Hurghada Travel Guide

The facilities in total provide excellent water sport amenities for sail boarders, yachtsmen, scuba divers and snorklers. Hurghada used to be a small fishing village stretching a long way along the seashore (almost 24 ml), and it doesn't reach far into the desert that surrounds the area.

Nowadays Hurghada has population of 40,000 and is divided into three areas: Downtown (El Dahar) is the old part; Sekalla is the modern part, and El Korra Road is the most modern part. Sakkala is the relatively modest hotel quarter. In Dahar there is the largest market in town, the post office and the long-distance bus station situated. A large number of restaurants, bar and shops, small pubs and internet cafes are offered all over Hurghada.

The city is served by the Hurghada International Airport with scheduled transfer to and from Cairo and direct connections with many cities in Europe.

Hurghada resorts

Hurghada tourism

However some resorts do connect one with the other, so you can always walk around a different resort and visit its shops and restaurant in case you get tired of the area you are staying. Apart from that Hurghada is worth to visit mainly because of the beautiful Red Sea, which is really recommended for those who love diving or snorkelling. Underwater you will see fantastic coral reefs and a great variety of exotic fish just 10 meters away from the beach. The hotel will either provide you with a dive escorts on the spot, or they can organize a scuba diving tour with guides.

Things to do in Hurghada

Hurghada culture

Additionally Hurghada is a beach destination where thousands people come go to in order to enjoy the sea and the sun of private resort beaches, some all inclusive. Almost all of these hotels offer such a wide range of facilities and services as well as activities that people don’t have to look for fun elsewhere apart from the resort. It is also quite common for bigger resorts to have zoos, playgrounds, discos, bars, swimming pools and even small theatres.

However Hurghada is still under development since many new hotels and construction are taking place and some luxurious new hotels, restaurants and other facilities are to be seen in the near future. Anyhow this is a busy part of the Red Sea in general. Safaga is just south of Hurghada, and Soma Bay with its beautiful Sheraton is even closer to the South. To the North is El Gouna, a very well organized resort area. All these communities and resort areas offer just about everything any visitor might want, from lively parties to isolated scuba diving, with golf, bowling and fishing in between. Also the islands near Hurghada offer all kinds of fun and excitement.

If you visit Giftun Island for a day you can do snorkelling and a fish barbecue, or view the Red Sea from a submarine! You can also do your shopping in the boutiques, lay back in the beautiful holiday villages or visit the Roman Mons Porphyrites (mountain of porphyry) nearby Gebel Abu Dukhan (Father of Smoke). Day-trips or safaris to explore the Red Sea Mountains by camel or jeep are also available.

Other nearby islands and destinations include the Shadwan Island (Diving, snorkelling, fishing but no swimming), Shaab Abu  Shiban (Diving, snorkelling and swimming), Shaab el-Erg (Diving, fishing and snorkelling), Umm Gammar Island (Diving and snorkeling), Shasb Saghir Umm Gammae (Diving), Careless Reef (Diving), Abu Ramada Island (Diving), Shaab Abu Ramada (Fishing), Dishet el-Dhaba (Beaches and swimming), Shaab Abu Hashish (Beaches, diving, snorkelling, swimming and fishing), Sharm el-Arab (Diving, swimming and fishing and Abu Minqar Island (Beaches and swimming).

Read also about Hurghada history