Tiran Island

To access Tiran Island, you’ll need to charter a boat or join an organized boat trip, generally from Sharm el Sheikh, and pay the Ras Mohammed National Park entrance fee. Choose your Tiran Island cruise based on your interests. The classic format includes several snorkeling stops and a buffet lunch on board the boat, while some boat tours make stops at other spots in Ras Mohammed National Park en route. It’s not uncommon to see dolphins on boat trips here.

• A Tiran Island snorkeling trip is a must for any lover of the underwater world.

• The diving around the Straits of Tiran is famous, but can be challenging: The reefs are known as “washing machines” thanks to the strong currents here.

• The sun can be fierce around this uninhabited island, so don’t forget your sunscreen.

Tiran Island sits 4 miles (6 kilometers) off the coast of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, not far from Sinai’s tourist hub, Sharm el Sheikh. The island is uninhabited, so your only option for visiting is to charter a boat or join an organized tour, which typically includes lunch and door-to-door transfers.

A substantial island and never crowded, Tiran Island welcomes visitors year-round. Many find the heat of the Egyptian summer (roughly June, July, and August) too much, particularly during the middle of the day, while waters and ambient temperatures can be a little cool for snorkeling in January, February, and March.

The warm waters of the Red Sea are home to the richest marine diversity within easy flying time of Europe, including 1,000 different species of fish, from hammerhead sharks down to tiny clownfish. One of the elements that makes the Red Sea most attractive to divers is its fantastic visibility, with clear waters throughout the year.