Snorkeling Trips in Sharm El Sheikh (2026): Best Reefs, Boat Trips & Prices

Quick answer: The best snorkelling in Sharm El Sheikh is at Ras Mohammed National Park (Shark & Yolanda Reef, Anemone City — the finest coral in the area), the drift reefs of the Straits of Tiran (Jackson and Gordon reefs), and the sheltered house reefs off Naama Bay and Shark's Bay, which you can snorkel straight from shore. Most visitors take a full-day boat trip (roughly 1,000–3,000 EGP, lunch and gear included); Ras Mohammed and Tiran are boat-only, while the house reefs are free from the beach.

Sharm snorkelling at a glance

Sharm El Sheikh sits on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula, where the Red Sea's coral grows right up to the shore. You do not need to dive to see the best of it — the reefs are shallow, the water is warm and clear, and a mask and snorkel are enough to float over walls of coral busy with fish. This guide covers where to go, how to get there, what you'll see and what it costs.

The best snorkelling sites

Ras Mohammed is the headline. It's a protected national park at the very southern tip of Sinai, where two seas meet and nutrient-rich water feeds the healthiest coral in the region. Shark & Yolanda Reef and Anemone City are the standouts — vertical coral walls dropping into deep blue, clouds of anthias, clownfish in their anemones, and often turtles and Napoleon wrasse. It's boat-only and inside a park, so you go with a licensed operator.

The Straits of Tiran are a string of four reefs in the channel between Sinai and Tiran Island. There can be gentle current, which makes for lovely drift snorkelling as you float along the reef edge, but it means Tiran is a boat trip rather than a shore swim.

If you'd rather not take a boat at all, the house reefs off Naama Bay, Shark's Bay and the Gardens are excellent and free — many hotels have a jetty or ladder straight onto the reef. These are the best option for beginners and for anyone who just wants to snorkel between other plans.

Boat trip or from the shore?

A full-day boat trip is how most people snorkel Sharm. You board in the morning at the marina, cruise to two or three reef stops (often Ras Mohammed or Tiran plus White Island), with lunch served on board and gear provided. It's the only way to reach the best reefs, and the boat time itself — sun deck, turquoise water — is half the appeal.

Shore snorkelling costs nothing beyond your own mask and fins. The Gardens and Shark's Bay reefs are metres from the beach, and you can go whenever you like. The trade-off is that you miss Ras Mohammed and Tiran, which are the two best sites.

What you'll see

The Red Sea has some of the richest coral reefs on the planet. Expect hard and soft corals in reds, purples and yellows; shoals of butterflyfish, parrotfish and sergeant majors; clownfish darting in anemones; moray eels tucked in crevices; and blue-spotted stingrays on the sand. Lucky snorkellers see green turtles grazing, huge Napoleon wrasse, and — usually at a safe distance — the occasional reef shark. Ras Mohammed and Tiran have the densest life.

Best time to snorkel in Sharm

Sharm is a year-round snorkelling destination. The water is warmest from May to October (around 26–29°C) and calmest in late spring and autumn. Winter (December–February) is cooler — around 21–23°C, when a shorty wetsuit is welcome — but visibility stays excellent and the reefs are just as alive. April–May and September–October are the sweet spot: warm sea, comfortable air, fewer crowds.

Tips before you go

• Bring reef-safe sunscreen and a rash vest — the sun is strong and you'll be face-down for a while.
• If you burn easily, snorkel in a t-shirt; the back of your legs catches the most sun.
• Don't touch or stand on the coral — it's fragile and protected, and fire coral stings.
• Choose an operator that provides a guide in the water, especially for Ras Mohammed and Tiran.
• Book Ras Mohammed and Tiran as boat trips; save the house reefs for a free afternoon.

Prices and how to book

A full-day snorkelling boat trip from Sharm typically runs ~1,000–3,000 EGP per person including lunch and gear, depending on the boat and the reefs visited. Ras Mohammed and premium yacht trips sit at the higher end; standard island trips are cheaper. Shore snorkelling on the house reefs is free.

You can book vetted Sharm snorkelling trips instantly on This is Egypt — for example the Ras Mohammed & White Island luxury yacht snorkel, the Tiran Island cruise with snorkelling and lunch, or the White Island & Ras Mohammed snorkel cruise — or just ask us on WhatsApp and we'll match you to the right boat.