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Hurghada

Reef three metres from the shore, marinas, and the desert starting right behind town.

The gateway to the Red Sea, and the best equipped: reefs you can swim to from the beach, boat trips out to Giftun island, and El Gouna twenty-five kilometres north, polished, with its marinas and its tables. The old quarter of El Dahar and the market are the other half of the town, the half that does not live off hotels. Days out into the Eastern Desert also start here — and there one rule holds without exception: never go in alone or in a saloon car.

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Pyramids, temples, museums, mosques, Coptic churches

Monuments & sites

  • The gilded face of an Egyptian sarcophagus, its eyes outlined in black.

    Hurghada Museum

    The Red Sea's first archaeological museum, opened in 2020 on the airport road.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeHistoric venue

Feluccas, desert, diving, markets, cruises

Outings & activities

  • Yachts moored at the marina

    Hurghada Marina

    Our favourite

    The harbour promenade: yachts on one side, terraces on the other, and the whole town out after dark.

    HurghadaMarina, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view

  • Orange Bay — Giftun Island

    Unmissable

    The turquoise water over white sand that earned the place its nickname: the Egyptian Maldives.

    HurghadaGiftun Island, off Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view
  • A parrotfish over a dense coral reef in clear blue water.

    Eden Island

    An island beach where the reef starts a few metres out — the snorkelling is better than the setting.

    HurghadaOff Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view

  • Egyptboats — Private Boat Tours

    A boat to yourselves, a route that adapts, and dolphins when the sea agrees.

    HurghadaMarina, Hurghada

    €€€ High endSea view
  • A scuba diver descends below the surface amid bubbles and shafts of sunlight.

    Sea Secrets Hurghada

    A centre that gets a beginner into the water without frightening them — rarer than it sounds.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeDiving / snorkelling
  • A scuba diver above a coral head, two clownfish in the anemone.

    Diving Planet

    A dive centre that is serious without being solemn: small groups, maintained gear, club atmosphere.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeDiving / snorkelling

  • Mini Egypt Park

    All of Egypt in scale models: the pyramids, Abu Simbel and Karnak in an hour's walk.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • A monumental sand sculpture, a bearded face standing out against the sky.

    Sand City

    Monumental sand sculptures, signed by carvers from all over the world.

    HurghadaNear Senzo Mall, Hurghada

    € BudgetFamily-friendly
  • One of the aquarium tanks

    Hurghada Grand Aquarium

    The Red Sea without getting wet: an indoor circuit that fills a morning with children.

    HurghadaAirport road, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly

  • Buggy Desert Safari

    Quad bikes in the desert, a stop in a Bedouin village, mint tea and sunset.

    HurghadaDesert west of Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • The camel waits, saddled, between two legs of the ride.

    Safari Sahara Hurghada

    The full desert day: quad, buggy, 4×4 and camel, from morning to sunset.

    HurghadaDesert west of Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • Hot stones lined up along a back, rolled towels in the background.

    Venus Hammam & Spa

    Hammam and massage at a price with nothing in common with hotel spas.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeBooking advised
  • Multicoloured slides above a pool, under the palms

    Makadi Water World

    Our favourite

    The biggest water park on the coast, with food and drinks included in the ticket.

    HurghadaMakadi Bay, south of Hurghada

    €€€ High endFamily-friendly
  • The top of a water slide, with the pool and the sea below.

    Sindbad Aqua Park

    Hurghada's own family water park — no need to leave town.

    HurghadaHotel area, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly

  • Aqua Park — Jaz Resort

    Two parks on one ticket, and above all: almost no queue for the slides.

    HurghadaMakadi Bay, south of Hurghada

    €€€ High endFamily-friendly

  • The Thistlegorm wreck

    Unmissable

    A British freighter sunk in 1941, its motorcycles and lorries still in the hold.

    HurghadaStrait of Gubal, Red Sea

    €€€ High endDiving / snorkelling
  • Whole fish laid out in rows on a fishmonger's stall, pink shrimp in the middle.

    Hurghada's fishing port

    Off the beaten track

    The morning auction, two streets from the hotels and a world from their mood.

    HurghadaSekalla, Hurghada

    € BudgetWhere locals go

  • Safaga

    A windsurfing port and a black-sand beach reputed to be therapeutic.

    HurghadaSafaga

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view
  • Flat water and steady wind: the two reasons to come here.

    Kitesurfing in El Gouna

    A flat lagoon and thermal wind every afternoon, April to October.

    HurghadaEl Gouna

    €€€ High endSea view
  • Sergeant-major fish above fire coral, in front of a shoal of small silver fish.

    Royal Seascope

    Hurghada's boat with portholes: see the coral without getting wet, or knowing how to swim.

