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Hi all,
I’m considering booking a winter trip to Hurghada. I’ve searched the forum and can’t find anything on Hurghada.
Has anyone been, would you recommend it? I’ve been looking at easyJet holidays and the resorts all look very similar to me. Not sure how to differentiate between them.
Stay out of the sea! 😲
Ok, I’ll ask. Why?
I assume it is shark attack related (they banned tourists from the sea a few years ago) – or perhaps related to a tourist sub that sank?
I’d also be interested in any insights, I was considering it as a winter sun and diving spot
We went in Feb half-term 2024, and stayed at the Chedi El Gouna, about 40 mins away from the airport. Weather is warm and pleasant at that time of the year, and we found the hotel to be reasonable though the service was pretty hit and miss, had a nice beach and you could swim in the sea as it was on a reef.
The local town was nice for a walk around, with plenty of restaurants, and the whole area is part of a gated compound off the main road. Can’t offer any advice on Hurghada itself, but the airport was basic, and finding a taxi (even pre-booked) was a challenge due to patchy phone coverage, and it being an absolute scrum.
Ok, I’ll ask. Why?
SHARKS!
Reuters:
On December 29, 2024, an Italian tourist was killed and another injured in a shark attack at Marsa Alam resort. The incident occurred in deep water outside the designated swimming zone near the jetties.
Tiger shark kills Russian citizen near Hurghada beach
On June 9, 2023, a Russian citizen was fatally injured by a tiger shark near a beach at the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.
Authorities then issued a ban on swimming, snorkelling and other water activities on several nearby beaches.Shark attacks kill two women south of Hurghada
On July 3, 2022, two women were killed in separate shark attacks south of Hurghada. The victims, one Austrian and one Romanian, were attacked within 600 metres (2,000 feet) of each other near Sahl Hasheesh.* If you had seen the video of that screaming Russian guy getting tossed about like a rag doll by a Tiger Shark (yes somebody videoed it), you wouldn’t be going into the sea at Hurghada either…
They can’t stop them, stay in the pool
Stay out of the sea! 😲
Why? I’ll have to reconsider if I can’t take a dip.
We went in Feb half-term 2024, and stayed at the Chedi El Gouna, about 40 mins away from the airport. Weather is warm and pleasant at that time of the year, and we found the hotel to be reasonable though the service was pretty hit and miss, had a nice beach and you could swim in the sea as it was on a reef.
The local town was nice for a walk around, with plenty of restaurants, and the whole area is part of a gated compound off the main road. Can’t offer any advice on Hurghada itself, but the airport was basic, and finding a taxi (even pre-booked) was a challenge due to patchy phone coverage, and it being an absolute scrum.
What was the food like? I’ve seen some very mixed reviews on the food and beverage offering in all inclusive resorts in Egypt.
Glad to hear the weather was warm and that you could enjoy a swim, that would be my main reasons for wanting to go to Egypt at that time of year.
Did you notice if there were many excursions available? Would like to get out some days if I did go.
Stay out of the sea! 😲
Why? I’ll have to reconsider if I can’t take a dip.
I posted an answer to that earlier Connor, but my post has been removed
Google Hurghada & Sharks
It is a valid consideration, in the same way as a very slight risk exists in Florida and Australia where there are a lot of people in these areas that enjoy the water sports.
The Red Sea is a wonderful place to dive and snorkel.
@Hbommie I’ve been put off the Red Sea resorts by the overdevelopment. Any suggestions?
I have stayed in the Movenpick resort and Spa in El Gouna. The hotel itself was very nice, it’s low rise and laid out around lagoons. Service in many red sea resorts can be a bit patchy probably due to lack of staff training, but nothing that would stop me from returning.
When my kids were teens we went every Easter for 4 years as apart from the Canaries it was the only place we could get decent weather for a one week break. The flight is a pain as it’s on short haul aircrafts I believe.
We were only B&B and ate out each evening in the little town, I seem to remember the restaurant food being good and plenty of choice. Never stayed in Hurghada itself, but that is the airport you fly into and then it’s about 30 mins on a coach.
My Daughter acquired her love of scuba diving in the Red Sea Resorts, none of got eaten by sharks I would think that is a very rare occurrence. Most hotels have good pool set ups for swimming.
Did stay in the Hilton Sharks Bay one year, the name of which was a bit of a giveaway!
The main trip people seem to do is an overnighter to the pyramids.
Thanks @Misty.
I’ve loved Red Sea snorkelling in the past so that’s useful infoThanks @Misty.
I’ve loved Red Sea snorkelling in the past so that’s useful infoYour welcome, I’ve never been anywhere quite like El Gouna, I think the place was the idea of one person to try and create an upmarket and ascetically pleasing but inevitably man-made resort, set around lagoons and the sea.
In terms of those thinking of going to Hurghada itself I have only transited it twice, once to El Gouna and the other time to Marsa Alam, I think it is more built up than those resorts. Many of the hotels are very large with 3 or 4 pools, multiple restaurants etc, like many places I think there is an old town/village that the resort ‘grew up’ around. I meant to go there but we ran our of time for that kind of holiday.
I think the last time I visited Egypt was 2011 so my information is historic, but as you say the main attraction for people is the Red Sea itself, the snorkeling and scuba, but it can be a good place just to chill for a week, when you don’t want to fly too far and the weather is rubbish in many other places. I guess most folk on this forum would go to Dubai for that kind of thing.
My family and I stayed at the Steigenberger Aldau Beach Hotel in Hurghada last February. One of the higher rated hotels in the area and all inclusive was less than £500 each. Very clean, great staff, beautiful grounds and the food and alcohol offerings were good if not really 5*. The main pool, in common with most hotels is unheated and therefore a bit chilly in Feb!
Hurghada itself is generally run down with lots of partially completed hotels and while there are a few shops on the main street it just the usual tat.
Unfortunately (from our experience), the prevailing mindset appears to be to rip-off tourists in the area, with every shop/pharmacy/excursion trying to get as much money out of tourists as possible despite local prices being very low.
The diving and snorkelling is excellent, however once again, a boat day trip will inevitably include a (2 hour) stop at Magawish island (I assume on commission) where you will be pressured into buying overpriced drinks…
If we were to return it would be with no intention of leaving the hotel grounds which always feels a bit sacrilegious on holiday!
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