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Egypt

Hurghada

General Information About Hurghada

Hurghada is the comprehensive seafront destination where the sun shines every day. Its sparkling sandy beaches, majestic deserts and superb climate makes it the sanctuary of absolute serenity and the land that opens up unlimited new adventure possibilities.

Hurghada is the ideal relaxed and laid back destination that is more than suitable for those who love to take part in exploring aquatic recreation. The city is eminent for its magnificent underwater garden offshore and mesmerizing coral reefs that are considered one of the best in the world. Hurghada’s warm crystal waters provide a gateway to ultimate diving or snorkeling experiences through which an extensive variety of underwater species and reefs can be witnessed. With its abundant prime diving sites , Hurghada is the destination that will introduce you to new ways of enjoying undersea views. You can take a glass-bottom boat ride that cruises over some beautiful coral reefs, where you can see a variety of brightly colored fish and maybe even sharks, or you could head underwater and take a ride aboard one of the small submarines.

a boat is docked in the water near a hotel.

Those who seek less dynamic activities can enjoy the sunny atmosphere and lucid water by going on deep sea fishing trips to uninhabited locations such as the Giftone Island , Abu Menkar Isle , or Mahmya Beach , or they can enjoy discovering Hurghada’s marine life’s treasures at the Aquarium . Other favorable activities include windsurfing, sailing, submarine tours, and glass bottomed boat excursions that provide vistas of the underwater world are also available. You may also be surprised to find a number of alluring historical landmarks & Monuments around the city.  

Jeep, camel, and quad biking safaris are among many activities that you will find around Hurghada’s fascinating deserts. Hurghada’s eastern desert is an enchanting and vast landscape of sand, rocks, oases and mountains, and is also home to the Bedouins. While you are there, a ride to a Bedouin village can’t be missed, as you will learn about Bedouin life, heritage and traditions.

Hurghada, the special community where local habits and culture is presented next to resort lifestyle and behavior, embraces a diverse collection of museums & art galleries  that present an assortment of flora and fauna of the Red Sea.

The town is ample with nightlife destinations

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.

Travco Travel 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.

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. 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 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.

Museum & Art Galleries 
The freedom, fascination and bright colors, all this is the trademark of the Red Sea, and can be found in Hurghada’s museums and art galleries. 

Marine Biology Museum 
This museum is located in the northern region of the town and marks the ideal place for non divers who don’t want to miss the underwater action and rich oceanic ecology of the region. The Marine Biology Museum offers a journey through the underwater world that reveals a compilation of stunning coral reefs, and numerous species that include sea turtles, sharks, and the dugong, a large marine mammal that instigated the legend of mermaids. 

National Museum 
If you are more into cultural exploration, then visit this museum and discover a wide range of the Egyptian history’s remains. It’s the first national museum founded on the Red Sea Coast, showcasing antiquities, submerged mountains, and remains from the Pharaonic to the Islamic Era. This unique museum is sited on the water’s edge and features four exhibition halls, artists’ studios and performance spaces.

Café Del Mar 
Enjoy a nice coffee or fine local wine while viewing a collection of paintings by local artists at the newly opened and fairly contemporary art gallery cum café, located at El Dahar.

Nightlife in Hurghada is sparkling and lively. It has various vivacious nightclubs and bars that appeal to all tastes. If clubbing is what you seek, then you will find yourself shaking, swinging and getting swayed by the throbbing music while tuning into the endless tunes of the discotheques, pubs, and disco bars that are located all around Hurghada.

Little Buddha 

Little Buddha is the ideal place to chill out in Hurghada. It offers a great treat and a magical haven that will never disappoint you. It has a beautifully decorated bar, with a wonderful atmosphere, lighting and music. Its restaurant offers sumptuous Asian flavors with dishes to accommodate the varied palette. 

 

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, fast food restaurants, 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. 

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.

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, fast food restaurants, 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. 