    HurghadaHurghada Marina, town centre

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • The promenade's wooden footbridge, its lamp posts, and the resort's arcades beyond.

    Old Town Sahl Hasheesh

    A piazza, paved lanes and a pier: the one place in Sahl Hasheesh where you walk.

    HurghadaSahl Hasheesh, some twenty kilometres south of Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • Four coloured slides running down to a pool, under thatched roofs.

    Jungle Aqua Park — Neverland

    Forty-five pools and eighty slides — but it is a hotel's park, and the day ticket takes some finding.

    HurghadaSafaga Road (Village Road), south of Hurghada

    €€€ High endFamily-friendly
  • Three dolphins in mid-leap above the blue pool.

    Dolphin World

    Dolphins, sea lions and a walrus, an hour of show — and captive animals, whether or not that sits well with you.

    HurghadaMakadi Bay, some thirty kilometres south of Hurghada

    €€€ High endFamily-friendly
  • A striped inflatable ring on the clear water of a pool.

    Sliders Cable Park

    An inflatable course floating on the lagoon, and a cable tow for beginners — from age six and 110 cm.

    HurghadaEl Gouna, Sabina area

    €€€ High endFamily-friendly

Parks, water parks, things to do with children, swimming pools

Family outings

  • Mini Egypt Park

    All of Egypt in scale models: the pyramids, Abu Simbel and Karnak in an hour's walk.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • A monumental sand sculpture, a bearded face standing out against the sky.

    Sand City

    Monumental sand sculptures, signed by carvers from all over the world.

    HurghadaNear Senzo Mall, Hurghada

    € BudgetFamily-friendly
  • One of the aquarium tanks

    Hurghada Grand Aquarium

    The Red Sea without getting wet: an indoor circuit that fills a morning with children.

    HurghadaAirport road, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • Multicoloured slides above a pool, under the palms

    Makadi Water World

    Our favourite

    The biggest water park on the coast, with food and drinks included in the ticket.

    HurghadaMakadi Bay, south of Hurghada

    €€€ High endFamily-friendly
  • The top of a water slide, with the pool and the sea below.

    Sindbad Aqua Park

    Hurghada's own family water park — no need to leave town.

    HurghadaHotel area, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly

  • Aqua Park — Jaz Resort

    Two parks on one ticket, and above all: almost no queue for the slides.

    HurghadaMakadi Bay, south of Hurghada

    €€€ High endFamily-friendly
  • Sergeant-major fish above fire coral, in front of a shoal of small silver fish.

    Royal Seascope

    Hurghada's boat with portholes: see the coral without getting wet, or knowing how to swim.

    HurghadaHurghada Marina, town centre

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • The promenade's wooden footbridge, its lamp posts, and the resort's arcades beyond.

    Old Town Sahl Hasheesh

    A piazza, paved lanes and a pier: the one place in Sahl Hasheesh where you walk.

    HurghadaSahl Hasheesh, some twenty kilometres south of Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • Four coloured slides running down to a pool, under thatched roofs.

    Jungle Aqua Park — Neverland

    Forty-five pools and eighty slides — but it is a hotel's park, and the day ticket takes some finding.

    HurghadaSafaga Road (Village Road), south of Hurghada

    €€€ High endFamily-friendly
  • Three dolphins in mid-leap above the blue pool.

    Dolphin World

    Dolphins, sea lions and a walrus, an hour of show — and captive animals, whether or not that sits well with you.

    HurghadaMakadi Bay, some thirty kilometres south of Hurghada

    €€€ High endFamily-friendly
  • A striped inflatable ring on the clear water of a pool.

    Sliders Cable Park

    An inflatable course floating on the lagoon, and a cable tow for beginners — from age six and 110 cm.

    HurghadaEl Gouna, Sabina area

    €€€ High endFamily-friendly

  • Cook's Club El Gouna — the Day Use Pool

    The only pool in El Gouna whose day access the hotel itself puts in writing — and the hotel is adults only.

    HurghadaEl Gouna

    €€ Mid-rangePaid entry
  • The hotel's big pool at sunset, straw parasols and ochre blocks mirrored in the water.

    Siva Grand Beach

    Hurghada's best-documented day pass: pool, beach, lunch and soft drinks included — at a price dating from 2024.

    HurghadaSouth Hurghada, on the seafront

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • Straw parasols over a seafront terrace, facing the turquoise water of the Red Sea.

    Blue Beach Club

    The only pool in town that belongs to no hotel — and whose price nobody publishes.

    HurghadaHurghada Marina (New Marina), through the main gate

    €€ Mid-rangePaid entry

Egyptian, street food, fine dining, brunch

Restaurants

  • An assortment of sushi: tuna, salmon and shrimp nigiri, with maki rolls.

