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Red Sea · Egypt
Red Sea beaches and coral reefs: Giftun Islands National Park, the old center of El Dahar, and the lagoons of El Gouna, with diving, snorkeling and kitesurfing.
In the photo: Giftun Islands and reef platforms in the Red Sea, near Hurghada.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Hurghada lies on the western shore of the Red Sea, about 460 km from Cairo, between the sea and the mountains of the Eastern Desert. It grew from a fishing village into a hotel city that stretches for dozens of kilometers of beach, and is the capital of the Red Sea governorate.
The coral reefs are the reason to come: off the city, the Giftun Islands and the surrounding coral banks receive snorkel and dive boats daily. To the north, El Dahar preserves the old neighborhood, with shops and local life.
About 25 km to the north, El Gouna is a town built around lagoons and canals, with a marina, beaches and kitesurf schools, taking advantage of the region’s nearly constant wind.
From Hurghada you can also take trips into the Eastern Desert in 4x4 vehicles, and day trips to Luxor, about 290 km via the Safaga road.
This destination brings together 2 cities: Hurghada, El Gouna.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Dados cartográficos: © OpenStreetMap contributors, via Wambacher / geoBoundaries (ODbL 1.0). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Hurghada International Airport (HRG), in Hurghada · 5 km to Hurghada
The arrival city is Hurghada. Hurghada International Airport (HRG) is about 5 km from the center and receives flights from Cairo and many European cities. Buses connect Hurghada to Cairo and Luxor, and there are boats to Sharm el-Sheikh at certain times.
Suggested arrival point: Hurghada
Capital of the Red Sea governorate, long and narrow along the beach. The old town, El Dahar, is in the north; to the south, Sakkala and the resort avenue follow the shoreline. Boats depart from the marina to the Giftun Islands and to the reefs.
Town about 25 km north of Hurghada, built around lagoons, canals and artificial islands, with a marina, beaches, a pedestrian center in Nubian style and kitesurf schools. It is quieter than Hurghada.
The local experience
Islands off Hurghada, in a national park, with white-sand beaches and coral reefs visited on snorkel and dive boat excursions.
El Gouna marina, with boat and yacht docks, and the pedestrian center of Kafr El Gouna, with squares, streets and buildings inspired by Nubian architecture.
Hurghada’s old town, with the market, streets of spice and fabric shops, the El Mina mosque and the fishing boat port.
Shallow, protected lagoons north of El Gouna where the steady wind attracts kitesurfers and windsurfers, with schools and sandy beaches.
Bay south of Hurghada with sandy beaches, reefs near the shore and a promenade where ruins of an old submerged work known as the sunken city stand.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
You can enter the sea any month of the year. Summer is very hot; winter has mild days and cool nights and is windier, which favors kitesurfing; the water is warmest between July and October.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
With four to seven days you can combine beach time, a day on the Giftun Islands, a day in El Gouna and, if interested, a desert trip or a day in Luxor.
In Hurghada, resorts occupy the coast to the south, in Sakkala, along Village Road and toward Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi; El Dahar, the old center, has smaller hotels near the market. In El Gouna, accommodations are arranged around the lagoons and the marina, in a calmer setting.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
A week lets you combine beach time, the Giftun Islands, El Gouna and a desert trip or Luxor; with four days you can see the main sights.
No. Taxis, minibuses and organized tours cover the city and El Gouna, and boats depart from the marina for the islands.
Hurghada is a large city, with the old center of El Dahar and resorts along the coast. El Gouna, to the north, is a town of lagoons and canals, quieter, with kitesurfing and a marina.
Yes, leaving at dawn: it’s about 290 km, four to five hours by road each way.
From July to October. From January to March the water becomes colder, and many divers wear neoprene suits.
