Nabq is the less famous of the two big national parks within reach of Sharm — Ras Mohammed is the headline draw — but in some ways it is more interesting. The reserve covers about 600 square kilometres of coastal desert running north from Sharm el-Sheikh almost to Dahab. Its main feature is a strip of mangroves along the shore, growing at the northern extreme of the species' range; behind the mangroves, sand and shrub support gazelles, ibex, and occasional desert foxes.
The Bedouin community of Khereiza still lives inside the reserve, and a section of the southern coast is open to day visitors with their own vehicle or a tour. Snorkelling from the beach over the fringing reef is excellent and far quieter than Naama Bay. The 1980 shipwreck of the MV Maria Schroeder lies half-grounded on a reef a short walk from the visitor area.