Review: Sharm El Sheikh

It's funny how us Brits tend to favour a summer holiday when it only takes a glance outside to know that winter is the season we should be escaping

If that vast expanse of grey is getting you down, it might be time to consider a getaway. Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt averages winter temperatures in the 20s, and with its scuba-primed coral reefs and tourist-friendly attitude, there's really no wonder it's such a popular destination for a relaxing and indulgent holiday.

Poised on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, Sharm forms part of the Red Sea Riviera. The renowned coral reefs are one of the area's greatest assets, attracting divers from around the world and a superb array of tropical fish. And with diving schools in abundance, the opportunity to explore the aquatic beauty is open to everyone.

For a more leisurely view of the coral life, the wealth of boat tours provide opportunities for snorkelling at various points off Sinai, and snorkels are available to hire or buy from almost any beach shop which means you needn't even venture beyond a jetty.

Thrill-seekers can indulge in water sports, with parasailing and jet-skiing high on the list of exciting things to do when you're not laid-back at the water's edge.

In terms of land-based activities, a desert safari is perhaps the most adventurous and offers an altogether more extreme experience, guaranteed to end with a few bruises, but highly recommended. This jumpy jeep ride skims across the bare-knuckle terrain of Sharm and the surrounding areas' mountainous landscape. There are opportunities to stretch legs and get closer to the safari's key sites, notably the appropriately small and humble 'breast mountain'.

But along with the reality of this stunning environment is another, less beautiful truth. For as rich as Sharm may be with tourism, there is a poverty which is harder to hide amidst the expanse of desert beige. Local children savvy to the tourist routes often follow visitors for food and money, encouraging this can be dangerous as it's not uncommon to see children running after and around moving cars.

Disclaimer aside, Sharm really is not an area of abject poverty. Most of the people who live here work within tourism, even those who did not move here from further afield. Bedouin tribes travelled the unforgiving land before anyone gave a souk about jeep safaris.

And today, the bedouin experience, albeit tamer, can be sampled by visitors. Few people consider a holiday to Egypt without envisaging a camel ride at some point, and here is where it comes into play.

Trek across the sand on this curious beast before kicking-back around a fire. Like everything in Sharm, this experience is tailored for tourists, but the people are real and questions are met with honest answers about the reality of Bedouin life. After a generous meal of fresh vegetables and what may resemble a chargrilled goat, indulge in more Arabic pass-times with flavoured shisha beneath the stars. There are also opportunities to do some star-gazing with a Bedouin astronomer.