The once-quiet fishing village of Hurghada, on Egypt’s Red Sea coast, has grown into a major resort encompassing a city and a 37 mile-long resort packed with family-friendly mega resorts — many of which have their own private beaches. Hurghada sits across the Gulf of Suez from Sharm el-Sheikh, the best-known Egyptian resort, and like Sharm there’s plenty of water sports and diving; but it’s also closer to the Nile delta — and therefore just a few hours’ drive from ancient monuments, breathtaking temples and the Valley of the Kings.
The resort is accessible by ferry from Sharm, but Hurghada airport also has regular direct flights from London and Manchester. And the weather makes it a top choice for some winter sun, hovering around the low 20s in January, with mild water temperatures to match. If days packed full of family-friendly adventures are your thing, or you prefer to mix beach with culture, you’ll be happy here. Here are the best things to do in Hurghada.
Main photo: a beach buggy ride in the Hurghada desert (Getty Images)
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1. Go diving
The reefs and wrecks in the Red Sea, home to many tropical fish and coral, are perfect Egypt dive locations. While Hurghada city is close to many spectacular sites, such as those found around the Giftun Islands just offshore, it can be busy with many independent tour guides operating from that point on the coast. Start your trip closer to El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh or Makadi Bay if you want a quieter experience with better visibility. If your hotel offers dive trips, consider this option as it saves time driving around nearby resorts picking up other divers.
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2. Take a boat trip around the Giftun Islands
If you prefer to keep your head above water, you can also take a boat to either of the Giftun Islands (Big Giftun or Small Giftun), which are surrounded by a coral reef conservation area and perfect for snorkelling. If you’re lucky, you can swim with pods of spinner and bottlenose dolphins that have set up camp at Dolphin House Island, a marine reserve about an hour’s boat trip away from Hurghada. If you want to keep your feet on dry land, head to Orange Bay on the more sheltered west side of Big Giftun.
3. Cool off at a waterpark
The largest waterpark in Hurghada is Jungle Aqua Park, on the southern outskirts of the city, with dozens of slides, pools and restaurants on site, as well as sun loungers from which to watch it all from a distance. Other options include Makadi Water World, in Makadi Bay; and Sinbad Aqua Park in the centre of Hurghada city, which is conveniently located and great for families.
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4. Set off on a desert expedition
Hurghada has the sea on one side, and the desert on the other. To only keep your sights on the beach would mean you miss out on a major part of the Egyptian experience: a desert expedition. Ride dune buggies, quad bikes or Jeeps, as well as trying the emblematic camel ride. Many of these activities tie in a visit to a traditional Bedouin village and finish with stargazing in the pristine night sky. While Bedouin society maintains strict traditions, they are extremely welcoming and sociable, keen to share their culture. Expect the freshest flatbreads accompanying juicy grilled meats, lots of dates and lots of music.
5. Visit the aquarium
Hurghada Grand Aquarium has 24 galleries of all types of fish, from teeny clownfish to graceful sharks. For those with nerves of steel (and diving experience), you can also dive with them — thankfully not at feeding time.
6. See ancient Egypt
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The big-ticket historical sites like the Valley of the Kings (Tutankhamun’s burial site), Valley of the Queens and Karnak Temple are found at Luxor, just a day-trip away (see below). While mummies and pyramids are synonymous with Egypt, it also has an overlooked, rich Coptic Christian, Jewish and Islamic history that you can get a taste of with over 2,000 artefacts at the Hurghada Museum.
7. Take a day trip to Luxor
Luxor is around four hours away by car. It’s cheapest to go by bus for around £10 but you could also get a private car for around £160 return. It’s likely your hotel will be able to arrange this for you. A whistle-stop day tour can take you to the Valley of the Kings and the temples of Hatshepsut and Karnak. It’s worth getting a tour including an Egyptologist (from around £100pp) to guide you around the millennia-old monuments — but arrange it before you get there.
8. Make a flying visit to Cairo
If you’re game for an early start, Cairo is an hour away by plane (tickets can be less than £30 one way) and is home to two of the cornerstones of Egyptian tourism: the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza. When you land, have breakfast on the terrace of Giza’s Marriott Mena House, which gives you the perfect view of the Great Pyramid. You don’t need to be a guest and the buffet costs about £30 — a short walk away are the gates of the Giza Pyramid complex. Round off the day with an afternoon spent in the Egyptian Museum, home to the golden mask of Tutankhamun.
9. Enjoy Hurghada’s nightlife
Order dinner and drinks, then stay for dancing at the Buddha Bar’s famous Red Sea outpost, Little Buddha, near Hurghada city’s marina. Or head to the south end of town for Elements Club and Lounge (open every night bar Wednesday and Friday) which plays a range of drum-and-bass, techno or house music — Thursday night is ladies’ night, with free drinks on offer for women. Hurghada ticks the box for festival-goers too — Sandbox Festival, typically in May, has live music, yoga and watersports.
10. Try water sports at Soma Bay
If charging around on the surface is more your thing, Soma Bay, just down the coast from Hurghada, offers a combination of semi-constant wind and warm, shallow water for kitesurfing, windsurfing, parasailing, waterskiing and paddleboarding. There are plenty of schools, such as the Tornado Surf Centre, which offer kitesurfing, wingfoiling and stand-up paddleboarding instruction to beginners in the lagoon, as well as an expansive freeride area for those with more experience. Soma Bay is just under an hour from Hurghada city, so it’s close enough for a day trip — but there is a range of places to stay, including the five-star Mövenpick resort, or water sports specialist the Breakers Diving & Surf Lodge.
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11. Explore the El Dahar bazaar
Hurghada may be unrecognisable from its fishing village past, but its old town is still home to a thriving market selling fruit, vegetables and even livestock. Souvenir shopping aside, you can also try the produce from the fertile Nile basin that has been the mainstay of the Egyptian economy for thousands of years. Don’t leave without a mango: they are sweeter than anything on UK supermarket shelves.
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12. Play golf
There are plenty of short courses attached to hotels, as well as a couple of championship courses for the more discerning golfer, found at El Gouna Golf Club in the Steinberger resort and at Somabay Golf. If your commitment doesn’t stretch as far as 18 holes, but a good whack-about sounds fun, the Steigenberger Al Dau resort has a driving range as well as a putting green and a nine-hole course.
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Inspired to visit Hurghada but yet to book your trip? Here are the best places to stay from Tui and Booking.com.
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