What is it?

Hurghada is Egypt's original Red Sea resort town, a 40-kilometre ribbon of beaches, marinas and hotels strung between the tawny Eastern Desert mountains and some of the clearest water on Earth. Until the 1980s it was a modest fishing settlement; today it's a sun-drenched playground where dive boats slip out at dawn toward offshore reefs and wrecks, and kite surfers carve across the shallows in near-constant northerly wind. Beneath the surface lies the real spectacle: forests of soft coral in violet and gold, clouds of anthias, batfish, moray eels, and often dolphins riding the bow wave on the way back to port. On land, the old quarter of El Dahar offers dusty souks, sheesha cafés and the smell of grilled fish and cardamom coffee, while the polished Marina Boulevard delivers cocktails, yachts and neon reflections on the water. Inland, the desert begins almost immediately — a landscape of ochre plains and Bedouin camps where the silence at night is total and the stars are ferocious.

Where is it?

Hurghada sits on Egypt's Red Sea coast in the Governorate of the Red Sea, roughly 450 km southeast of Cairo and a short flight or five-hour drive away, with its own international airport served by carriers across Europe and the Middle East. The best diving and snorkelling is offshore at Giftun Island, Abu Nuhas (the 'ship graveyard'), Careless Reef and Shaab El Erg, while nearby El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi Bay offer quieter, more designed alternatives. October to May brings the most comfortable temperatures; midsummer is scorching at 40°C+, though the water stays swimmable and warm all year.

What makes it worth it?

There's a particular moment in Hurghada that people never forget: rolling backwards off a boat into 30 metres of visibility and realising the reef below looks like a coral cathedral in full colour. Divers routinely call the Red Sea the best warm-water diving on the planet for the price, and first-timers often surface grinning and instantly book another dive. Above water, the contrast is what lingers — the improbable meeting of deep blue sea and empty desert, a landscape that feels ancient and elemental even amid the resort sprawl. Spend an evening in the desert with Bedouin hosts, sipping sweet tea as the Milky Way stretches overhead, and the package-holiday reputation dissolves entirely. Years later, what you'll recall isn't the buffet or the pool: it's the silhouette of a dolphin pod at sunrise, the taste of salt and the strange peace of floating above a living reef.

How accessible is it?

Hurghada is one of the easiest bucket-list destinations in the world to arrange — millions of visitors arrive each year, mostly on direct charter and budget flights from Europe, and all-inclusive resorts can be booked for as little as £40–70 / $50–90 per person per night, with luxury properties running $150–400. Most nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival (around $25) or an e-visa, and airport transfers are typically included in packages. Snorkelling boat trips cost roughly $25–45 including lunch; a two-tank dive day is about $60–90, and a four-day PADI Open Water course $300–400, requiring only basic swimming ability and reasonable health. Physically, most activities are easy — snorkelling, camel rides, quad safaris and desert dinners suit families and non-athletes alike. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a rash guard for sun protection, and dress modestly when visiting local markets; haggling in El Dahar is expected and good-natured.