The boat into the gulf
Boats sail northeast from Sharm El Sheikh into the Gulf of Aqaba toward Tiran. Our program does not include going ashore on the island.
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Sharm El Sheikh · Strait of Tiran, Gulf of Aqaba
Tiran Island and the Strait of Tiran
The island on the east side of the Strait of Tiran, the reef-blocked entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba northeast of Sharm El Sheikh.
About Tiran Island
Tiran Island lies on the east side of the Strait of Tiran, the entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba, which begins 14 miles (23 km) northeast of Sharm El Sheikh's bay. The strait is blocked by islets and coral reefs and hemmed in by the Ras Nasrani cape on the west, and the narrow entrance, its islands, reefs and sudden squalls make navigation into the gulf difficult.
The reefs are what snorkeling boats from Sharm El Sheikh come for: the area's clear water and extensive coral reefs made Sharm a popular site for snorkeling and scuba diving. Egypt's South Sinai protectorates watch over the reefs on the western side of the strait and survey them when ships damage the coral.
A short history
- The gulfThe Gulf of Aqaba, the Red Sea's northeastern arm between Saudi Arabia and the Sinai Peninsula, is 110 miles (177 km) long and 12 to 17 miles (19 to 27 km) wide; the Strait of Tiran is its narrow entrance.
- 1948–1967After the war of 1948–49 Egypt installed guns at the strait to stop shipping reaching Elat; Israel captured them in the Sinai Campaign of 1956, and a United Nations force guarded the bay and the strait from 1957 to 1967.
- 1967Egypt's closure of the strait in May 1967 helped bring on the Six-Day War of June 1967.
- The resortBuilding Sharm El Sheikh as a tourist town began under Israeli occupation, from 1967 to 1982, and went on after the area returned to Egypt.
What you'll see
Reefs of the strait
Several snorkeling and swimming stops on coral reefs, with a stop at the Blue Lagoon; the reef spots are not fixed in advance.
The strait
Tiran Island on the east and the Ras Nasrani cape on the west frame the strait, with islets and reefs between them.
Getting there and how the visit runs
Our Tiran day picks you up at your Sharm El Sheikh hotel and drives you to the marina in an air-conditioned vehicle. The boat sails northeast into the Gulf of Aqaba for a swim at the Blue Lagoon and several reef stops, serves an open buffet lunch on board at midday, and gives you more time to swim as it sails toward Tiran Island. Snorkeling gear, bottled water and soft drinks are included; diving is an optional extra.
Before you go
What to wear and bring
- Swimwear and a cover-up for the boat
- Sun protection and a hat
- Modest clothes once you leave the resort and the beach
Photos
- Drones need permission from Egypt's Ministry of Defence
- Ask before photographing people
Average daily high in Sharm El-Sheikh (°C)
The coolest months are December to February.
World Meteorological Organization climate normals (monthly averages, not forecasts)
Questions about Tiran Island
What are the best day trips I can take from Sharm El Sheikh?
Our day trips from Sharm El Sheikh are the Tiran Island snorkeling day, a night climb of Mount Sinai with St Catherine's Monastery, a quad and camel safari, and Cairo or Luxor in a day by plane. For the sea and the reefs, it is the Tiran day.
How far is Tiran Island from Sharm El Sheikh?
The Strait of Tiran begins 14 miles (23 km) northeast of Sharm El Sheikh's bay, with Tiran Island on its east side.
Can you go ashore on Tiran Island?
Not on our tour. The boat sails toward the island, and the snorkeling and swimming stops are on the reefs and at the Blue Lagoon.
What is included on the Tiran snorkeling day?
Hotel pickup and drop-off, the boat trip, snorkeling gear, an open buffet lunch on board, bottled water and soft drinks. Diving and tips are not included.
What is the weather like for a Tiran day?
Sharm El Sheikh's average daily high runs from 21.9 °C in January to 38.8 °C in August, per WMO climate normals.
Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica; Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency; World Meteorological Organization; UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Day tours
Tours that stop at Tiran Island
Guides
