Is Sharm El Sheikh safe? What the UK advice says and what to do

The short answer from the UK government is that travel to the Red Sea resorts of southern Sinai is generally low risk, with security forces carrying out routine checks on vehicles and at airports to protect resorts such as Sharm El Sheikh. The same advice also draws hard lines in other parts of Sinai and across Egypt, and it lists risks that matter to a holiday more than headlines do: boats, quad bikes, taxis and unlicensed excursions. For the destination itself, start with the Sharm El Sheikh travel guide, and for the country picture see Egypt.

Two cautions apply to everything below. First, travel advice changes. The UK page read for this article was last updated on 4 August 2026, and it reported regional tensions that can move quickly, so use it as a checklist, not a verdict. Second, no travel can be guaranteed safe, as the advice says itself, and your insurer may refuse cover if you travel against government advice. The advice is the right first stop, and the live UK page is the source to re-read before you pay and before you fly.

The advice splits Sinai into areas, and Sharm sits in the calm one. It advises against all travel to the North Sinai Governorate because of continuing criminal activity and terrorist attacks on police and security forces that have resulted in deaths. It also advises against all but essential travel to the northern part of the South Sinai Governorate, beyond the St Catherine to Nuweiba road, except for the coastal areas on the west and east of the peninsula. Parts of the Ismailia Governorate east of the Suez Canal carry the same level of warning.

For a Sharm holiday the practical meaning is simple: stay on the resort coast and keep any inland trip with an approved operator. The advice says activities outside resort areas should be booked through approved agents or tour operators, and that anyone driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle from mainland Egypt through the Suez crossing needs a permit from the Ministry of the Interior. A day to St Catherine's Monastery or a desert outing is not off the table, but check your route against the advice and ask the operator how it stays inside the lines.

The map matters for onward plans too. A side trip to Dahab on the coast stays within the resort-coast pattern, while a self-drive plan through the interior does not. If your plans change, read the regional section again, because wording on the St Catherine to Nuweiba road and the coastal exception decides what falls inside the warning.

The UK advice says terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Egypt, that attacks could be indiscriminate and could include places visited by foreign nationals, and that targets might include security forces, religious sites, large public gatherings and tourist places. It also notes that the authorities have a significant security presence across the country, with extra measures at tourist sites. In plain terms, expect visible security at tourist sites and routine checks on vehicles and at airports, and the advice asks you to stay aware of your surroundings and follow local authorities.

The advice also describes regional tensions as they stood on its latest update. It reports that the United States and Iran announced a memorandum of understanding on 17 June relating to the conflict in the Middle East, that the situation in the region remains unpredictable, that strikes and retaliatory attacks occurred in several places across the region from 8 July, and that on 29 July an apparent drone strike and fire damaged two ships moored off Damietta in northern Egypt. It warns of a risk of more attacks and unforeseen escalation. Border crossings with Israel and Palestine, including Taba, could close at short notice, and the Rafah crossing was reported closed.

These notes are a reason to build flexibility into a booking. Choose rates you can change, check your airline's policy on disruption and keep a plan for a delayed flight. Do not rely on a summary from this page for the latest situation: the regional section of the live advice is the place to look.

Crime in Egypt is generally low, according to the UK advice, and pickpocketing is rare. The more serious resort warning concerns sexual assault and harassment. The advice says a number of assaults have been reported to the British Embassy, including cases involving minors, with the majority in Red Sea tourist resorts and often committed by someone the victim had already met, including hotel workers and excursion staff. It also reports that hotel staff have sometimes discouraged people from telling the local police.

The measures it suggests are practical. Do not leave children unaccompanied. Do not allow hotel staff to enter your room when you are alone, and try to have a friend or relative present. Avoid travelling alone in a taxi, or share the driver's details, your trip and your live location with a friend. Use reputable providers for services and excursions, research them beforehand and avoid sharing personal contact or social media details with staff. Women travelling alone should take extra care at night. To report a crime, call the tourist police on 126, and report before you leave Egypt, since it is hard to prosecute later.

Scammers and touts target visitors at tourist sites. The advice asks you to be cautious, to agree prices before taxis and excursions and to avoid agents who press for a decision. A visa agent at the airport, for example, may charge more than the official fee, and the advice says you do not need one.