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.

as low as

$2,248

POPULAR EXCURSIONS IN Hurghada

HALF-DAY AND FULL-DAY EXCURSIONS 

The following excursions are just a few of the many available at your resort, please check with your resorts travel desk for complete details including rates as prices vary per excursion.

DO'S AND DON'TS WHEN TRAVELING TO egypt

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Do's

Egyptians are known for their great sense of humour, kindness and hospitality. It is always a fruitful cultural exchange so don’t miss out on that.

This will not only help you get around more easily, but locals will also appreciate your effort. Here are some common colloquial Arabic phrases that will come in handy during your time in Egypt:

 

ENGLISH

ARABIC

Hello

Salamo alaikom

Good morning / evening

Sabah el foll / masaa el foll

What’s your name?

(Male) Ismak aih? (Female) Esmik aih?

My name is…

Ana esmi…

Have a nice day

Atmana lak youm saeed

Thank you

Shokran

Where is the bathroom?

Fain el hammam?

You

(Male) Enta, (Female) Enti

Me / Him / Her

Ana / Howa / Heyya

Please

(Male) Men fudluk, (Female) Men fudlik 

Where is…?

Fain el…?

How much is this?

Bkam dah?

I’m hungry / thirsty

Ana awez akol, ana awez ashrab

Very good

Helw awi

Enough

Kifaya

Cool!

Eshta!

My Arabic is poor

Ana mesh bafham Arabi kwayyes

If you’re not sure what something means, just ask. Most Egyptians will be happy to assist you.

There are delicious dishes to throughout Egypt, and you should try it all! No matter if it is from a street stall or at a formal restaurant, you’ll find scrumptious food cooked fresh and served with plenty of the renowned Egyptian hospitality. 

  • Mahshi: stuffed vine leaves, cabbage, aubergine, sweet peppers and zucchini
  • Fiteer Baladi: Egyptian filo pastry with sweet and savoury dips
  • Hawawshi: baked minced beef sandwich
  • Shawerma: shaved meat with garlic sauce
  • Koshary: a rice and pasta mix with spicy red sauce (popular with vegans)
  • Falafel: Egyptian ones are very green and crunchy (best falafel you’ll ever taste!)
  • Foule: Fava beans with vegetables, cumin and oil
  • Roz bel Laban: Cream Egyptian rice pudding (try it with ice-cream or fresh cream)
  • Om Ali: Egyptian bread pudding with nuts and raisins

Most first time visitors to Cairo usually pick hotels near the Pyramids. That is fine if you don’t plan to visit any other district in Cairo, but the area around the Pyramids is pretty far from everything. Ideally, you should pick a more central location like Tahrir or Zamalek for better access to the rest of the city. 

Egypt is mostly an Islamic country, and even though they are quite tolerant, you will get looked at, etc. which is not very pleasant. When entering religious sites, you may be required to cover your knees and shoulders. It’s a good idea for women to keep a scarf with them when visiting such places. If you are going out at night to one of the posh places you can wear whatever you feel like without a worry. 

That is looked down upon. Couples kissing on the street, even a kiss on the cheek might be unacceptable in some areas in Egypt. Handholding and shaking hands is ok in general, but strict Muslims don’t shake hands with people of the opposite sex to avoid any physical contact. 

(to be sure you have the right information). Sometimes people will give you directions even if they don’t know the place.

Unless you’re very confident, in such situations wait for someone to cross with you, or ask someone to help you. Most Egyptians will be happy to oblige. This doesn’t apply for all streets, of course, but in cities like Cairo and Alexandria where traffic is congested and traffic signs may be hard to locate, cars won’t stop to let you cross, and you have to find a way between them. To foreigners, Egyptian drivers are suicidal. To Egyptians, leaving more than a few centimetres between cars is wasted space.

Especially for women, if you have to travel by public transit, always try to sit next to other women. You can avoid unwanted attention if you, for example, take the first car on the underground train.

Agree with the taxi driver on the fare before getting in. In Cairo they have the metered (“white taxi”), but always check the meter is working. Otherwise leave the taxi and take another. You can leave a three-pound tip at the end of your ride. It is preferable to use Uber or Careem and they are available in most cities in Egypt. 

