After a week of relaxing at an “all-inclusive” hotel, we moved to an ascetic little house right on the seashore. This is Sharks Bay Umbi Diving Village — one of the most affordable yet highly-rated options in Sharm El-Sheikh on Booking.com. The atmosphere here is completely different: there is no “package holiday” hustle, the sea is just two steps from your front door, and the evenings are filled with pure romance and tranquility.
For lovers of peaceful retreats and the underwater world, this place is a perfect fit. However, the infrastructure is admittedly lacking. It truly feels like living in a coastal village with a small beach and a restaurant. But the most important thing is the extensive, vibrant reef that starts right at the pier. On the other hand, if you need an ATM or a regular grocery store—let alone a fresh fish market—you’ll have to travel quite a distance or use a taxi.
Right by the beach, there are two dive clubs with guest rooms, and we stayed in one of them. Each has its own small beach area with sun loungers and a restaurant.
A bit higher up on the cliff lies the cozy Sharks Bay Oasis — an entire neighborhood of small apartment houses with well-kept grounds. It features multiple swimming pools, green alleys, and most importantly, a magnificent view of the sea. The rental prices here are slightly higher.
You can head down from the cliff to the beach via an elevator or a staircase that winds through Basata Cafe, one of the most romantic spots in Sharm. You might be familiar with the more famous Farsha. The format is similar, but here you find silence and romance rather than noisy parties.
For other types of entertainment, you’ll need to head to Soho Square, located about a 20-minute walk away, or travel to the neighboring Nabq district.
Accommodation and Beach
More details about our cabin: the main advantage is the sea being just a few steps from the door. Inside, everything is simple: two beds with canopies (yes, mosquitoes live here), air conditioning, a fridge, a bathroom, and an outdoor table with a sea view. As for the crowd, it’s mostly people with children or middle-aged couples. There are many Italians, along with British, German, and even Canadian guests.
The beach is free for residents, while outside guests pay $3 for a sunbed. Access to the neighboring beach under the villas was free, so tourists coming for a day swim and a beer mostly headed there.
In short, if you want to watch the fish, lounge on a sunbed, and avoid being hounded by touts, this bay is for you!
In the southern corner, there is a tiny spot with a sandy entry into the sea, which children will love. You might even encounter beauties like this: 
For a week’s stay in our hut, we paid $272, which is about $40 per night including breakfast. The breakfast, by the way, is quite good: omelets, fruit, pastries, yogurts, and even tasty cheese, which is a rarity for Egypt.
We booked our stay on Booking.com; here is the current offer for reference:
Food
The menu in all the local restaurants is practically the same; in Basata, they actually bring food from the central restaurant. Besides the standard pizzas and burgers, you can order delicious shrimp soup or a tajine (Maghrebi clay pot dish) with your choice of seafood. It’s definitely worth a try. For cocktails, head to Basata at sunset.
For seafood by weight, we recommend going to Nabq — a 15-minute taxi ride, or a walk to the main road to catch a microbus for $0.30. We loved the large shrimp, squid rings, and especially the eel. Prices range from $10-$15, and lobster was $35 per kg.
If you feel too lazy to go anywhere, you can order delivery for $2. We specifically took the number of a seafood shop (marked on maps as Fish Center): +20 106 718 2229
You can also use another life hack: in the Nabq area, there is the famous George Clooney shop, created specifically for tourists. Don’t be alarmed by the name—it’s actually the cheapest market in Sharm for almost everything. Admittedly, much of the stock resembles mass-market goods from AliExpress. However, a kilogram of mango here costs $4, while neighboring stalls charge $6.
This shop has a very high turnover and aggressive marketing. You can even chat about it with the owner, who is often at the checkout to negotiate if needed! =)
One of their ways to attract people is a free transfer from any hotel. You message them on Facebook or call them, and a minibus arrives to take you there and back. The fish stall is located 200 meters to the right if you are facing the shop entrance. Your chosen seafood takes about 40 minutes to prepare, during which time you can head to George Clooney’s, grab some fruit, and catch the return transfer. Result: everyone is happy! =)
Prices
Due to the somewhat limited local infrastructure, prices on the beach are higher than the average for Sharm. A beer, for example, will cost you $5, as will a simple meal; minestrone can be had for $3 — the cheapest food on the menu. The romantic Basata has a drink menu for every taste, but the prices are a notch higher. However, the view and atmosphere are worth it.
Taxi to the airport — $10. If you want to save money, walk out to the nearest main road and ask a taxi driver to drop you off at the airport entrance. Since the driver won’t have to pay for entry to the paid parking, he will take you for half the price.
Diving
It’s not called a divers’ village for nothing; they are everywhere here—outnumbered only by the cats! =) But what I liked was that nobody pushes any services on you, unlike most hotel beaches.
The average cost for a 30-minute boat dive for a beginner, including lunch and equipment, is $50. Haggling is possible.
You can find better deals at street tour stalls or online, but don’t be surprised by the number of people on deck and the reduced time spent actually underwater.
We were a bit unlucky: during our stay, Sharm was hosting an international youth forum. Due to the Egyptian President’s presence in town, nearby bays were closed to boats. Additionally, the border with Saudi Arabia is not far away. Local divers usually head to Tiran Island, which is visible from the beach, but after waiting a few days, we gave up and booked a trip with a larger excursion group. =)
In the end, we went diving off the coast of Ras Mohammed. Here’s how it works: a transfer picks you up early in the morning, then an hour until boarding the boat, another hour on the boat, a 15-minute dive (but you wait about an hour for everyone else), followed by two snorkeling stops of about half an hour each, and the journey back. No matter how you slice it, you return to the hotel by evening.
Note that the two of us dove while our daughter, Justina, played on deck under the supervision of the friendly staff and other tourists. We paid $70 for everyone, though the dive time was half as long as what the guys at Sharks Bay offer. We enjoyed the atmosphere, the lunch was good, and “White Island” was completely submerged underwater at the time! =)
What to Do if You Get Bored
Since January can have days with strong winds, sometimes we wanted a break from the sea to go somewhere and unwind.
The standard set of excursions includes:
- Camel and quad bike rides through the desert
- Trips to the Ras Mohammed reserve (Google it!)
- Glass-bottom boat trips (we rented a similar catamaran for $7 an hour, saw a stingray and a 2-meter fish — highly recommended)
- Climbing Mount Moses in Dahab
But you can find even more interesting things on Tripster, and the prices there are clearly more attractive than at the hotels:
Find cheap flights every day HERE
