Red Sea Family Holidays in Egypt: Hurghada, El Gouna & the Best Resort Areas

Guaranteed sunshine, warm water and coral reefs you can reach from the beach make Egypt's Red Sea coast one of the easiest family holidays from Europe. Around Hurghada, a string of resort areas offers everything from lively town beaches to quiet bays with shallow lagoons. Here's how to choose where to stay – and the best things to do with kids.

Where to stay

1. Hurghada town

Hurghada itself is lively and good value. Stay in Sakkala or near the New Marina for restaurants, shops and boat trips within walking distance, or in the El Mamsha promenade area for an evening stroll by the sea.

For children, an evening in town is an adventure: colourful lights, the smell of popcorn and grilled corn, bright toys in the shop windows and boats bobbing in the marina. Keep it short and sweet before bedtime, and agree the taxi fare back before you set off.

2. El Gouna

North of Hurghada, El Gouna is a resort town built around lagoons, with a marina, a walkable centre, kitesurfing schools and family-friendly hotels. It's relaxed, clean and popular with families who don't want to stay inside one hotel all week.

Kids love the little boats and water taxis along the lagoons, the bicycles and the ice-cream shops around the marina. It's calm and car-light, so older children get a bit of welcome independence.

3. Makadi Bay

About half an hour south of the airport, Makadi Bay is a sheltered bay of all-inclusive resorts, many with water parks, kids' clubs and good house reefs for snorkelling.

Long days revolve around slides, splash pools and kids' clubs, with shallow water at the beach and a reef just off the jetty for older children with a mask and snorkel.

4. Sahl Hasheesh

Close to Hurghada but much quieter, Sahl Hasheesh has a long seafront promenade, sandy beaches and some of the clearest water on this stretch of coast – great for snorkelling straight from the jetties.

The bay is quiet and the water is wonderfully clear off the long jetties, so families with young children can snorkel in calm conditions while toddlers paddle in the shallows.

5. Soma Bay

On a peninsula further south, Soma Bay is spacious and peaceful, with wide beaches, golf, a famous kitesurfing spot and excellent reefs. It's the place for families who want space and calm.

Wide sandy beaches, plenty of space and a steady breeze that keeps the heat bearable – and older kids can try windsurfing or kitesurfing lessons in the shallow water.

Things to do

6. Take a boat trip to the islands

Boat trips to the Giftun Islands, including the white-sand beach of Orange Bay, are the classic Hurghada day out: snorkelling stops on the reefs, lunch on board and time on the beach. Choose an operator with good life jackets and child-size snorkel gear.

Children usually remember the moment the boat stops over the reef and they see fish through the clear water before even jumping in. Life jackets are provided, and calm island beaches make a good place for sandcastles between snorkel stops.

7. Watch dolphins responsibly

Spinner dolphins often rest in the shallow reefs off Hurghada. Choose a responsible operator that keeps its distance, doesn't chase the dolphins and limits how many swimmers go in the water.

8. See the reef without getting wet

For younger children or non-swimmers, a semi-submarine or glass-bottom boat shows the coral and fish through underwater windows.

Kneeling on the bench with noses pressed to the glass, children watch fish crowd around the windows and shout every time a bigger one swims by. It's perfect for little ones who aren't ready to snorkel.

9. Go on a desert safari

Quad bikes, camel rides, a Bedouin village visit and dinner under the stars are a favourite with older kids. Most trips leave in the afternoon and return after dinner.

Most children love the bumpy jeep ride, the camel photos and the tea at the Bedouin camp, and the stars after sunset can be magical. Choose a jeep or a short family-friendly trip – quads are rough and dusty for young kids.

10. Try diving

The Red Sea is one of the best places in the world to learn. Children can usually start with a "bubblemaker" experience in a pool and take a junior open water course from about ten years old.

11. Spend an evening at Hurghada Marina

The New Marina is the town's favourite evening hangout, with restaurants, ice cream shops and yachts lit up after dark.

12. Take a day trip to Luxor

It's a long day – around four hours each way by road – but a trip to the Valley of the Kings and Karnak is unforgettable for curious older children. An overnight stay makes it far more relaxed – see our guide to planning a Luxor day trip from Hurghada.

Tips for families

• Bring reef shoes – some beaches have coral or rocks at the water's edge.
• Protect the reef: don't stand on coral, don't feed the fish and use reef-safe sunscreen.
• Stay hydrated and cover up – the sun is strong even when the breeze makes it feel cool.
• Book your airport transfer in advance, especially with children and luggage, so a driver is waiting when you land.

Planning the rest of your trip? See our guide to the 15 best places to visit in Egypt, and use our day-before-you-travel checklist to pack without stress.