Hurghada Travel Guide: Sun, Sea and Desert in Egypt
I came to Hurghada for the water and stayed for the whole strange, beautiful mix of it. This Red Sea resort city stretches for miles along Egypt’s eastern coast, backed by empty desert and fronted by some of the clearest, most colorful water I have ever swum in. It turned out to be far more than a beach town, and the memories that linger are as much about the desert and the people as the reefs.
Why Hurghada Deserves a Look
Hurghada has grown into Egypt’s most popular Red Sea resort, and it is easy to see why. The climate is dry and warm nearly all year, the town is tamer than the chaos of Cairo, and the reefs directly offshore are world class, so foreign divers and families have been flying in for decades. Whether you want one multi day dive trip or a long lazy week by a pool, this town accommodates both without making you choose.
I based myself in the newer Sahl Hasheesh area, a quieter stretch south of the old town, and found it a calm, clean escape with broad beaches and a relaxed pace. The older downtown, around the marina, carries more of the city’s everyday energy, with seafood restaurants, shops and the hubbub of daily Egyptian life. Between the two you get the best of both worlds, serenity and authenticity.
The Red Sea Is the Main Event
Honestly, the reefs are why people travel here, and they do not disappoint. Near the shore the coral gardens start in shallow water, so even a casual snorkel pushes you into a world of parrotfish, clownfish, angelfish and turtles almost as soon as you dip below the surface. Boats run daily to offshore reefs and islands like Giftun, and the most famous dive sites are only a short ride away by water.
I did a day trip that stopped at two very different reef sites in one outing, and the variety astounded me. One was a shallow garden lit up with blue and gold, so bright it looked artificial, and the other was a drop off where a huge grouper hung in the current as if posing for a photograph. For divers and snorkelers both, the Red Sea delivers on its reputation, with visibility that occasionally exceeds thirty meters.
If you are not a certified diver, it is easy to do an introductory session that barely skims the surface of the hobby. I did exactly that, and the sense of floating weightless over a coral wall below was a career in reverse, a total surrender to the moment.
Go Beyond the Beach
As much as I loved the water, some of my best memories came from the desert. I took a jeep trip into the Eastern Desert, bouncing over rocky plains and dry wadis to a Bedouin camp where dinner was cooked over coals under a sky thick with stars. The stillness of the desert at night, with the Milky Way stretched overhead and the wind carrying nothing but silence, was a perfect counterpoint to the busy watercraft of the day.
The Sheikh Hussein peninsula and the mountains behind Hurghada also reward a half day, especially at sunset when the sand glows orange and pink and the light turns the escarpments gold. If you have a free afternoon, a boat ride to spot dolphins or a wander through the old town’s markets fills it easily. There is also a lively promenade by the marina where locals and visitors mix over tea and coffee long into the evening.
Practical Notes That Helped
Bring good reef safe sunscreen and a rash guard, because the sun here is fierce and the water reflects it from below, doubling the burn. Cash is useful for markets and small shops, though cards work in the big resorts and dive shops, and a few small bills come in handy for tips. Most hotels sit along the coast road and offer pickup from the airport for a small fee, which saves you negotiating a taxi after a long flight.
The tap water is not for drinking, so stock up on bottled water, and do not forget a lightweight long sleeve for desert evenings, which cool off faster than you expect after sunset. The Egyptian pound has been volatile, so check the rate before you go and get local currency once you arrive.
My Final Word
Hurghada surprised me by having it all, brilliant diving, quiet beaches, open desert and a friendly, unpretentious atmosphere. It is not trying to be the most glamorous resort on the Red Sea, and that restraint is partly why I liked it so much. You come for the underwater world, but the desert, the food and the warmth of the people make you stay longer than you planned. For a relaxed restorative trip with world class water, I would happily go back, and I would book the return before I even flew home.
