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Health Tips
Always remember to bring plenty of sun screen and protective clothing--the sun is intense in Sinai. Although temperatures can reach 100° F during the day, at night the desert turns cool, even freezing, so some warm clothing is also necessary. Finally, carrying bottled water is indispensable. Tap water outside the Sharm el-Sheikh area is largely undrinkable, and the arid, hot environment can dehydrate you very quickly.
Reef Safety
Avoid walking on the coral, and wear shoes whenever you enter the water to protect your feet. Also beware of stinging fish like the Stonefish and Scorpionfish (both stony in appearance and occasionally hard to distinguish from underwater rocks), not to mention the sometimes lethal dorsal fin of the zebra-striped Lionfish. Larger predators, such as sharks and barracudas, will generally leave you alone if you leave them alone. On sighting one, use caution and move slowly toward the coral or boat.
Sharm el-Sheikh Hospital Tel: 600425
Sharm el-Sheikh Pharmacy Tel:600388/600779
Transportation: Getting There
The Sinai can be reached by air, bus or car. EgyptAir flies to the peninsula from Cairo and Luxor (Airport: 601056-8; Sharm el-Sheikh Mövenpick Hotel Jolie Ville: 600314/600100). The National Bus Service operates daily between most of the major towns on the peninsula. Since some buses leave only once a day, check schedules. It's advisable to book in advance for the more frequently travelled passages, such as between Sharm and Cairo (tel: 699250). A Super Jet Bus Service also operates daily at 11 pm between Sharm and Cairo (tel: 601622). Safaris and car travel can be arranged through hotels and dive centers. If you are coming by bus from Israel, remember that you will need a visa to enter Egypt.
Getting Around Most travel in Sinai keeps to the coastal roads, although a few paved roads link the major settlements of the interior. Most sites can be reached by bus from the resort centers of the south. Expect to pay car or truck drivers more for any travel in the lower peninsula; if you are driving yourself, remember that foreigners are forbidden to leave the main roads. There is regular ferry service between Nuweiba and Aqaba and between Hurghada and Sharm el-Moya (Sharm el-Sheikh's southern harbour). A tuftuf (open-sided bus) operated by the local council runs every half-hour between Na'ama Bay and Sharm el-Moya from 6:30am to midnight (cost: LE 1).
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