    Syake Sushi

    Raw fish served a few kilometres from where it was caught — the best sushi in town.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€€ High endBooking advised
  • Two beef tacos topped with avocado, red onion and lime, on a white dish.

    La Cantina

    Steaks, tacos, live music and the fire show — the liveliest table on the quay.

    HurghadaMarina, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view
  • A sliced rare beef steak on a wooden board, with grilled tomato and peppers.

    Meat And Mood

    A steakhouse where the meat finishes cooking in front of you, on a scorching stone.

    HurghadaMarina, Hurghada

    €€€ High endSea view
  • The ochre facades of Hurghada Marina and the sailboat masts, mirrored in the calm morning water.

    Cheguevara

    Flambé steaks and a view of the harbour masts — a safe bet on the quay.

    HurghadaMarina, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view
  • A red cocktail with a straw, set facing the sun as it drops over the water.

    Granada Restaurant & Pub

    The smart sunset table: open sea view, cocktails, polished service.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€€ High endSea view
  • Two whole sardines and two lemon wedges, in a metal dish.

    Grill & Chill

    Fresh grilled fish at the fairest price on the marina.

    HurghadaMarina, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view
  • A brick oven, flames at the back and dough puffing up on the hearth.

    Solo Restaurant

    Wood-fired pizzas and steaks, in a pleasant setting with no showing off.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • A grilled beef steak, sliced, with herb butter.

    Luca's Pub & Grub

    A pub that serves proper cuts of meat, including a tomahawk for two.

    HurghadaMarina, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeAlcohol served
  • The marina pontoons, boats moored in front of ochre houses.

    The tables of El Gouna marina

    Italian, Lebanese, Japanese, fish: the Red Sea's most international promenade.

    HurghadaAbu Tig Marina, El Gouna

    €€€ High endSea view
  • A shawarma spit turning in front of the grill

    Hurghada's shawarma counters

    Hurghada's late-night meal, three streets from the marina restaurants.

    HurghadaSekalla, Hurghada

    € BudgetBudget

  • Zia Amelia

    The marina's Italian table, fresh pasta and a pizza oven.

    HurghadaAbu Tig Marina, El Gouna

    €€€ High endSea view
  • A margherita pizza on a wooden table, tomatoes and garlic beside it.

    Kiki's

    Pizzas and pasta in the heart of El Gouna's Downtown, at reasonable prices.

    HurghadaEl Gouna

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • Meat turned with tongs, above the flames

    El Dahar's grills

    Hurghada's old quarter eats at its own tables, not the marina's.

    HurghadaEl Dahar, Hurghada

    € BudgetWhere locals go

Parks, gardens, beaches, reefs, walks

Nature & downtime

  • Giftun Islands

    Two islands of sand and coral off Hurghada, reached by boat, for the day.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€ Mid-rangePaid entry

  • Orange Bay — Giftun Island

    Unmissable

    The turquoise water over white sand that earned the place its nickname: the Egyptian Maldives.

    HurghadaGiftun Island, off Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view
  • A parrotfish over a dense coral reef in clear blue water.

    Eden Island

    An island beach where the reef starts a few metres out — the snorkelling is better than the setting.

    HurghadaOff Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view

  • Buggy Desert Safari

    Quad bikes in the desert, a stop in a Bedouin village, mint tea and sunset.

    HurghadaDesert west of Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • The camel waits, saddled, between two legs of the ride.

    Safari Sahara Hurghada

    The full desert day: quad, buggy, 4×4 and camel, from morning to sunset.

    HurghadaDesert west of Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly

  • The Thistlegorm wreck

    Unmissable

    A British freighter sunk in 1941, its motorcycles and lorries still in the hold.

    HurghadaStrait of Gubal, Red Sea

    €€€ High endDiving / snorkelling

  • Safaga

    A windsurfing port and a black-sand beach reputed to be therapeutic.

    HurghadaSafaga

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view
  • Flat water and steady wind: the two reasons to come here.

    Kitesurfing in El Gouna

    A flat lagoon and thermal wind every afternoon, April to October.

    HurghadaEl Gouna

    €€€ High endSea view

  • Cook's Club El Gouna — the Day Use Pool

    The only pool in El Gouna whose day access the hotel itself puts in writing — and the hotel is adults only.

    HurghadaEl Gouna

    €€ Mid-rangePaid entry
  • The hotel's big pool at sunset, straw parasols and ochre blocks mirrored in the water.

    Siva Grand Beach

    Hurghada's best-documented day pass: pool, beach, lunch and soft drinks included — at a price dating from 2024.

    HurghadaSouth Hurghada, on the seafront

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • Straw parasols over a seafront terrace, facing the turquoise water of the Red Sea.

    Blue Beach Club

    The only pool in town that belongs to no hotel — and whose price nobody publishes.

