Hurghada Holidays

Unlike most of Egypt, Hurghada is not soaked in antiquity.  It was only founded in the early 1900s and until a few years ago it remained just a small fishing village.  This was still the case as recently as the 1970s, but once tourists discovered the clear blue water and great opportunities for diving Hurghada quickly grew into a major Egypt holidays tourist destination.

If your idea of a great holiday in Egypt involves being in or on the water, Hurghada is for you!  Windsurfing, sailing, deep-sea fishing, swimming and above all, snorkelling and scuba diving makes Hurghada the preferred diving Egypt destination on the Red Sea Riviera. The warm waters are ideal for rare fish and coral reefs and attract those who enjoy sun, swimming and scuba.  Egyptians, Saudis and other Arabs join the stream of Europeans and Americans coming to Hurghada throughout most of the year. Sun worshippers are also well rewarded here, as the daily temperature hovers around 30 °C no matter what the month or season.

Hurghada is effectively three main centres with numerous self-contained tourist villages now growing into one coherent complex. Downtown (El Dahar) is the old part of Hurghada, Sekalla is the modern part, and El Korra Road is the most recent development. Hurghada is certainly lively and probably not for those seeking a tranquil, undisturbed break.  Life begins at night in Hurghada, with many clubs and bars frequented by people of all ages but the Iberotel and Sol Y Mar resorts offer the perfect combination of diving, beach and resort-based activities that make treasured family holidays in Egypt.

Hurghada Hotels

Hotels in Hurghada cater for the single traveller, couples and families.  They are perfect for a relaxed beach holiday if that’s all you want or can serve as the ideal base for diving holidays in Egypt.  Hurghada hotels can cater for any taste and budget, from luxurious five-star resorts complete with unspoilt, private beaches and fantastic international cuisine to compact and family-friendly boutique-style three-star hotels that are intimate, welcoming and very human scale. 

Hurghada hotels have the major advantage of being close to Hurghada International Airport and within easy walking distance of the city centre.    Some of the best snorkelling and Scuba diving in the Red Sea is quite literally on the door step of Hurghada hotels.  Most have a private beach where you can enjoy the warm, clear Red Sea or alternatively, indulge yourself in the many heated pools and hotel aqua parks.  Many Hurghada hotels also offer relaxing massage or sauna facilities as well as Kid’s Clubs to keep children safe and entertained and some have PADI diving schools on or very near the premises. 

Hurghada town centre is only minutes away from most Hurghada hotels with its nightlife, shopping and many clubs and bars.  Hurghada hotels are the perfect convenient start point if you are seriously into wind surfing, sailing, deep-sea fishing, swimming and above all, snorkelling and scuba diving.

Diving in Hurghada

Hurghada is suitable for all levels of diving ability, from outright novice to highly experienced divers.  Hurghada is a genuine all year round diving destination requiring a 3 mm wetsuit in the summer months and ideally a 5 – 7 mm wetsuit in winter. 

Hurghada Dive Sites

Shab El Erg: the most northerly site for day boats out of Hurghada. A huge horseshoe shaped reef offering many dive sites on all sides. The north point can be home to Mantas in season. The lagoon is dotted with ergs and is renowned for sightings of the resident dolphins.  

Gota Shab El Erg: a little known site but well worth a visit. The whole area teems with scorpion fish, groupers, morays, emperor angel fish, blue spotted rays and underneath the table corals look out for white tips resting in the sand. In the sandy channel between the main reef and the Gota you will find cone shells, and flatfish.

Shab Abu Nugar: a “T” shaped reef with a shallow plateau to the west and numerous small ergs as well as two small sub reefs:  Gota Abu Nigar and Shab Iris. Some parts of this reef system are stunning.

Umm Gammar: offshore Island surrounded by good diving on all sides. The south end has a shallow plateau where the moorings are positioned and this is where novices will dive. The plateau is home to Napoleons, Emperor Angels and free swimming Morays. The east and west side have awesome drift dives and the northern tip or "halg" has a magnificent coral garden but is only accessible in very good weather.

Shaab Ruhr Umm Gamar: 1km south of Umm Gamar and is the tip of an undersea mountain. The reef wall drops to around 15m on the west side, and is peppered with many caves and overhangs, home for sweepers and glass fish.  The diving here is superb and can be most often done as a drift. This whole area offers superb wall diving with possibilities of encountering grey reef sharks and good-sized groupers as well as morays, big tuna, and blue spotted rays. On the south east slope lies the wreck of an Egyptian patrol boat which is well worth a visit.

