Things to Do in Hurghada: A Complete Red Sea Guide
From reef snorkelling to desert safaris and old-town markets — how to fill your days on the Egyptian Red Sea.
Hurghada is one of those rare places that works for almost everyone. Divers come for some of the clearest water in the world; families come for calm, shallow beaches; couples come for sunsets and seafood; and adventurers come for the desert that begins where the town ends. Here is how to fill your days on the Egyptian Red Sea.
Snorkel the house reefs
The single best thing about Hurghada is also the easiest: you can see extraordinary marine life without a boat or a licence. Parrotfish, angelfish, sea turtles and the occasional ray drift over reefs just off the shore. Many beachfront hotels, DaVinci Beach among them, sit on water shallow and clear enough to snorkel straight from the sand.
Take a boat to Giftun Island
A short boat ride from the marina, the Giftun Islands are the postcard version of the Red Sea: white-sand spits, water in three shades of blue, and snorkelling stops on the way. Most trips include lunch on board and a few hours on the beach. Go on a weekday to dodge the crowds.
Learn to dive
Hurghada is one of the most affordable places on earth to get PADI-certified. A beginner’s session takes an afternoon; a full Open Water course takes three to four days. The reefs here are forgiving, warm and shallow — the perfect classroom.
Wander the Marina and old town
As the heat softens in the evening, the Hurghada Marina comes alive with cafés, boats and people-watching. Nearby, the old quarter of El Dahar offers a more local scene: a traditional souk for spices and souvenirs, street food, and mosques worth pausing at.
Head into the desert, or on to Luxor
Fifteen minutes inland the landscape turns to open desert — quad-bike safaris, camel rides and Bedouin dinners under the stars. And Hurghada is one of the closest beach bases to the temples and tombs of Luxor, roughly four hours by road: a long day, but the kind you plan a whole holiday around.