Travel to Sharm el Sheikh

Budget airline easyJet offers direct, cheap flights to Sharm el Sheikh from London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester. It is also possible to fly directly from most other major UK airports with carriers including Monarch, Thomson Flights and Egypt Air. With a journey time of around five hours, a holiday to Sharm el Sheikh is an affordable and easy getaway.

All flights to Sharm el Sheikh land at Sharm el-Sheikh Airport which is located 10 kilometres north of Na'ama Bay and 18 kilometres north of Sharm el Sheikh centre. Taxis are readily available from outside Terminal 1 and it's usually cheaper to book one from one of the taxi kiosks found in the arrivals hall. Always agree a price up front. You can also get a minibus. These are run by private companies and as there are no fixed drop off points so you need to tell the driver where you wish to go when boarding. The trip to Sharm El Sheikh takes around 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can hire a car in Sharm el Sheikh and pick it up at the airport.

Sharm el Sheikh is a very popular holiday destination and as such there is a plethora of accommodation on offer from basic guesthouses to five-star resort hotels. It's easy to find cheap hotels in Sharm el Sheikh if you shop around online and book well in advance. This is essential if you are travelling in the peak season which lasts from May to September. For the best deals book a holiday to Sharm el Sheikh in April or October, the weather will still be warm, there will be fewer crowds and greater accommodation availability.

The key to keeping to a budget during a Sharm el Sheikh holiday is haggling. Make sure you negotiate on everything from the price of your hotel and the cost of a trip in a taxi to tours and for goods in the markets. The first price you are given is bound to be hugely inflated. Persistence pays off and although it may take a while to get the price down, if you keep at it, you'll get yourself a good deal.

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