How far is it from beachfront hotels to Naama Bay in Sharm el-Sheikh, and what are the nearby walking areas?
Based on 1 discussion with 3 participants · Last activity: 2 days ago
Based on 1 discussion with 3 participants · Last activity: 2 days ago
TL;DR
Naama Bay is about 15–20 minutes by car from most beachfront hotels. Nearby walking options include the Soho Square area and a coastal path that stretches all the way to the Rixos hotels.
Another walking route to the beach: from reception head toward the pedestrian crossing, then to the entrance of Jaz Fairoyz, then through the hotel grounds to the beach entrance.
Noticeable low tides occur in this area, significantly exposing the shore. Walking down from the hotel to the beach takes about 8-10 minutes.
The beach is across the road, on another hotel's grounds — not far. It's recommended to arrive early, since during the current high season there are many tourists and sunbeds are in short supply.
There are budget hotels that shuttle guests to the beach (not being beachfront themselves). Example: Old Vic Sharm Resort 4*, though in practice it's more like a 3* level.
You can reach the sea via the promenade through the Novotel dive center. For a swim, an alternative is to walk the promenade past Gaffy, go down to the water near an abandoned hotel, then walk right to reach Novotel.
Reached Gaffy beach by crossing the road — sandy, gently sloping entry into the sea, no pier/pontoon.
For an evening walk after paid beaches (like El Fanar and Farsha) close, you can walk near beachfront cafes/restaurants: in Naama Bay, Farsha-Santorini (Ras Um Sid), Marlin and Terrazina in El Maya, Bassata in Sharks Bay, Zaza in Montazah. You can also go to Nabq at Musa Bay, with a wild beach on the left side. Most of Sharm's shoreline is occupied by hotels, and paid beaches close after dark since night swimming isn't safe.
In the Naama Bay area, nearly all seafront hotels are walkable — you step straight onto the seaside promenade, and a bit further you reach the main pedestrian shopping streets with cafes, bars and clubs.
Regarding the pier to the right of a hotel's beach: for a regular tourist reaching it by land within the city, the nearest reference point is El Fanar beach; by boat, it's the Tiran coastline. Experienced divers have their own separate access points.
A review of a Garden-category room in building 7 (2nd floor, view of villas and sea): reception and restaurant are about 1 minute away, the beach another ~3 minutes. The resort looks large on the map but is actually quite compact; only the beach itself is large. Walking time to the main restaurant is roughly the same from all buildings (even the farthest, building 9, takes about 3 minutes at a relaxed pace), not the 5–10 minutes sometimes reported.
Within the Red Sea hotel grounds you can walk left along the seafront (facing the sea), passing the Prima Life hotel, continuing along the promenade to the pier. Best done in the morning before it gets too hot.
A beach visible from the shore belongs to the Faarana Heights hotel; entry is paid, and locals come there too. Walking along the beach takes about 10 minutes, while going through town takes more than 15 minutes.
From the Barcelo hotel, reaching the Alcazar pier isn't straightforward: in the morning there's little point due to waves and a closed pier, and by afternoon heat and no breeze make it a long walk. Golf carts occasionally use the pier, but there's no steady flow of people or vehicles.
Walking left along the bay leads to a beach with similar conditions (shallow entry, reef) belonging to another hotel. Walking right toward the pricier hotels is a very long walk, and all of those hotels have long piers.
Detailed route from Alcazar to the Barcelo beach: exit the Alcazar gate, walk along the promenade through an empty residential complex (not on sand), reach the Barcelo gate; if closed, go around via the sea side, also not on sand but on a path past buildings 6 and 4 along the swim-up rooms, partly shaded, straight onto the beach. About 1200 steps total, roughly 10 minutes in the morning. In the afternoon at Alcazar there was a strong tide (waist-deep water), so this route is especially useful if you want deeper water close to shore.
From some buildings, the walk to the sea can be longer than expected: reports mention about 1 km on foot to the beach including the descent, and for certain buildings there are also roughly 100 steps down to the shore. This may be inconvenient for elderly guests; a bungalow or a room in the middle of the property is suggested as a more practical option.
For a beachfront walk to the left when facing inland, a reference point is the former Labranda hotels, now operating under the Jaz brand; farther along the beach is Barcelo Tiran. Security on neighboring beaches may stop you, but people report that if you explain you are continuing farther along the shore, you are usually allowed through.
Palma Beach is reachable on foot, but in peak heat the walk is considered uncomfortable; many people prefer using the hotel shuttle if available. If you want easy walks to the sea, staying on the first line is more convenient.
The Red Sea hotel grounds are recommended for a walk: there is a scenic seafront promenade with lights. Important detail: access is allowed only before 6:00 pm.
In Naama Bay, people generally say you can swim anywhere around the bay; paying for entry to a specific beach mainly gives you access to that hotel’s sunbeds. For a walk around the bay, a common tip is to enter via the centrally located Public Beach, which is the cheapest option, and then continue along the shore.
Swimming left from the hotel is not recommended — there is a current and lifeguards frequently whistle. Swimming right you can go all the way to the end of the bay past three hotels: it is uncrowded, and the full round trip to the last hotel takes over an hour.
From building 4 to the pier takes about 10 minutes at a leisurely pace with stops, even with three children. The distance is not as far as it may appear on the map.