The 411 on Hurghada, Egypt

[Manta Royal]

Spanning over 40 km of pristine coastline, Hurghada City has year-round sunshine, incredibly beautiful coral reefs and dozens of exciting attractions in a laid back, relaxed atmosphere. Even though it's known as a top-three diving destination on the planet, it still has something for everyone, even the non-divers: beach fun, extreme water sports, clubbing and golfing are only some of the options you’ll have to choose from. You can also enjoy an amazingly relaxing holiday by booking a treatment or two at one of Hurghada's best spas.

Hurghada is a luxury resort town divided by Sigala, El-Dahar and El-Memsha. Sigala is where you’ll find many seaside resorts, mid-range hotels and plenty of restaurants. South of Sigala, you’ll find luxury resorts. El-Dahar is the older charming part of town with its bountiful bazaar. El Memsha, which means the village road, is the modern part of the city. There are numerous luxury locations nearby, visit Soma Bay, Makadi Bay, and Sahl el Hashish. Considered the capital of the Red Sea Riviera, Hurghada is south of Suez and 550 km from Cairo. You can reach Hurghada by ferry from Sharm-el-Sheikh, the road from Luxor and by the Hurghada International Airport. And also you can enjoy daily trips to Cairo from Hurghada.

The temperature is lovely all year round, with Hurghada’s dry desert climate you should expect large differences in the temperature between night and day, days are hot, while nights can get pretty cold especially during winter months. Temperature can reach highs of 18 C and lows of 42 C.

Hurghada excursions are the best solution for your If you are not into diving, nor into swimming, you can always go on a glass bottom boat or weak boat trip. For a quick visit to the beach, resorts offer access and services for a fee. Check with hotels for the rates.

Keep in mind that the hundreds of metres of beaches in Hurghada are privately owned by hotels and resorts; the better the resort is, the better your beach experience will be.

Scuba diving in the Red Sea started in the 1950s when Greek and Italian workers began spear fishing while residing in Egypt. Explored by the Austrian zoologist Dr. Hans Hass, a well-known underwater movie maker, and the famous French diver Jacques Cousteau, the Red Sea has amazing coral reefs that are a magnet for thousands of species. 

Diving has matured since then, today you'll find fully equipped facilities, liveaboard diving, a myriad of programs and internationally certified instructors. The Red Sea resorts of Hurghada, Sharm El-Sheikh, Marsa Alam, El Gouna and Taba are wonderful destination that offer diving holidays packages and facilities all year round because of their moderate temperature. It doesn't matter if you have never dived before, if you're a beginner or a veteran, you'll find the right program for you and you'll surely be coming back for more.