Careless Reef: Careless has two large ergs rising from a shallow plateau surrounded by sheer walls rising from the deep. The area is unprotected and the reef can only be reached in good weather. To the north, the drop off is a forest of coral and to the south the plateau slopes gently away with small pinnacles of coral. The whole area swarms with fish of all types, there are numerous giant morays, white tip reef sharks and schooling reef fish as well as huge groupers and the occasional hammerhead in the early morning.


Wreck of the El Minya (Harbour Wreck): an Egyptian minesweeper sunk by Israeli fighters while lying at anchor in 1969, this wreck lies in 30m on a rock sea bed. The current here can be strong from the north and the visibility poor. The wreck is only 70m long so there is plenty of time to explore everything including the blast hole on the starboard side, which can be penetrated. Penetration is not recommended elsewhere on this wreck. There is not much in the way of coral growth on the wreck but it does have its resident fish life. The blast hole gives shelter to shoals of glassfish and a lone anemone and resident clownfish are also in this area. Above the wreck are shoals of jacks and small barracuda.

Umm Dom (Stoney Beach): a steep cliff of the north east side of Giftun Kebira island plunges into the depths and continues into the abyss, the reef wall drops to about 12m and then there is a steep, tumbling slope to the top of the drop off at about 27m. Most of the life here is above 15m as the lower slope and top of the drop off are sometimes swept by strong currents coming through the straits, stunting the growth of the coral and giving a lunar appearance. Half way down the slope you will find a lettuce leaf coral.  Off in the blue you will find fusiliers, and triggers along with maybe sharks and turtles. At the top of the slope you will find morays, scorpion fish, barracuda and clouds of antheas. Whale sharks have been spotted at this site on occasions.

Shab Sabrina: this reef pokes out from the eastern side of Giftun Kebira island and has a coral garden extending 300-400m north of it. The best way to dive this site is on the drift, dropping 300m out and using the gentle current to make your way back to the boat mooring. This area is known for its beautiful coral landscape rather than its fish life.

Small Giftun: this dive is a relaxing exploration along a magnificent wall, where you can 'fly over' extensive stretches of large fan corals and if you look out into the blue it's not uncommon to see large tunas.  The dive leads to a sandy plateau dotted with numerous coral formations. Here it is common to see turtles, moray eels, crocodilefish and spotted stingrays, as well as schooling fusiliers and goatfish. Often done as a drift dive but can also be done as a normal dive where the boat is moored up.

Gota Abu Ramada: commonly known as 'the Aquarium' due to its wealth of marine life. There is an abundance of hard and soft coral and schools of butterfly fish, banner fish, snappers and goatfish are found swimming around the mountains of coral gardens. Diving at Gota feels like you are swimming in a huge natural fish tank!

El Aruk Gigi: cluster of a seven ergs laying in 10m - 15m of water. The whole area is home to sweetlips under the ledges, blue spotted sting rays in the sandy patches and glassfish and anthia fish swarm on the erg wall. One erg to note is the split erg, which has a grotto through it filled with glassfish, attendant red mouth grouper and numerous lionfish.

Beaches & Water Sports In Hurghada

Beaches in Hurghada are pristine and plentiful.  Most Hurghada hotels usually have their own private beaches exclusively available to hotel guests.   Beach parties have been a tradition in Hurghada from when the town was still a quiet sleepy outpost for only a few dedicated diving tourists.   A big bonfire, a barbecue, a good sound system, loads of chilled beer and millions of stars is all you need for a great Hurghada Beach party.  Nowadays the beach parties in Hurghada can involve acrobats, live bands, light shows and famous DJ’s.

Hotels and resorts in Hurghada offer a large choice of relaxed watersports and sea related activities, from banana rides to snorkelling excursions to the awesome marine park of Giftun Island, pedal boats, canoeing, catamarans, glass-bottom boats.  Some resorts offer also parasailing.  And even if you are a non-diver, you can still enjoy the sights of the underwater world of the Red Sea by booking a trip on Hurghada's small submarine where you can dive to a maximum depth of 22m.  A typical trip will allow you 50 minutes of bottom time.

