Where is it better to relax by the sea in Egypt – in Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh? There is no definite answer to this question, each resort has its own characteristics, pros and cons. They will help you decide where it is better to fly depending on the time of year, requirements for beaches, entertainment or type of vacation.
Flight and tourist visa
There are airports in both Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. There are direct regular and charter flights from Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sochi. The cost of a plane ticket from Moscow to Hurghada starts from 57,500 rubles round-trip, to Sharm el-Sheikh – from 56,000 rubles round-trip.* The flight takes from 6 to 7 hours depending on the chosen flight.
Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh are located in different regions of Egypt, so their visa application process is different. In Hurghada, upon arrival at the airport, you need to pay a visa fee of $25 per person, including children. The period of stay in the country on such a visa is up to 30 days.
In Sharm el-Sheikh, the visa is free, upon arrival a mark “Sinai only” is placed in the passport. With such a stamp, tourists can stay in the country for up to 15 days, but only within the Sinai Peninsula, where the resort is located. It will no longer be possible to travel, for example, to Cairo, Alexandria or Luxor – you will have to purchase a full-fledged tourist visa for 30 days, as when entering Hurghada.
Where is it cheaper to relax
Housing. Prices for accommodation in resort hotels are approximately the same. Double room for 7 nights at the three-star Sun & The Sea Hotel on the coast of Hurghada will cost 20,000 rubles, and the five-star Hurghada Marriott Red Sea Resort hotel in the same area will cost 62,000 rubles.* The cost of a room for two in the three-star Naama Inn Hotel Sharm el-Sheikh for seven nights is from 19,000 rubles, at the five-star Stella Di Mare Beach Hotel & Spa – from 81,500 rubles.*
Excursions. Excursions from Sharm el-Sheikh, which involve a long journey, are more expensive, since the city is remote from the main attractions of the country. & nbsp; For example, tourists who have paid for a visa can go to the Valley of the Pharaohs and the city of Luxor or to the Great Pyramids at Giza. Hurghada, on the contrary, is located closer to the center and south of Egypt, so excursions from there are slightly cheaper. For example, from Hurghada to the pyramids it takes 5 hours, and from Sharm el-Sheikh – all 8. But from Sharm el-Sheikh it is more convenient to go on excursions to the countries bordering Egypt – Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. For example, you can visit the ruins of Petra or visit the Dead Sea.
Resort concepts: where it is better to go with children, for active recreation and diving
Sharm el-Sheikh is a purpose-built resort with a population of about 40 thousand people. Almost all local residents are employed in the tourism sector and work in hotels, restaurants and other establishments. Along the coast there are mainly five-star hotels with large areas and their own beach. Three- and four-star hotels are located on the second and third lines. However, they do have their own areas on the beach. Popular areas of Sharm el-Sheikh for a beach holiday are Naama Bay, Sharks Bay (Soho), Hadaba (Ras Umm el-Sid) and Sharm el Maya.
Hurghada is, first of all, a full-fledged city in Egypt (population about 500 thousand people) and only then the resort. The concept is more suitable for family holidays, since the city has many hotels with large areas, swimming pools, restaurants, animation and entertainment. Outside the hotels there is either desert or local streets. The resort itself stretches along the coast for almost 40 km, and the hotels are located mainly on the first and second lines from the sea. Popular areas for beach holidays in Hurghada are Makadi Bay, Sakkala, El Dahar and El Aheya.
Hurghada is more suitable for families with children. The city has a dolphinarium, several water parks, a huge aquarium and museums. Nightclubs and bars are located closer to the center of the resort and away from the coast where tourists live, so loud music does not interfere with a quiet and relaxing holiday. Most four- and five-star hotels operate on an All inclusive system, which in addition to meals includes family animation.
Sharm el-Sheikh is more suitable for lovers of active recreation and nightlife. The city has modern nightclubs, the most popular of which is Pacha Sharm. The main local attraction is the Ice Bar Sharm, where the bar counter is made of real ice (the room is cool and it is better to dress warmly). In hotels near the resort center and noisy discos, you can hear loud music until late at night.
Despite its active nightlife, Sharm el-Sheikh is not suitable for long walks. When you leave the hotel, you will most likely find yourself either in the desert or at another construction site. One day is enough to explore local attractions; there are very few of them here: the mosque, the Old Market, the Soho shopping area and the embankment in Naama Bay.
Both resorts are suitable for diving enthusiasts, but in Sharm el-Sheikh everything is easy to see for yourself, since coral reefs are located right off the coast next to the hotels. All you have to do is put on a mask and dive shallow underwater to look at colorful fish, sea urchins and stars. Bays with beautiful reefs in which corals are located right off the coast – Ras Umm al-Sid, Sharks Bay, Hadaba and Ras Nasrani.
In Hurghada, for quality snorkeling you will have to take an excursion and dive with instructors. But you can see not only the living inhabitants of the seabed, but also monuments valuable to Egypt, for example, the sunken ship El Mina.
Differences in weather and tourist seasons
The best months for a holiday in Egypt are May, October and November. At this time, in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh there is no sweltering heat, and the sea is quite warm. The average water temperature is +25…+27° C, and the air warms up to +25…+30° C.
It is not recommended to vacation at Egyptian resorts in summer. The resorts are located in a desert climate zone, where from June to September it is too dry and hot: the thermometer often rises above +40 ° C, and there is also a high risk of getting caught in a sandstorm. But in general, high temperatures are more easily tolerated in Hurghada thanks to the sea breeze and drier climate.
Winter in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh is very different. In Hurghada, which is located on a plain, from December to April it is cool and strong winds blow. Because of this, swimming in the sea will not be very comfortable, and after sunset you will have to put on a jacket. In Sharm el-Sheikh, surrounded by low mountains, winter is more pleasant. The air temperature here does not drop below +22…+23° C, and the water warms up to +23…+24° C.
Where are the best beaches
At both resorts the beaches are sandy, but the entry into the water is different. There are a huge number of living reefs in Sharm el-Sheikh, so Without swimming slippers, going into the water is not only difficult, but also dangerous – there is a risk of getting a cut or burn from marine life. That is why at the resort almost the entire shore is equipped with pontoons, from which you can immediately descend to the depths.
In Hurghada, there are much fewer coral areas or they are completely absent. For example, in areas such as Naama Bay and Sharm el-Maya, there is a completely flat sandy entry into the sea. Here you can comfortably relax with small children, the shore is strewn with fine golden sand, however You won’t be able to look at the beautiful inhabitants of the Red Sea.
Almost all hotels in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh have their own equipped beaches, clean shores and water. If you rent an apartment, you will have to visit the city beaches. Mostly they are paid, entrance costs 6-10 dollars per person (lounger and umbrella included). Free, but less well-maintained beaches are usually located on the outskirts of resorts. Real sandy beaches in Egypt are found, for example, in Nuweiba and Tabu.
Let’s summarize
Hurghada is a place mainly for a calm and quiet family holiday. The beaches here have a more convenient entry into the sea, and there are fewer reefs off the coast. Tourists who prefer excursions will be able to save on travel. Hotel concepts in Hurghada are aimed mainly at families with children, that is, all the entertainment and animation is inside the hotel.
Sharm el-Sheikh is an almost year-round resort, where strong winds do not blow and the weather is warmer in the winter months. Here you have the opportunity to see the colorful reefs of the Red Sea right off the coast and not get bored in the evening outside the hotel.
*Prices valid at time of publication.
