Old Market (Sharm El Maya)

The Old Market, known locally as Sharm El Maya, is the traditional bazaar district of Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt's South Sinai Governorate. It sits in the older part of town around Sharm El Maya Bay, away from the resort strips of Naama Bay and Hadaba, and it is the closest thing the city has to a classic Egyptian souk. The market is a compact network of lanes and open-fronted shops selling spices, perfume oils, shisha pipes and flavored tobacco, papyrus, cotton goods, leather items, jewelry, alabaster pieces and general souvenirs. It differs from the air-conditioned malls and hotel arcades elsewhere in the city by its small family-run stalls, its visible bargaining culture and its lower prices on everyday items such as spices, tea, hibiscus and dried herbs.

Vendor quality is mixed. Spices, essential oils and shisha accessories are the strongest categories and are often sold by weight or by the small bottle, while much of the souvenir stock, including carved camels, pharaonic figurines and printed T-shirts, is mass-produced for tourists. Papyrus and perfume oils are the most commonly misrepresented goods: visitors often find banana-leaf imitations sold as papyrus and diluted oils sold as pure. Locals who shop here typically buy food, household goods and clothing rather than souvenirs, and those sections give a more authentic view of daily life in Sharm El Sheikh.

Bargaining is expected. Opening prices quoted to foreign visitors are commonly well above the final price, and a friendly, unhurried negotiation is part of the experience. Payment is overwhelmingly in cash, in Egyptian pounds, although many vendors will also quote in US dollars, euros or pounds sterling. Few stalls accept cards, and where they do a surcharge may apply. Egypt's VAT refund scheme for tourists applies only to registered retailers and is rarely relevant at market stalls.

The atmosphere is lively and busy, especially after sunset when temperatures fall and both residents and tourists arrive. Vendors can be persistent, and a polite refusal usually ends an approach. Tea, coffee, fresh juice, grilled meat and traditional Egyptian dishes such as koshari, ful and taameya are available from small cafes and street-side eateries in and around the market, and several shisha cafes operate nearby. The must-visit corners are the spice and herb sellers, the perfume-oil shops where blends are mixed on request, and the shisha stalls, which stock a wide range of pipes, hoses and flavors. Opening hours are generally about 10:00 to 23:00, though individual shops vary.