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Hurghada

Muhafazat al Bahr al Ahmar / Al Ghardaqah


Hurghada

Hurghada is a beach resort town stretching some 40km along Egypt’s Red Sea coast. It’s renowned for scuba diving, and has numerous dive shops and schools in its modern Sekalla district. There are many restaurants, bars and nightclubs, while the old town, El Dahar, is home to traditional Egyptian coffee shops and souks. Hurghada’s long stretch of sandy beach is lined with resort hotels.

Windsurfing and sailing are popular, as are trips in glass-bottomed boats and submarines. Renowned local diving sites include Giftun Island, a national park with coral reefs, turtles and stingrays. Umm Qamar has a steep wall, caves and moray eels, while Gota Abu Ramada is nicknamed “the aquarium” for its colorful fish. There are shipwrecks to explore at Abu Nuhas reef. Offshore sites can be reached by day trip and liveaboard boats from the Sekalla marina.

Hurghada is Egypt's oldest and most famous resort. Offshore, is the colorful and bizarre Red Sea world of coral and fish life that first brought Hurghada to worldwide attention, while back on solid ground, the once tiny fishing settlement has mushroomed into a resort city catering directly to tourism. For northern Europeans (who make up most of Hurghada's tourism influx) this is a prime winter-escape destination with sandy white beaches and blue skies in abundance throughout the year. But while Hurghada's main attraction tends to be flopping on the beach, there's plenty more, both in the water and on dry land, for travelers who want a taste of adventure.

Things to do & Top Ratted Attractions in Hurghada


# Hurghada Grand Aquarium

Hurghada Aquarium is an aquarium located in Hurghada, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt. It opened in January 2015, and contains nearly 1 million gallons in tank space. It is home to over 1200 individual animals, and 100 species.
Address Hurgada - Al Ismaileya, Qesm Hurghada, Red Sea Governorate 84511
Opened January 23, 2015
Area 9.8 acres
Volume of largest tank 63,500 ft³
Number of species 100


# Sand City Hurghada

    Open-air museum featuring numerous historical & imaginative sand sculptures by global artists.


# Mini Egypt

Outdoor educational park offering tours through miniature models of Egypt's most famous attractions.

# Giftun Islands

The  Giftun Islands  are one of Hurghada's most popular boat excursions with prime swaths of white sand to soak up the rays and snorkeling opportunities galore on offer. For those who aren't scuba diving enthusiasts, the easily accessed coral reefs surrounding the island shore are an excellent taster of the Red Sea's beauty. Snorkeling or even just paddling close to shore, you can spot plenty of fish life flitting through the clear water. Those not interested in underwater exploits can simply claim a palm-frond shelter on the beach, sit back, and enjoy the sun.


# Hurghada Marina

Hurghada Marina is a rather swish and modern addition to the central district of Sigala and the town's major dining destination. At sunset, this is the place to promenade while soaking up the last of the evening light before heading to one of the many cafés or restaurants for a meal. Dining with views over the bobbing yachts and the Red Sea stretching to the horizon can't be beaten.

Address: Hurghada Marina Promenade, Sekalla


# Desert Jeep Expeditions & Quad Biking

With so much action happening in the water, some travelers forget that back onshore, there's an entire desert world to explore. One of Hurghada's most popular on-the-ground attractions is the quad biking, jeep expeditions, and dune buggying trips into the sand dune hinterland. You don't have to travel very far off-road from the resort town to discover the acacia tree studded  wadis  (valleys) sandwiched in by red-tinged mountains that make up most of the landscape of the Eastern Desert.


# Straits of Gubal

Egypt's  Straits of Gubal , a narrow strip of water squeezed between the Red Sea Coast and the Western shore of the  Sinai Peninsula , is one of the country's major diving destinations and is easily accessed from Hurghada. This strait's vast coral pinnacles have proved a tricky customer for seafarers trying to navigate through here across the centuries, and today, it is renowned for its wreck diving. Egypt's most famous wreck,  The Thistlegorm  (a WWII cargo ship that French diver Jacques Cousteau discovered while exploring the area in the 1950s), is among the strait's many dive sites.


# Sindbad Submarine

If you don't want to get your feet wet, this  tourist submarine  - the only one operating on the Red Sea - takes passengers down to a depth of 22 meters under the water for a peek at the Red Sea's abundant coral and fish life, all without even putting a toe in the sea. Trips take about one hour, and although they don't go very far offshore where the better coral can be viewed, for non-swimmers, it provides an opportunity to see the magical world below the surface


# Desert Jeep Expeditions & Quad Biking

With so much action happening in the water, some travelers forget that back onshore, there's an entire desert world to explore. One of Hurghada's most popular on-the-ground attractions is the quad biking, jeep expeditions, and dune buggying trips into the sand dune hinterland. You don't have to travel very far off-road from the resort town to discover the acacia tree studded  wadis  (valleys) sandwiched in by red-tinged mountains that make up most of the landscape of the Eastern Desert.


# Camel Rides

Whether you want to go for a short stroll along the beach (great for the kids) or are looking for a longer, one- or two-hour ride into the desert, all of Hurghada's resorts offer a chance to sample camel riding. Longer trips usually head out to one of the Bedouin settlements not far from town and offer a chance to see the desert landscape from the high saddle. All are guided by Bedouin camel-men, so you don't have to stress about skittery camels suddenly shooting off into a gallop, and you can simply sit back and enjoy the views.


# Astronomical Nights


Hurghada's twinkling city lights may scupper any plans of sky-watching while inside the town itself, but one of the most popular night time attractions for visitors here are the  astronomical night tours,  where your nighttime focus is entirely on the star-studded desert sky of your dreams. Trips journey out of the city after dusk and into the lonely desert, where you'll spend an evening looking up into the wonders of the night sky with a telescope on hand for closer inspection. With the incredible clear skies in this part of the world, it's one of the best chances most people have of witnessing the full beauty of the stars.


# Bedouin Dinner

Another extremely popular evening attraction in the Hurghada area are the Bedouin dinner tours offered by many of the resorts. For foodie travelers this is a must-do for the chance to sample the wholesome Egyptian dishes that never make it onto restaurant menus. Tours head out to nearby Bedouin settlements to feast on flavorful local cooking while reclining on colorful cushions in a traditional Bedouin tent setting. It's an atmospheric way to be introduced to Egypt's wonderful array of home-style cooking