What to Wear in Sharm El Sheikh: Beach to Desert Guide
Sharm El Sheikh sits on the Sinai Peninsula between desert and sea, so what you wear can change several times in a single day. Swimwear and sandals cover most of the daytime, but a boat trip, an evening out in Naama Bay, a visit to St Catherine's Monastery or a night in the desert each call for something different.
This guide goes through the main settings a visitor runs into — beach, boat, bay, desert road and monastery — with notes on how the clothing changes with the season, since July and January in Sharm El Sheikh are not the same trip at all.
Beach and hotel pool
Swimwear is standard on the beach and around the hotel pool, and most resorts in Sharm El Sheikh keep a relaxed, international dress code within their own grounds. A cover-up, sarong or loose shirt is worth having for the walk between sunbed and restaurant, since some hotels ask guests to be more covered once they step away from the pool area.
The sun is strong for most of the year, so a hat and sunglasses are as much a part of beach wear here as a swimsuit. Reef shoes or sandals with a decent sole help on the rocky entry points along parts of the coast, where the seabed shelves quickly into coral rather than sand.
In the evening, hotels generally ask for shirts and closed shoes in their main restaurants, even if shorts are allowed. A light change of clothes kept in a beach bag means you are not caught out moving from sunbed to dinner table on the same day.
Boat trips and snorkelling gear
Boats heading out from Sharm El Sheikh to Tiran Island, Ras Mohammed National Park or White Island spend hours on open water, so a swimsuit under light, quick-drying clothing works better than cotton, which stays wet and cold once the boat is moving. A rash vest is worth packing even for strong swimmers, since a few hours of sun reflecting off water adds up quickly.
Deck shoes or sandals that strap on are more practical than flip-flops, which tend to go overboard the moment the boat picks up speed. On a trip such as the Private Speed Boat to Tiran Island, expect spray at speed, so a light waterproof layer for the ride out is useful even when the water underneath is calm.
For snorkelling specifically, as on the Blue Hole & Abu Galum Snorkelling Tour, many operators supply mask, fins and snorkel, so check in advance whether you need to bring your own. A long-sleeved swim top reduces the amount of sun cream needed on the back and shoulders, which matters on a day spent largely floating face-down.
Bring a dry bag or at least a plastic bag for phones and documents. Most boats have some shade, but not all of it is available at once, so a hat that stays on in wind is more useful than one that needs constant adjusting.
Naama Bay in the evening
Naama Bay is the main strip for restaurants, cafés and shops in Sharm El Sheikh, and the evening dress code there is closer to a seaside town than a conservative setting. Smart casual covers most of it: trousers or a dress, a shirt or top, and shoes rather than beach sandals for sit-down restaurants.
Evenings cool noticeably after dark, even in summer, so a light jacket, shawl or long-sleeved layer is worth carrying once the sun goes down, particularly if the evening includes a walk along the promenade or a boat such as the Evening Dinner Cruise with Live Show, where the breeze off the water adds a further drop in temperature.
Swimwear and very brief clothing are not usual wear for restaurants and shops in the bay itself, even though the beach sits a short walk away. Keeping one outfit aside that is not sandy or sun-creamed makes the evening in Naama Bay more comfortable than arriving straight from the beach.
Desert safari and quad biking
A desert safari near Sharm El Sheikh means sand, dust and sun during the day, cooling fast once the light drops, so clothing needs to work for both. Long, loose trousers and a long-sleeved top protect the skin from sun and from sand thrown up by quad bikes, more effectively than shorts and a t-shirt, even on a hot afternoon.
On a trip such as the Sharm El Sheikh Desert Safari with Quad or Buggy, Dinner and Show, closed shoes are necessary rather than optional, since open sandals let sand and stones in while riding. A scarf or buff to cover the nose and mouth is useful in dusty conditions, and sunglasses or goggles cut down on grit in the eyes.
Once the sun sets, desert temperatures fall quickly, often by ten degrees or more within an hour, so a jumper or light jacket is worth having even after a warm day on the coast. Evening safaris that include dinner and a show mean sitting outdoors after dark, when the extra layer earns its place in the bag.
A head covering helps during the day, whether a cap, hat or scarf, since there is little natural shade once away from the vehicles and camp areas. Sun cream reapplied through the day matters here as much as on the beach, since the desert sun reflects off pale sand.
St Catherine's Monastery dress code
St Catherine's Monastery, reached on a day trip from Sharm El Sheikh through the Sinai Mountains, is a working Greek Orthodox monastery and expects a modest standard of dress from visitors. Shoulders and knees should be covered for both men and women, and sleeveless tops, shorts and short skirts are generally not permitted inside the grounds.
On the St Catherine's Monastery & Dahab Day Trip, packing a light long-sleeved shirt and trousers or a long skirt over a beach outfit means you are ready for the monastery without needing a full change of clothes. A scarf doubles as a shoulder cover if a top turns out to be sleeveless.
The mountain setting around St Catherine sits considerably higher and cooler than the coast at Sharm El Sheikh, so mornings and evenings there can feel more like a temperate climate than a desert one. A jumper or fleece is worth having, particularly if the day trip starts before sunrise or involves time at altitude after dark.
