Where to Stay in Hurghada: El Gouna, Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh and More

"Hurghada" covers more than 60 km of Red Sea coast, from El Gouna in the north to Soma Bay in the south. Where you stay makes a big difference to your holiday: some areas are lively and full of restaurants, others are quiet bays where you'll rarely leave the hotel, and the distance from the airport ranges from ten minutes to an hour.

This guide compares the main areas – what they're like, who they suit, the beaches and snorkelling, and how far they are from the airport – then helps you choose by travel style. At the end you'll find tips for picking a hotel and getting there.

Quick comparison

The main areas

1. Central Hurghada: Sakkala, the Marina and Village Road

The heart of the resort, with the New Marina, the El Mamsha promenade, shops, bars and restaurants within walking distance. Hotels range from simple city hotels to large beach resorts, many with man-made beaches protected by breakwaters.

Pros: everything on your doorstep, the most choice of restaurants and nightlife, short transfers and easy access to boat trips leaving from the marina. Cons: busier and noisier, and the beaches are rarely natural. Snorkelling from the shore is limited – you'll mostly snorkel on boat trips.

Best for: couples and friends who want to go out in the evening, short stays and travellers on a budget.

Stay here and you step out of your hotel into the city's buzz: taxis honking, shop lights glowing late into the night, cafés full of people smoking shisha and the marina just a short walk away. It's convenient and lively, but rarely quiet – choose a room away from the street if you're a light sleeper.

2. El Dahar (old Hurghada)

The original town, with the old souk, the mosque, local markets and street food. Few tourists stay here because there are no beach hotels, but it's the most authentic part of Hurghada and very good value.

Pros: local life, cheap food, the best place to shop for spices and souvenirs. Cons: no beach, more traffic and noise.

Best for: an evening visit from anywhere in Hurghada, or budget travellers who want to see real Egyptian life.

Wake up to the call to prayer and the clatter of shutters opening on the shops below. Days here are full of local life, cheap street food and markets, rather than lawns and pools – a great choice for budget travellers who want the real Hurghada, less so if you dream of a long sandy beach outside your door.

3. El Gouna

A self-contained resort town about 20 km north of Hurghada, built around lagoons and canals. It has a marina (Abu Tig), a walkable downtown with restaurants and shops, boutique and large hotels, and some of Egypt's best kitesurfing.

Pros: clean, calm and walkable, with excellent restaurants and no need for a car; great for kitesurfing. Cons: pricier than Hurghada, and the lagoon beaches are sandy rather than reefs, so snorkelling means a boat trip.

Best for: couples, kitesurfers and families who want to walk to restaurants. See our El Gouna travel guide.

Mornings in El Gouna mean coffee by a quiet lagoon, bicycles gliding past and the soft slap of water against the boats. It feels calm, clean and green, more like a Mediterranean resort town than the rest of the coast, with a lively marina for the evenings.

4. Sahl Hasheesh

A planned bay about 20 km south of the airport, with large resort hotels, a long seafront promenade and an Italian-style "old town" area that is still developing. Several hotels have long jetties out to excellent house reefs.

Pros: quiet, spacious and good for snorkelling straight from the hotel. Cons: fewer restaurants outside the hotels, so most guests stay all-inclusive; you need a taxi or shuttle to reach Hurghada.

Best for: relaxing beach holidays, snorkellers and couples.

The bay is wide and quiet, the promenade is lined with grand, almost palace-like buildings and the water off the long jetties is crystal clear. Evenings are peaceful – perfect if you want calm and comfort, but plan a taxi into Hurghada if you want shopping or nightlife.

5. Makadi Bay

A sheltered bay of all-inclusive resorts around 30 km south of the airport. The water is calm and clear, beaches are sandy and many hotels have jetties out to the reef. Several resorts have water parks and large kids' clubs.

Pros: ideal for families, with calm water and lots of facilities. Cons: very little outside the hotels – you'll rely on excursions and shuttles for trips into town.

