Amanda PhillipsCharmed by Sharm el Sheikh – Barrhead Travel Blog
Looking for sun, sand and superb value for money? Then Sharm el Sheikh could be the place for you. It’s a holiday hotspot which has a lot to offer, no matter what age you are. If you love soaking up the rays and lounging by the pool, with some lively nightlife or simple relaxation thrown in for good measure, this could be your new favourite place.
A group of Barrhead Travel’s finest flew to Sharm el Sheikh direct from Glasgow Airport in April with Red Sea Holidays, to discover just what makes it such a magnet for travellers – many of whom return year after year.
Experiencing the destination first-hand has given these Barrhead Travel team members an insight into Sharm that will help them to help their customers find the perfect Egyptian escape, and allow them to recommend activities and Red Sea Holidays properties to suit specific needs.
Staying at the Sharm Plaza hotel allowed the group to really get to know this handsome all – inclusive property, which is laid out village-style and features 7 swimming pools and a private beach as well as buffet and speciality restaurants. Highly recommended are the sea view guestrooms, though the hotel also has rooms with garden terraces which are equally as nice. Room facilities are great and include air conditioning and TVs.
Favourite eateries included Mexican, Italian and Chinese, which are available at an additional charge. The diet started on touchdown at Glasgow on the return for all members of the party!
So, what is there to do in Sharm el Sheikh if you fancy getting out and about, rather than just chilling out all week at your Red Sea Holidays hotel of choice? The answer is – lots. Sharm’s well-versed in keeping all types of travellers happy, so the Barrhead Travel team took part in some of the activities that it does so well.
Perhaps most memorable was the visit to a real Bedouin camp to meet this nomadic tribe, enjoy a ride on a dromedary (a camel with just one hump), help to make traditional bread, enjoy herbal tea, climb a rocky mountainside to see the most amazing sunset, and then learn about the sky at night courtesy of an astronomer when darkness descended. Unforgettable.
Then there was the boat trip – a day spent sailing up the coast, with snorkelling and scuba opportunities along the way, and of course, lots of obligatory sunbathing and a barbeque lunch. Sometimes being a travel agent is tough…
The Sharm Plaza puts on some excellent entertainment for its guests which the team enjoyed on a couple of occasions, but if you head out at night in Sharm el Sheikh, recommended are Soho Square and Naama Bay – especially if you like to add a touch of liveliness to your holiday.
Soho Square’s the place to go if you don’t fancy haggling over handbags in the shops, as the prices are set and no one’s allowed to approach you to come in store. But it’s also the place for perfect night out, with a variety of dining options, as well as activities such as bowling, ice skating and a cinema. Adults will love the Ice Bar and Oxygen Bar, there’s a nightclub and even a Queen Vic pub, and a night at Soho Square wouldn’t be complete without taking in the colourful dancing fountains before you head back to your hotel.
Naama Bay is quite a contrast to Soho Square. If you’re the kind of person who only really wakes up when the sun goes down and who likes a bit of haggling while you’re shopping, then this is for you. Home to many different eateries and bars, as well as myriad shops selling a variety of goods including “replica” handbags, it’s perfect for a night of retail therapy and cocktails. The Barrhead Travel team enjoyed the Camel Bar, which is on a relatively peaceful rooftop terrace – ideal for shisha and drinks, and free Wi-Fi is available too!
On the last night of the trip, the Old Market was a must-see and again, much fun was had haggling and swapping banter with the local shopkeepers. You’ll find that no matter what nationality you are, they love your country the best and it has the nicest people! Souvenirs bought, and a few drinks imbibed back at the Camel Bar, the tired but happy travel agents reflected on their trip to Sharm el Sheikh, concluding that it was the perfect blend of total relaxation and activity. All agreed that they’d be back and they’d make sure their clients benefited from their first-hand experience of the resort – they’d been officially charmed by Sharm.
