) This ‘nouvelle Egyptian’ fast-food eatery, at the start of the mall, has a pleasant outdoor terrace and a refreshingly cheap (for Sharm) price list. Felafel sandwiches cost E£2, shwarma sandwiches E£7 and fuul E£4 to E£5.
Abou El Sid ( 360 3910; Na’ama Bay; meals E£35-80; ) Above the Hard Rock Café, this remarkable arabesque hideaway is as intimate as it gets. It has low ceilings and is filled with massive, painted tray tables, carved seats and low-slung wrought-iron lampshades. The food experiments with the more exotic end of Egyptian and Middle Eastern cuisine and is commendably prepared, their specialty being an ancient recipe for Circassian chicken with walnut sauce (E£50). There’s an outdoor roof patio that opens after 5pm.
Little Buddha ( 360 1030; www.littlebuddha-sharm.com; Na’ama Bay; mains E£62-110; ) This restaurant and sushi bar is not only one of the plushest places to eat in town, it also serves up the best Pan-Asian food in Sinai. Owned by the same folk who brought you the Buddha in Paris, the menu covers everything from Thai to Japanese – local expats rave about the Red Fire curry shrimp (E£94).
Drinking & Entertainment
Popular watering holes include the ubiquitous Hard Rock Café, in the mall at Na’ama Bay, and the Camel Roof Bar ( 360 0700; Camel Hotel, Na’ama Bay).
On most nights, dive instructors and expats