Wind and Kite Surfing in Hurghada

Hurghada is the top Red Sea destination for wind and kite surfing and is picking up a great reputation as a wake-boarding destination too. Many international competitions are held in Hurghada every year. Windsurfers were coming to Hurghada before there was an international airport, attracted by the fact that Hurghada offers good, strong, winds throughout the year. Hurghada is one of the best places to learn to kite surf.   Windsurfers have a downwind bay pretty much to themselves, leaving two upwind bays with large shallow areas free for kite surfers. There is plenty of space to practice flying the kite, body dragging and water starting in shallow areas that extend far enough from the beach to allow 100m runs before getting into deeper water. Once your skill and confidence has built up, you can blast out to a sandbar approximately 1 km offshore where the wind is super clean and the flat water area around the sandbar is perfect for practising tricks and moves.

The winds in the Red Sea are created by the difference in temperature between the land and the water, but in Hurghada this is accelerated by the mountain ranges just behind the town and by Giftun Island offshore. The coast is also generally flat without fringing reefs which create perfect conditions both for wind and kite surfing.  From May to October the average wind speed is around 18 knots, sometimes getting up to 25 or 30 knots in the afternoon (especially in September).  Hurghada is excellent for all levels of kite and wind surfer but is especially good for complete beginners or those keen to progress. There is a very high level of instruction available locally and the shallow flat water of the 'small bay' is perfect for beginners and those keen to develop their skills.

Hurghada Nature & Wildlife

Hurghada’s marine life is rich and varied and includes butterfly fish, rainbow wrasse, moray eels, napoleon fish, turtles, grouper fish, dolphins, blacktip sharks and schools of surgeon fish. Seeing these incredible creatures can be done by indulging in snorkelling or SCUBA diving courses available at the many PADI training centres throughout Hurghada.   If you don’t fancy getting wet at all, many of these stunning marine creatures are on show at the Hurghada Aquarium and if  you prefer your wildlife slightly more contained, then visit the zoo in Hurghada where a variety of local and foreign animals are on display.  One of the main reasons many people choose to visit Hurghada is the chance to meet pods of wild dolphins. The Bottlenose dolphin is particularly populous in Hurghada’s waters.

Hurghada is also a haven for ornithologists. Bird watching has become popular in Egypt since it lies along the migratory path of many interesting species.  During autumn migration, from August to December, birds start flocking from Europe and fly as far as South Africa. The Red Sea coast is a major migration route for birds and Egypt is a major stopping point on the way. Every year, 32 different species of raptors and cranes and 82% of the world's population of white storks pass south of the Sinai.

Hurghada Spas

Hurghada is full of Spas and Health Clubs, usually associated with hotel complexes.  Try a relaxing massage or sauna and indulge yourself in a steam room or laze in a Jacuzzi at the Health Club and Spa of the Iberotel Aquamarine Resort.  Body Scrubs can detoxify and revitalise or stimulate your senses.   Body Wraps can restore your skin and natural anti aging treatments can defeat those wrinkles.  Massages will ease away the stresses, strains, aches and pains with a comprehensive menu of treatments from a simple Back & Neck Massage or an Aromatherapy Back Massage to an Aromatherapy Full Body Massage.  You can pamper yourself with a choice of indulgent and relaxing facial treatments that include surface cleansing and exfoliation.

Shopping and Leisure in Hurghada

Hurghada provides a wide selection of shopping facilities as well as restaurants, bars and discotheques.  There are many souvenir shops and stalls in the city centre and shops and outlets in the nearby Mercato shopping arcade will provide hours of excellent souvenir and gift hunting.   Approximately 15 km from the centre of Hurghada is the SENZO shopping mall with a multitude of international restaurants, bars, fast food restaurants, a cinema, souvenir shops and an international supermarket.  El Dahar is the old city centre of Hurghada. Here you can still enjoy the typical Egyptian shopping experience in a car-free shopping street where you can haggle for a good bargain. 

El Dahar is also where you’ll find the Aquarium of Hurghada so you can enjoy the fantastic underwater world of the Red Sea without pulling on a wetsuit!   The New Marina in Hurghada was built only in 2008 and features top-quality restaurants, first-class shopping, bars and discotheques next to the moored luxury modern yachts.

“Papas Bar“is located in the New Marina and offers a wide variety of drinks and snacks as well as nightly shows and karaoke to kick start the long disco night. The Ministry of Sound (Papas Beach) is probably the most famous open air disco directly on the beach in Hurghada while Calypso is the perfect place for house and techno music fans. Havana Club is one of the newest clubs in Hurghada with a special Cuban feeling.