    HurghadaHurghada Marina (New Marina), through the main gate

    €€ Mid-rangePaid entry

Specialty coffee, historic ahwas, rooftops

Cafés & tea houses

  • Milk poured into a cappuccino, drawing a leaf in the foam.

    Caffeine Specialty Coffee

    Properly extracted specialty coffee — the one address in town that takes the subject seriously.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeBest in the morning

  • The cafés of Abu Tig Marina

    El Gouna's marina and its promenade of terraces, from morning coffee to the last drink.

    HurghadaEl Gouna

    €€€ High endSea view

Souks, fair-trade crafts, concept stores

Shopping

  • Senzo Mall

    The city's big mall: international brands, supermarket and food court.

    HurghadaAirport road, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • Clothes on wooden hangers, lined up on a rail.

    Hurghada City Center

    The seafront mall, next to the Hilton — smaller than Senzo, but on the Corniche.

    HurghadaCorniche, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeFamily-friendly
  • Cones of spices in large metal basins.

    El Dahar — the old souk

    Unmissable

    The quarter from before the hotels: spices, copper, leather, shisha — and bargaining as the common language.

    HurghadaEl Dahar, Hurghada

    € BudgetWhere locals go
  • Gold and silver chains hanging, each with its price tag.

    Narmer Megastore

    Souvenirs, jewellery and watches at marked prices — and nobody following you down the aisles.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeHandmade
  • Pierced-metal lanterns with coloured glass, lit up.

    Cleopatra Bazar — Mamsha

    A fixed-price bazaar on the Mamsha promenade, where you can walk in without being grabbed.

    HurghadaMamsha, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeHandmade

  • The shops of El Gouna

    Egyptian designers, homeware and beachwear in a pedestrian resort town.

    HurghadaDowntown El Gouna

    €€€ High endHandmade
  • Whole fish laid out in rows on a fishmonger's stall, pink shrimp in the middle.

    Hurghada's fishing port

    Off the beaten track

    The morning auction, two streets from the hotels and a world from their mood.

    HurghadaSekalla, Hurghada

    € BudgetWhere locals go

Recent openings, new concepts, addresses that have just arrived

What's new

  • The gilded face of an Egyptian sarcophagus, its eyes outlined in black.

    Hurghada Museum

    The Red Sea's first archaeological museum, opened in 2020 on the airport road.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeHistoric venue
  • A large golden curtain lit from within, above the rows of empty red seats of a darkened hall.

    The El Gouna Film Festival

    A week of Arab and international cinema, on the Red Sea.

    HurghadaEl Gouna

    €€€ High endPaid entry

Bars, pubs, clubs, lounges — local rules flagged

Nightlife

  • Yachts moored at the marina

    Hurghada Marina

    Our favourite

    The harbour promenade: yachts on one side, terraces on the other, and the whole town out after dark.

    HurghadaMarina, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view
  • Two beef tacos topped with avocado, red onion and lime, on a white dish.

    La Cantina

    Steaks, tacos, live music and the fire show — the liveliest table on the quay.

    HurghadaMarina, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view
  • The ochre facades of Hurghada Marina and the sailboat masts, mirrored in the calm morning water.

    Cheguevara

    Flambé steaks and a view of the harbour masts — a safe bet on the quay.

    HurghadaMarina, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view
  • A red cocktail with a straw, set facing the sun as it drops over the water.

    Granada Restaurant & Pub

    The smart sunset table: open sea view, cocktails, polished service.

    HurghadaHurghada

    €€€ High endSea view
  • A grilled beef steak, sliced, with herb butter.

    Luca's Pub & Grub

    A pub that serves proper cuts of meat, including a tomahawk for two.

    HurghadaMarina, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeAlcohol served
  • A wooden deck built out over the water, tables set facing the sunset.

    Caribbean Bar — Bella Vista

    A bar with its feet in the water, built for the exact hour of sunset.

    HurghadaBella Vista, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeSea view

  • The cafés of Abu Tig Marina

    El Gouna's marina and its promenade of terraces, from morning coffee to the last drink.

    HurghadaEl Gouna

    €€€ High endSea view

  • El Gouna's beach clubs

    Beach clubs that start at sunset and end late.

    HurghadaEl Gouna

    €€€ High endSea view
  • A bazaar stall lit at night, hanging lanterns and rows of alabaster figurines spilling onto the pavement.

    Hurghada's Mamsha at night

    The pedestrian promenade where Hurghada gathers after sunset.

    HurghadaMamsha, Hurghada

    €€ Mid-rangeTerrace
  • A large golden curtain lit from within, above the rows of empty red seats of a darkened hall.

    The El Gouna Film Festival

    A week of Arab and international cinema, on the Red Sea.

    HurghadaEl Gouna

    €€€ High endPaid entry