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Hurghada

Plucked from obscurity during the early days of the Red Sea’s tourism drive, the fishing village of Hurghada has long since morphed into today’s dense band of concrete that marches along the coastline for more than 20km. Still, it's a convenient destination for combining a diving holiday with the Nile Valley sites. Further offshore there is still superb diving aplenty; local NGOs are helping the town clean up its act, and the southern resort area and Sigala's sparklingly modern marina have brought back some of Hurghada's sheen.

Unfortunately, the rampant construction has left the coast blighted by half-finished shells of pleasure palaces never realised, while the coral reefs closest to the shore have been degraded by illegal landfill operations and irresponsible reef use. Hurghada’s star has largely lost its lustre with package holiday-makers, while independent travellers prefer to press on to Dahab, El Gouna or further south to Marsa Alam.

Explore Hurghada

G
Gota Abu Ramada
A mind-boggling abundance of marine life is on display here, 5km south of the Giftun Islands, making Gota Abu Ramada a popular spot for underwater…
H
Hurghada Marina
Hurghada's marina is a pleasant, car-free place to stroll, especially in the evening. When you get tired of staring out to sea or dreaming about owning…
U
Umm Qamar
Umm Qamar, 9km north of the Giftun Islands, is highlighted by three coral towers that are swathed in beautiful soft, purple coral and surrounded by a…
G
Giftun Islands
These islands, among the closest to Hurghada, form part of a marine reserve and are surrounded by a number of spectacular reefs teeming with marine life,…
S
Shedwan Island
There is some fabulous diving off this island, which sits in the straits between Hurghada and Sharm. Pilot whales and large pods of dolphins have been…
A
Ashrafi Islands
The Ashrafi Islands, north of Hurghada, are less-visited than many other dive sites in the area, but have several wrecks in relatively shallow water (8m…
S
Siyul Kebira
The reef’s upper section is home to bannerfish, angelfish and snapper. If the current is strong, you can drift along the wall skirting the edges of huge…
S
Stingray Station
The stingrays this dive site is named after are most commonly seen in March and April, but there are plenty of other attractions year-round at this…
H
Hurghada Public Beach
Hurghada's public beach is not so appealing – it is often full of litter, and foreign women may feel uncomfortable about the attention they will attract…

G
Gota Abu Ramada
A mind-boggling abundance of marine life is on display here, 5km south of the Giftun Islands, making Gota Abu Ramada a popular spot for underwater…
H
Hurghada Marina
Hurghada's marina is a pleasant, car-free place to stroll, especially in the evening. When you get tired of staring out to sea or dreaming about owning…
U
Umm Qamar
Umm Qamar, 9km north of the Giftun Islands, is highlighted by three coral towers that are swathed in beautiful soft, purple coral and surrounded by a…
G
Giftun Islands
These islands, among the closest to Hurghada, form part of a marine reserve and are surrounded by a number of spectacular reefs teeming with marine life,…
S
Shedwan Island
There is some fabulous diving off this island, which sits in the straits between Hurghada and Sharm. Pilot whales and large pods of dolphins have been…
A
Ashrafi Islands
The Ashrafi Islands, north of Hurghada, are less-visited than many other dive sites in the area, but have several wrecks in relatively shallow water (8m…
S
Siyul Kebira
The reef’s upper section is home to bannerfish, angelfish and snapper. If the current is strong, you can drift along the wall skirting the edges of huge…
S
Stingray Station
The stingrays this dive site is named after are most commonly seen in March and April, but there are plenty of other attractions year-round at this…
H
Hurghada Public Beach
Hurghada's public beach is not so appealing – it is often full of litter, and foreign women may feel uncomfortable about the attention they will attract…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Hurghada.

See
Gota Abu Ramada
A mind-boggling abundance of marine life is on display here, 5km south of the Giftun Islands, making Gota Abu Ramada a popular spot for underwater…
See
Hurghada Marina
Hurghada's marina is a pleasant, car-free place to stroll, especially in the evening. When you get tired of staring out to sea or dreaming about owning…
See
Umm Qamar
Umm Qamar, 9km north of the Giftun Islands, is highlighted by three coral towers that are swathed in beautiful soft, purple coral and surrounded by a…
See
Giftun Islands
These islands, among the closest to Hurghada, form part of a marine reserve and are surrounded by a number of spectacular reefs teeming with marine life,…
See
Shedwan Island
There is some fabulous diving off this island, which sits in the straits between Hurghada and Sharm. Pilot whales and large pods of dolphins have been…
See
Ashrafi Islands
The Ashrafi Islands, north of Hurghada, are less-visited than many other dive sites in the area, but have several wrecks in relatively shallow water (8m…
See
Siyul Kebira
The reef’s upper section is home to bannerfish, angelfish and snapper. If the current is strong, you can drift along the wall skirting the edges of huge…
See
Stingray Station
The stingrays this dive site is named after are most commonly seen in March and April, but there are plenty of other attractions year-round at this…
See
Hurghada Public Beach
Hurghada's public beach is not so appealing – it is often full of litter, and foreign women may feel uncomfortable about the attention they will attract…

Guidebooks

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