Hurghada is the capital of the Red Sea Governorate; It is bordered to the east by the Red Sea coast, to the west by the Red Sea Mountains and to the north by Safaga. The city is a characterized by its amazing resorts and beaches and fascinating marine life of the red sea.
The city occupies an area on 460 km2, and it has a fairly small population of about 100,000 inhabitants. Hurghada has its international airport, so you can fly directly to it.
The climate of the city is a subtropical-desert climate, with hot summers and mild winters. At the evening the situation is much better as the temperature is usually hovering around 20o C.
The city is the home for many islands including: The Giftun Islands, Umm Qamar, Megawish, Abu Ramada, Abu Minqar, Fanadir, and Shadwan. In addition it houses a number of world-class resorts as El-Gouna, Soma Bay, Makadi Bay and Sahl-Hasheesh.
History
The city was established in 1905, and in the past, Hurghada only included some simple houses inhabited by the Bedouins working in fishing and pearling, as a result the city has a Bedouin character that lived with it until now.
The growth of the city began with the discovery of oil in that region in 1931, and with oil extraction industry, complementary industries also emerged, such as construction activities, transportation, manual labor, fishing and trade.
In 1972, the Israeli forces tried to occupy Shadwan Island, but the Egyptian armed forces confronted them, and were able to defeat them and expel them from the island within hours, this event is known as the Battle of Shadwan, which is the date on which the Red Sea Governorate celebrates its national day.
With the beginning of the eighties and the discovery of the natural components of the city of Hurghada, work began on building the tourism economy.
What to do?
The city offers many activities to choose from including: camel-riding across Biblical plains to observe some of the ancient wonders; quad-biking into the Sahara desert and engaging with some Bedoin tribes for some tea and dates.
Diving and snorkeling is a must-do experience, you will be amazed by the vibrant and colorful coral reef; another great option is boat trips to the unpopulated Big and Little Gifton islands or swimming in the warm sea, and last but not least you can check the Dolphin world for some wonderful shows.
Shopping in Hurghada is also a great thing to do during you stay in the city, you can check Senzo Mall, 3 Pyramids shopping center and many others, or you can explore the down town’s local market, or the souq of Ad-daher which offers jewellery made of silver, coral, and other precious stones.
Hurghada Grand Aquarium in another Amazing place to visit, the aquarium contains about 1,200 species displayed in a series of 24 galleries that represents the natural ecosystems, you can see sharks, rays and turtles and many more.
What to Eat?
The city offers a wide variety of cuisine, including traditional Egyptian food, western restaurants, oriental food, fast food spots and many more. We encourage you to go traditional; the Egyptian breakfast offers a unique variety of dishes including: Fava beans served in a ton of ways, Falafel, Eggplant, French fries, baba-Ganush and more, all together in the famous balady bread with some home-made pickles.
For launch/ dinner, seafood is always a great option considering the coastal nature of the city, traditional Egyptian grills is also a very nice choice.
Night Life
In the evening, the city offers a variety of night clubs, coffee shops and restaurants. You can go for a walk, shopping, or dining while breathing the fresh air from the sea. Another option is the bowling and family entertainment centre.