Best for: families and all-inclusive holidays.

Life here revolves around the hotel: long sunny days by the pool, the house reef at the end of the jetty and a quiet, starry sky at night. It's ideal for families who want everything in one place, and a short drive from Hurghada when you fancy a change.

6. Soma Bay and Safaga

The furthest south, on a peninsula surrounded by sea, with a handful of upmarket hotels, a championship golf course and some of the best wind for kitesurfing in Egypt. Safaga, beyond it, is a port town known for diving and as a departure point for trips to Luxor.

Pros: peaceful, uncrowded, excellent for golf, wind sports and diving. Cons: the longest transfer, and very little to do outside the resorts.

Best for: peace and quiet, golfers, kitesurfers and divers.

The first thing you notice is the wind – steady, fresh and constant, which is why kitesurfers and windsurfers love it. The resorts are spacious and calm, with golf courses, spas and long beaches, and the feeling of being far from the city's noise.

How to choose

7. Families

Makadi Bay and Sahl Hasheesh have shallow, sheltered water and big family resorts with kids' clubs, children's pools and sometimes water parks. El Gouna is excellent for families who want to eat out and explore without a car. Check whether the beach is sandy enough for small children, and whether reef shoes are needed.

8. Snorkellers and divers

Choose a hotel with a house reef in Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh or Soma Bay, and check reviews for how healthy the reef is and how long the jetty is. Many dive centres are based in central Hurghada and El Gouna, with boats leaving daily for the Giftun Islands and offshore reefs.

9. Nightlife and eating out

Central Hurghada – around the Marina, El Mamsha and Village Road – and El Gouna's Downtown and Abu Tig Marina have the most bars and restaurants. If going out matters, avoid remote bays where the only option is the hotel.

10. Value for money

Central Hurghada has the widest choice of mid-range hotels and the cheapest restaurants. All-inclusive packages in Makadi Bay and Sahl Hasheesh are often excellent value for families, especially outside school holidays.

Tips for choosing a hotel

• Check the beach: is it natural sand, a man-made beach, or a reef with a jetty? Photos can be misleading – look at recent guest photos.
• Look at the map: some hotels in the "same" area are 15 minutes apart, and some are across a busy road from the beach.
• Read the all-inclusive details: bar hours, à la carte dinners and drinks vary a lot. See our guide to what all-inclusive really includes.
• Ask about shuttles: many resorts in Makadi, Sahl Hasheesh and Soma Bay run buses into Hurghada on set days.
• Consider the season: in winter, a heated pool and a sheltered beach make a big difference; in summer, shade and air-conditioning matter most.

Getting there

Hurghada International Airport is close to the centre, so transfers are short compared with many holiday destinations: around 10–20 minutes to central Hurghada, 20–30 minutes to Sahl Hasheesh, 30–40 minutes to El Gouna or Makadi Bay and around 45–60 minutes to Soma Bay, depending on traffic and your exact hotel.

On arrival you'll find taxis outside the terminal; agree the fare before you get in, as fares are usually negotiated. A pre-booked private transfer is the most relaxed option, especially with children, a lot of luggage or a late-night flight: the price is fixed, the driver meets you in the arrivals hall with your name and waits if your flight is delayed, and child seats can be arranged in advance. If you're staying in Hurghada and visiting El Gouna or Makadi for a day, taxis and hotel shuttles make it easy to move between areas.

Which area for a first visit?

If you've never been to Hurghada and want a balance of beach, restaurants and excursions, stay on Village Road or El Mamsha for a lively base, or in Sahl Hasheesh for a quieter resort with a reef – both are close to the airport and to town. Families on an all-inclusive holiday usually love Makadi Bay, and couples who want to walk to restaurants are happiest in El Gouna.

For more ideas, read our Hurghada travel guide and compare the coast with Marsa Alam and Sharm el-Sheikh.