The water is why most people come, and the advice is direct about it. It says there have been recent incidents involving British nationals on diving boats and tours in the Red Sea, some of them fatal, and that the safety standards of resort diving operators and boats vary considerably. The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch advises booking liveaboard dive holidays only through reputable vendors who can provide assurance of the safety standards, and asking the crew for a thorough safety briefing on arrival.

The advice asks you to observe safety standards on board, make bookings through your tour representative or a reputable operator, and not to dive below your policy's depth limit, because doing so invalidates the cover. Shark attacks are rare, but there have been attacks on tourists in the Red Sea region, so monitor updates from local authorities or your operator. It also reminds visitors that overcrowding and poor safety standards have caused accidents on Red Sea ferries.

For snorkelers, the rule of thumb is to treat the sea like any open water. Wear a lifejacket if you are a weak swimmer, stay with the group and the boat, and keep fins and hands off the coral. Ask the operator about lifeguards, lifejackets and a headcount procedure, and check that the hotel's house reef entry suits your ability.

Quad bikes are a common resort excursion, and the advice reports several serious accidents involving British nationals in resort areas. It says safety standards vary considerably and that you should always wear a crash helmet. If you cannot see helmets and a briefing, walk away. Book activities through your resort or an approved operator, not a street tout.

Roads carry their own risk. Accidents are common because of variable road conditions, dangerous driving and poor enforcement, and the advice says not to drive outside main cities and resorts at night. Serious bus crashes in recent years have killed tourists, and there have been fatal train collisions and derailments. For most visitors the sensible choice is a hotel transfer or a reputable operator, not a hired car. If you do drive, you need both the 1949 version of the international driving permit and your UK licence, and you cannot buy the permit outside the UK.

For desert outings, the advice says to use a qualified guide and get a permit from the Ministry of the Interior for off-road travel. Ask who arranges the permit and what the plan is if someone is hurt, and do not leave the group.

Many problems for visitors are legal, not physical. Drinking alcohol anywhere other than licensed restaurants, bars, private homes or certain tourist resorts is illegal and can lead to arrest. Possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs, even in small amounts, can bring life imprisonment or the death penalty. Dress modestly away from the beach, especially in rural areas, mosques and markets. Public affection beyond holding hands is frowned on, and behavior accepted in resorts may not be accepted elsewhere.

Photography has limits. It is illegal to take photos of or near military property, you must get an Egyptian citizen's written permission before photographing them, taking pictures of children is prohibited and officials should not be photographed without consent. Drones need Ministry of Defence permission before you import or use one, and breaking this can mean a prison sentence of up to 7 years or a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 Egyptian pounds. Leave the drone at home.

During Ramadan, the advice calls it culturally insensitive to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours, though hotels may serve guests separately. Carry your passport and visa, or a copy, because police check ID regularly and may detain you if you cannot show it.

UK passport holders who fly into Sharm El-Sheikh and stay under 15 days at resorts in Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba do not need a visa and get a free entry stamp on arrival. If you travel outside those resorts or stay longer, you need a visa: a visa on arrival is paid in cash and is valid for up to 30 days, while an online e-visa can be valid up to 3 months. The Egypt e-Visa Portal says to create an e-visa application at least 7 days before departure. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months from arrival and have a blank page. The Egypt visa guide goes through the options and the fee.

For health, call 123 for an ambulance. The advice lists dengue and tick-borne diseases among the risks, recommends checking vaccines at least 8 weeks before you travel and notes that some medicines are controlled in Egypt, so carry a letter from your GP and check before you pack. Some hotel doctors have overcharged, and pharmacies outside hotels often supply medication at lower prices. Other emergency numbers are 122 for police, 180 for fire and 126 for the tourist police.

A Sharm holiday is a poor fit for some plans. Travelers who want to self-drive through the Sinai interior, take unguided desert routes or visit North Sinai are going against the UK advice. Travelers who cannot stand the idea of strict dress and conduct rules away from the resort may find the wider country uncomfortable. People with a medical condition should confirm cover and local care before booking, since access to specialist treatment, especially for mental health, is limited outside major cities.

Before you book, do five things. Read the live UK advice and sign up for its updates. Check that your insurance names diving, boat trips, quad biking and sea and air rescue, and that you know its depth limit. Choose operators through your hotel or approved agents. Set up data before you land with an eSIM or local plan, and decide on a base with where to stay in Sharm El Sheikh. If you are still weighing the Red Sea resorts against each other, read Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada.

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