Unless you are travelling with a guide or someone who knows the area, you should not be there. 

Many places you’ll visit or want to buy something from don’t take credit cards. It is advisable to have exact change, especially when you’re in a market or buying street food but don’t carry a lot of money.

Keep in mind that the Egyptian culture revolves around tipping. People will request a tip for simple tasks like holding a door or giving directions. This is expected for both visitors, and locals as well. Sometimes people won’t take tips, but usually, they will, as they have small salaries. 

Within reasonable limits, bargaining in souvenir markets is expected and is a good way of starting a conversation.

When both signs and personnel indicate that photos are not allowed PLEASE just follow the rules and don’t take photos in such places. Paintings on the walls of temples, tombs, and statues of Egypt are delicate and taking photos of them, especially using a flashbulb dulls the colours on the paintings, damaging artefacts that are over 5,000 years old.

Egypt is unlike any other country, in Arabic, it is called “Om el Donia” which means “the Mother of the World”

Do Nots

You will need an international driving license and nerves of steel! Taking a bus or a taxi will give you the luxury of enjoying the chaos from the safety of your passenger seat.

People in Egypt are quite laid back, so sometimes people will be late or delayed because of traffic and you will have to get used to it during your stay.

For men it’s ok, but its preferable to wear tshirts instead. Egypt is a predominately Muslim country and even non-Muslims there are quite conservative. Therefore generally revealing clothing are not recommended. This does not apply if you are visiting Red Sea towns like Sharm-El-Sheikh, Dahab, Marsa Alam and Hurghada. In these coastal resorts, wearing this type of clothing is acceptable.

offering services like city tours, special visits to tombs, sites or shops…etc. It’s always safer to use registered tour operators and agents.

Egyptians are kind people and most of them are truly helpful. However, at some tourist areas, some people might tell you they’re going to show you or bring you into select areas of the attraction. These people tend to allow tourists into areas that are off-limits to get tips and sometimes to rob them.

This is good advice where you’re travelling. Go out and buy bottled water or carry your own reusable bottle, which is better for the environment.

Make sure you are at a designated bar, disco or at a private residence. Unless you are in a tourist place where this is common it’s not socially acceptable, and in some areas, it’s forbidden by law but in some eateries, drinking is allowed. If you do drink, you should not do so in excess and avoid drinking brands of hard liquor you are not familiar with. While you may just trying to be friendly, it is considered rude to offer alcohol to someone who is Muslim. 

When strolling through markets and tourist attractions you will meet vendors everywhere. It can get a bit overwhelming as they will all be trying to sell you something. However, there is no need to feel intimidated. If you are not interested in what they’re peddling, firmly tell them no thank you, and continue walking. In Arabic, no thank you is: “la, shukrun.”

That is a big no-no wherever you’re travelling. While people in certain parts of Egypt may dress differently than Westerners that doesn’t mean it is ok to take their photos without permission. Keep in mind you may have to give a tip for taking a photo. Even more importantly, taking photos of military or police personnel, buildings and vehicles is strictly forbidden in Egypt.

Unless you are a Muslim and are going to pray, wait until the prayer is over before venturing inside. Men and women pray in separate quarters in mosques and when entering, women must cover their heads, arms and legs and make sure you take off your shoes. 

Women, too, can hold hands or link arms. It doesn’t mean they are gay, it’s just part of the culture. 

This behaviour is not acceptable and might offend the people around you.

(unless you have all your vaccines and you’re not afraid of being bitten or scratched).

Flying drones is not allowed anywhere in the country of Egypt. According to the Egyptian Aviation Act under Article 46, sentence 8: “No unmanned aircraft is allowed to fly or to work in the territory of the State unless by permission of the Civil Aviation Authority. In all cases, using unmanned aircrafts is prohibited as per the rules of the Air and Air Traffic outlined in this respect.”

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The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle.
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