Hurghada Neighbourhoods, Locations and Districts

(Hurghada, Egypt)

Until a few years ago, Hurghada was a sleepy fishing village which now stretches for about 40 km / 25 miles along the Red Sea shore, but doesn't extend far into the surrounding desert. Top-class beaches line the coastline all along this popular holiday and diving resort.

The downtown district of Hurghada is set back from the coast and is a lively place with a number of attractions and shopping facilities. Most visitors opt to stay out of central Hurghada and at one of the beach resorts, which offer excellent facilities and soft sandy beaches. Here are Hurghada's most significant districts, neighbourhoods and locations.

Al-Ahiaa (Al-Ahyaa)

This is the newest and most modern part of Hurghada and is located farther south of Sekala. Situated along the coastal road, there are only a small number of native residents and a lot of hotels, some of which are still under construction. At the moment, the Eastern flair is somewhat missing here.

El Dahar

El Dahar is the old part of Hurghada and is where you'll find most of the shops as well as the traditional souq, the tourist office, post office and the bus station, giving a taste of real Egyptian life. This is also the main district for local nightlife, so hotels here are good value but can be noisy, while beach hotels facing downtown include some family friendly budget resorts.

Sekala (Sigala)

Sekala is located south of downtown Hurghada and nearer the airport. This district is centred around the old harbour with plenty of walking passages and is a dynamic area with many hotels, stores, shopping centres, a cinema, clubs and restaurants, all of which are open late into the night and are visited mainly by tourists.