Comfortable, closed walking shoes make more sense than sandals here, since the ground around the monastery and the surrounding paths is uneven stone rather than beach sand.
What changes by season
Summer in Sharm El Sheikh, roughly June to September, brings high daytime heat, so light, breathable fabrics in natural fibres such as cotton or linen are more comfortable than synthetic materials that trap heat. Mornings and evenings stay warm too, so the extra layers needed are more about sun and wind than cold.
Winter, from around December to February, is milder but noticeably cooler, especially after dark and on the desert road. Daytime temperatures are still pleasant for the beach, but evenings in Naama Bay and nights on a desert safari call for a jacket or jumper that would feel unnecessary in August.
Spring and autumn sit between the two, with warm days and cooler evenings, and are generally considered comfortable months for activities that combine time on the water with time inland, such as a day trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or a desert excursion. Wind can pick up at these times, which matters more on a boat than on land.
Whatever the season, the gap between daytime and night-time temperature in the desert is larger than most visitors expect coming from the coast, so packing at least one warm layer is sensible even in high summer if an evening safari or a trip into the mountains is part of the plan.
Footwear for every activity
Footwear in Sharm El Sheikh needs to cover several different surfaces: soft sand, rocky reef entries, boat decks, desert tracks and monastery stone paths. A single pair of trainers or closed sandals with a sturdy sole covers most situations reasonably well, but specialist activities benefit from something more specific.
Reef shoes or water shoes are worth packing for snorkelling trips that enter the water from rocks or a jetty rather than sand, protecting feet from coral and sea urchins. For a boat trip such as the Tiran Island Snorkeling Yacht Trip, deck shoes that will not slip on a wet surface are more useful than flip-flops.
Quad biking and desert walking call for closed trainers or boots rather than sandals, since open shoes let in sand and offer little protection if the bike kicks up stones. For St Catherine's and any walking on uneven ground, a supportive walking shoe makes the visit more comfortable than beach footwear.
Flip-flops remain useful around the pool and on the beach itself, but are rarely the right choice once an activity moves onto a boat, a quad bike or a mountain path.
Sun protection and other practical items
The Red Sea coast gets strong, consistent sun for most of the year, so sun protection is less about clothing choice and more about what you carry alongside it: a high-factor sun cream, a hat with a brim, and sunglasses that block UV rather than simply darken the view.
A buff or light scarf earns its keep across several settings in Sharm El Sheikh: sun protection on the beach, dust protection in the desert, and a shoulder cover at St Catherine's Monastery if needed. It takes up almost no space in a day bag and solves more than one problem at once.
A reusable water bottle is worth carrying on any day trip away from the hotel, since the heat increases water needs quickly, whether on a boat, a quad bike or a walking tour around Cairo on a day trip by plane. Many operators provide water, but having your own means never running short between stops.
A small dry bag or waterproof phone pouch is useful on any boat-based activity, including a day combining snorkelling at Ras Mohammed National Park with time at Magic Lake, where spray and splashing are part of the day rather than an occasional risk.
Spa, hammam and massage visits
Spa treatments in Sharm El Sheikh, including a massage or a traditional hammam, generally involve wearing a robe or towel provided by the venue rather than your own clothing, so there is little to pack beyond a swimsuit for use in the sauna, steam room or jacuzzi before or after the treatment.
On a visit such as the Sharm El Sheikh: Turkish Bath and Full Body Massage, expect to change into a robe and sandals supplied at the spa, with lockers for your own belongings. Arriving in loose, comfortable clothing that is easy to change out of makes the transition smoother.
Hair should generally be left loose or tied back loosely rather than styled, since steam rooms and the hammam treatment itself are not compatible with styled hair or heavy makeup. Removing jewellery before the treatment is standard practice at most spas on the coast.
Since many spa visits include hotel pickup, as with the Cleopatra Turkish Bath & Hammam Experience, a simple outfit for the transfer there and back is all that is needed beyond the swimsuit and robe used once inside.
A short packing list by day trip
For a beach or pool day in Sharm El Sheikh: swimwear, cover-up, hat, sunglasses, sandals and a change of clothes for dinner if the evening involves leaving the hotel. For a boat trip to Tiran Island or White Island: swimwear under light clothing, a rash vest, deck shoes, a dry bag and a waterproof layer for spray.
For a desert safari or quad biking trip: long trousers, a long-sleeved top, closed shoes, a scarf or buff for dust, and a jacket or jumper for after dark, regardless of how warm the afternoon felt. For St Catherine's Monastery: a shoulder- and knee-covering outfit, closed walking shoes, and a warm layer for the cooler mountain air.
For an evening in Naama Bay: smart casual clothing and proper shoes rather than beach sandals, plus a light jacket or shawl once the sun goes down. For a spa or hammam visit: a swimsuit and comfortable, easy-to-remove clothing for the journey there and back, since the venue provides the robe and towels used during the treatment itself.
Packing light but thinking ahead to the specific activity, rather than one outfit for the whole trip, is what makes the difference between a comfortable day and a day spent too hot, too cold, or turned away at the door for being underdressed.