Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt is located at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, just on the edge of the Sinai Desert on the Red Sea. Sharm el-Sheikh is sometimes transliterated as Sharm ash Shaykh, as is seen on this map of Egypt. Most visitors just call it "Sharm".
Sharm el-Sheikh is an Egyptian resort area, filled with mostly European vacationers who are seeking sunny beaches and sparkling, brilliant blue waters for diving or snorkeling. The area has been growing fast since the 1980's, but Sharm el-Sheikh's tourist industry took a major setback in July 2005, when 3 terrorist bombs killed 63 people and injured over 100 more. Since that time, the Egyptian government has tightened security, and many great travel discounts are available. When I visited Sharm el-Sheikh in October 2006 from the Silversea Silver Whisper cruise ship, many vacationers were enjoying the wonderful weather and crystal clear Red Sea. Our excursion drove through the Sinai Desert to St. Catherine's Monastery.
