Hurghada Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing

(Hurghada, Egypt)



Picture of popular beach resortHurghada is a sun, sea and sand tourist Mecca and was until recently just a small fishing village. Cultural and historical tourist attractions in Hurghada are thus few, but there is plenty to do for the active traveller.

The outlying islands attract many day-trippers, while the reefs and beaches are the real attractions for most visitors, where scuba diving has become a major past-time in this part of Egypt.

Here are Hurghada's best tourist attractions.


Photo showing another Red Sea beach

Beaches

Many beaches in Hurghada are connected to hotels, but there are also some fine public beaches, which may charge a small fee for access. Amongst the main coastal attractions, Old Vic Village is a large sandy beach along a bay facing the south and is shielded from the wind and waves. The Chill Beach Bar is a small, cosy beach with tropical huts and hammocks and is a popular hangout for local divers and surfers. Papas Beach Club is a small sandy beach popular with the young crowd and ideal for those post-party lazy days.
Open hours: call for details
Admission: call for details

Image of the Bazaar in El-Dahar

Bazaar in El-Dahar

This lively market springs up every day in Hurghada's old town, El-Dahar, bursting with all the staples of a traditional Egyptian bazaar, from polished brassware to wooden tea tables. Visitors barter and merchants loudly flog their goods while donkeys wander along the streets.
Open hours: daily
Admission: no charge

Red Sea Aquarium

The Aquarium in Hurghada offers an excellent chance to see the huge variety of marine life found in the Red Sea. The well-organised exhibits and fishy attractions are all clearly labelled in English with diagrams and texts on each species. Children and families can learn how to identify different species and where to spot them when diving or snorkelling on the reef.
Open hours: 09:00 to 22:00
Admission: charge

Giftun Islands

Big Giftun Island and Small Giftun Island are both home to various marine life and other underwater attractions, including whale sharks, barracudas and oceanic white tip sharks. Offering spectacular coral, deep waters, caves and canyons, the islands are a prime daytrip destination from Hurghada. To protect the islands from overexposure, they are now a protected marine park.
Open hours: daily
Admission: charge

Dolphin World

Address: Safaga Road, Makadi Bay, Hurghada, Egypt
Tel: +20 65 346 27 40
Email: prmanager@dolphinworld-egypt.com
Website: www.dolphinworld-egypt.com
This somewhat controversial attraction opened in April 2011 and gives visitors the opportunity to watch walrus, seal lion and dolphin performances, as well as chance to swim with the dolphins.
Many people are opposed to the attraction keeping six dolphins in captivity when tourists can see them wild in the bay. Whereas, the developers of Dolphin World feel that by bring the wildlife to the tourists rather than the other way round, they are infact preserving the coral reefs and marine environment.
Open hours: Sunday to Friday - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discount available for children, infants are free