Mykonos vs Sharm El Sheikh
Weather, sea temperature and the practical facts side by side. Just the data: where we've written a full comparison with a verdict, you'll find the link here.
Key Differences
- Sharm El Sheikh's sea is warmer all year (by up to 8°C)
- Sea at 22°C or more in Mykonos: from June to September
- Sea at 22°C or more in Sharm El Sheikh: all year
- Sharm El Sheikh averages 35°C or more from May to September
- From London, Mykonos is about 4 h by air, Sharm El Sheikh about 5 h 30
- Sharm El Sheikh has direct flights all year; flights to Mykonos are mostly seasonal
- No visa for EU, UK and US citizens in Greece; Egypt needs one
- Sharm El Sheikh has coral reefs to snorkel; Mykonos doesn't
- In Mykonos a car helps; in Sharm El Sheikh you can do without a car
Side by Side
Mykonos
Island, Greece
Sharm El Sheikh
Resort, Egypt
Getting there
Direct flights from London, Frankfurt and Belgrade are seasonal, and there's no direct route from Warsaw. Year-round the island is served from Athens (about 35 min).
- London: 4 h, seasonal
- Frankfurt: 3 h, seasonal
- Warsaw: no direct flight
- Belgrade: 2 h, seasonal
About 10 km from Naama Bay. Year-round flights from the UK and Germany; from Warsaw and Belgrade mostly charters.
- London: 5.5 h, all year
- Frankfurt: 4.5 h, all year
- Warsaw: 4.5 h, seasonal
- Belgrade: 3.5 h, seasonal
Getting around
Cars aren't allowed in Mykonos Town, which is compact and walkable. Buses link the town with the main beaches (fares about 1-3 EUR) but not off-season, and there are only about 30 taxis; a car, scooter or ATV is the best way to reach the remote beaches.
Taxis have no meters and the airport is notorious for prices, so book a transfer. Naama Bay is a walkable promenade; hotels further out, such as Nabq, rely on shuttles and taxis.
Beaches and sea
Most beaches are sandy and sit on the south coast; the north coast is open to the meltemi wind in summer, and Kalafatis is a windsurfing spot. The party beaches on the south coast have loud beach clubs from the afternoon.
- Ornos, sand sloping gently into the sea (3 km, bus)
- Platys Gialos, a busy family beach and boat hub (5-6 km, bus 15 min)
- Psarou, the upmarket beach (bus)
- Paradise Beach, the best-known party beach, with clubs (about 6 km, bus)
- Elia, a large organized beach (bus from the north station)
- Panormos, a long beach on the windy north coast (own transport)
Coral starts right off the shore, often reached over a jetty or walkway, so you can snorkel without a boat. Naama Bay is the easy sandy beach for children.
- Naama Bay, sandy and shallow
- Ras Um Sid, beginner snorkeling from the shore
- Shark's Bay, reef from a walkway
- Ras Muhammad (40 min by road, 1-2 h by boat)
- Tiran island reefs (boat, under 2 h)
Food and drink
Tavernas by the harbor and inland; waterfront restaurants and drinks cost more than inland ones.
- Kopanisti (spicy cheese), Louza (cured pork), Kremmydopita (onion pie), Amygdalota (almond sweets), Stamnagatha (wild greens, in season)
Mostly all-inclusive, plus restaurants on the Naama Bay promenade and grills in the Old Market. A 10-15% service charge is usual.
- Koshari, Ful medames, Ta'ameya, Kofta and kebab, Fresh Red Sea fish, Karkadeh (hibiscus)
- Coffee about 2.50 EUR, beer about 6.40 EUR, dinner for two with wine about 74 EUR (Post Office Long Haul Holiday Report 2025)
Sights and day trips
- Little Venice and the windmills (in town)
- Archaeological Museum (in town)
- Delos (UNESCO), open Tue-Sun (about 30 min by boat)
- Ras Muhammad National Park (40 min by road)
- Tiran island (boat, under 2 h)
- Old Market and Al Sahaba Mosque (short taxi ride)
- Dahab (about 1 h)
- St Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai (3-4 h)
Best for
Entry and money
Schengen area: no visa for EU, UK and US citizens. The EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the border.
Visa needed: 30 US dollars for a single-entry tourist visa, online or on arrival. Sharm El Sheikh has a free Sinai only stamp for short stays in the South Sinai resorts.
Health and safety
- The EU's EHIC and the UK's GHIC cover state healthcare.
- The main risks are natural: summer wildfires (April to October) and heat. UK travel advice
- EHIC and GHIC don't apply: get insurance that covers medical evacuation. Drink bottled water.
- The Red Sea tourist areas are generally low risk, but there is a terrorism risk in Egypt and boat safety varies. UK travel advice
Plan it
Beach Holiday, Month by Month
Based on the climate alone: sea at 22°C or more and highs under 35°C count as beach weather. Fresh = sea 20-21°C, cold = under 20°C, hot = highs of 35°C or more.
| Month | Mykonos | Sharm El Sheikh | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | ColdToo cold to swim | BeachBeach weather | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Feb | ColdToo cold to swim | BeachBeach weather | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Mar | ColdToo cold to swim | BeachBeach weather | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Apr | ColdToo cold to swim | BeachBeach weather | Sharm El Sheikh |
| May | ColdToo cold to swim | HotVery hot | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Jun | BeachBeach weather | HotVery hot | Mykonos |
| Jul | BeachBeach weather | HotVery hot | Mykonos |
| Aug | BeachBeach weather | HotVery hot | Mykonos |
| Sep | BeachBeach weather | HotVery hot | Mykonos |
| Oct | FreshFresh sea | BeachBeach weather | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Nov | ColdToo cold to swim | BeachBeach weather | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Dec | ColdToo cold to swim | BeachBeach weather | Sharm El Sheikh |
Weather Month by Month
Average daytime high, sea temperature and rainy days for every month. The two weather stations count a rainy day differently, so compare the rain column loosely.
| Month | Mykonos | Sharm El Sheikh | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air | Sea | Rain | Air | Sea | Rain | |
| Jan | 15° | 16° | 10 | 22° | 24° | 0 |
| Feb | 15° | 16° | 8 | 24° | 23° | 0 |
| Mar | 16° | 16° | 7 | 26° | 23° | 0 |
| Apr | 19° | 16° | 5 | 30° | 23° | 0 |
| May | 23° | 19° | 3 | 35° | 25° | 0 |
| Jun | 26° | 22° | 1 | 38° | 27° | 0 |
| Jul | 28° | 24° | 0 | 38° | 29° | 0 |
| Aug | 28° | 25° | 0 | 38° | 29° | 0 |
| Sep | 26° | 23° | 2 | 36° | 28° | 0 |
| Oct | 22° | 21° | 5 | 33° | 28° | 0 |
| Nov | 19° | 18° | 6 | 28° | 26° | 0 |
| Dec | 16° | 17° | 10 | 24° | 25° | 0 |
Air: average daily high in °C. Sea: average sea surface temperature in °C (green = warm enough for most people, blue = cold). Rain: average rainy days in the month. Sources: National Observatory of Athens station, Mykonos (Jul 2008-May 2026), rainy days: climatestotravel.com (1991-2020), sea: seatemperature.org; Sharm El Sheikh airport (1991-2020), sea: seatemperature.org.