Hurghada

A massive beach resort stretching an incredible 40 kilometres down Egypt’s golden Red Sea coast, it is famous for the numerous watersports that can be enjoyed in its crystalline waters, including diving, surfing and much, much more. There are a plethora of cafes, bars and nightclubs dotted along the coast, alongside international hotels and traditional Egyptian coffeeshops. Its famous stretch of sandy beach is renowned for the golden sands and coral reefs that lie hidden beneath the waters of the Red Sea.

The resort enjoys a hot desert climate throughout the year, where rain is incredibly unlikely and temperatures regularly average above 25 degrees. The hottest months of the year are June, July and August when the temperatures average above thirty, although Hurghada is an excellent destination for sun seekers during the rest of the year, with the coldest month, January, having an average temperature of 16 degrees. The best time to swim is in the summer when the average sea temperature can reach 28 degrees.

Initially founded in 1909 by British engineers, the latter wanted to try and exploit the oil reserves in the country. This meant that a small fishing village was created, which really began to expand once scuba diving became popular, with Hurghada considered to be the ideal destination for diving. It rapidly expanded during the 1980’s becoming Egypt’s watersports capital, with snorkelling, diving, windsurfing, sailing and a plethora of others all available in the town.

The beautiful resort has an excellent range of family activities that ensures everyone will have fun on their family holiday. Foremost of these are the many gorgeous beaches, where children can play safely and try out new sports such as snorkelling. It also plays host to two aqua parks, called Makadi Water World and the Jungle Aqua Park, offering aquatic fun in a more organised setting. While the Red Sea Aquarium and Marine Biology Museum are the ideal place for those who want an educational and fun day out with the children.

No trip there would be complete without taking the opportunity to explore the colourful reefs that lie just beneath the surface of the Red Sea, which can be done via scuba diving or snorkelling. Visitors can also take a boat trip to the Giftun Islands: a set of secluded island paradises that lie just off its coast. Hurghada is also home to two aquariums, offering the chance to see the incredible array of marine life that inhabits the waters around Egypt, whilst enjoying an amazing beach holiday.

A famous destination on the Red Sea Riviera, it is one of the finest places for night-life in the entire of Egypt. It has a great range of discos, clubs and bars for visitors to enjoy and is a favoured destination for young people visiting Egypt. The best place to visit if you are seeking a party is the Sekalla Area, which is located on the town’s waterfront and promenade, where you will find a myriad of clubs and discos that are open from dusk until dawn.

Playing host to an abundance of shops, the resort includes souvenir shops, jewellery shops and perfumiers. There are many international fashion brands there, with the best locations for shopping central Hurghada and the Sakala District. As with many places in Egypt, the shopkeepers enjoy a good haggle and will often sell things much lower than their asking price. As a general rule, you should aim to purchase things for around 70% of the quoted figure and not start haggling from 50% below.