Is Hurghada Safe? 5 things you NEED TO KNOW before traveling to Egypt
Is Hurghada safe to travel? (updated Nov 2022). As traveler’s ourselves, we are always in for adventure and chasing different destinations to the norm. Therefore, we want to provide this guide to help anyone who is considering traveling to Egypt.
Hurghada Travel Guide - Egypt’s paradise on the Red Sea
Hurghada is one of Egypt’s top destinations. Located on the Red Sea, it is a perfect escape from the cold European winter months and a great place to top up your tan. Not only this, Hurghada is full of adventure - what else is more tempting to plan your next trip?
Things we will cover today:
SAFETY
TRANSPORT
VISAS
SHOPPING ESSENTIALS
DRESSCODE
WEATHER
EXPECTATIONS
AIRBNB
ACTIVITIES
Hurghada Things to Know
Hurghada literally is THE adventure paradise on the Red Sea. However, there are a few things you need to know before traveling to Egypt. Luckily, we created a list for you that includes the NEED TO KNOW things when traveling to Hurghada.
1 - Safety
We consider Hurghada safe to travel. Egypt as a whole is relatively safe to travel to, even more so in Hurghada for the fact that there are many resorts and infrastructure to support tourism. The people in Hurghada are warm and friendly, and we felt comfortable walking around both day and night. Obviously, common sense prevails and you should not put yourself in a dangerous situation such as being intoxicated or venturing to remote areas alone.
Since inflation has been rampant in Egypt for many years now, tourists can be an easy target to extract money from. So, a great tip for traveling in Hurghada is that you shouldn’t flash your cash around. Not so much for safety reasons, but more to keep people honest when you need to haggle. Simply keep 2 different wallets on you or keep your money in 2 different sections. Most every day items only cost you between 20-25 EGP which equals about 1€. Usually, we only carry 200-1000 EGP in small notes in our wallets to avoid the haggling scenario. Again, this is not so much a safety issue, rather, it is a general awareness that haggling is part of the culture in Egypt.
2 - Getting to and from Hurghada
Located on the Red Sea, with aqua blue warm water and a lot of diving opportunities Hurghada is an absolute paradise. Fortunately, a new international airport (Hurghada Terminal 2) opened in 2019 which is a big upgrade from the smaller terminal 1 and is the second biggest airport in Egypt after Cairo.
Direct flights from London Gatwick are via
easyJet
TUI Airways
The most popular flights leave from most German airports via
Correndon
Eurowings
And of course, Air Cairo offers cheap flights from Cairo-to-Hurghada. You can check the full flight map with this handy tool below.
Travel Visa for Egypt
Upon arrival you will need to purchase an e-visa. The single-entry tourist visa for Egypt costs $25 and you will need to pay cash so have some Euro or USD available. There are ATM’s at the airport before you go through immigration but periodically they do not work. During our last visit, the queue was huge and we were offered to skip the queue for some extra money - And the hustle begins!
Taxis in Hurghada
In 2018, neither of us had been to Egypt before and our expectations were somewhat dubious. We arrived in the middle of the night and our Airbnb was only about a 30-minute walk away from the airport. Taxi drivers were abundant and welcomed us warmly. Of course, they offered to take us to our hotel and suggested 15€ for a 7-minute cab ride. Convincing as they were, we quickly checked the Uber app and the exact same ride would cost us 4€.
Therefore, a great tip for Hurghada is to use Uber - at least to confirm the correct taxi fare!
3 - Shopping Essentials
On arrival, duty free may be your only chance to purchase liquor. However, if your happy sipping cheap cocktails or a cool Sakara (beer) then you can skip this. Also noting that day excursions and cruises usually do not supply alcohol so if that is your thing you may need to sneak some onboard.
Sim cards and internet
There are many mobile carriers at the airport for those who need to purchase a SIM card and there are a wash of taxi drivers that will fight for your custom, just be ready to haggle.
Another tip for Hurghada we would love to share is the shopping essentials. Hurghada has a lot of little convenient stores that provide snacks, water, and essentials that will get you through the day for less than $5. However, if your planning to stay a while and want to do a big grocery shop, you will need to make your way to one of these supermarkets:
Alternatively, if your budget is tight, shop at the local markets and support the local farmers. This is quite novel and you can join the slow travel movement and live more sustainably.
4 - Dresscode
Hurghada is a little bit more relaxed when it comes to dressing standards, but showing too much skin can attract unwanted attention. This almost goes without saying: women should consider dressing appropriately in Egypt. Although Hurghada is located on the beach and the residents are used to seeing tourists wearing shorts and t-shirts, you NEED TO KNOW that you will probably get stared at as a woman! You can simply reduce that uncomfortable feeling by wearing long dresses that cover your legs and shoulders, at least in high-traffic, public areas.
5 - Expectations (Cleanliness)
The next tip for Hurghada is to consider the dirt and the dust from the desert. Comparatively, we found it cleaner than some other southeast Asian countries we frequent. But, due to the hot and dry climate, it can be quite dusty and your things get dirty. It’s important to note, Egypt is classified a 3rd world country compared to western standards and rubbish, recycling and sustainable practices may be few and far between. Keep in mind that the waste management systems in Hurghada may not perfect and try do the best you can whilst visiting. Our beautiful planet is super precious and Egypt is filled with beauty in nature, and history. As travellers we should aim to travel sustainably and help set an example for everyone (5 tips on doing that you’ll find here).
More travel tips for Hurghada
Activities
All in all, we have to say we absolutely love Hurghada. We traveled around Egypt for 6 weeks in 2018 and Hurghada was the best destination. It felt like a such rejuvenating holiday oasis for us (in El gouna) that we often plan our kitesurfing holidays in Hurghada.
Aside from the being the best kitesurfing destination in the world, the Red Sea is also a hot spot for Scuba diving and there are many tour operators offering this.
If water-sports are not your thing, other activities include horse-riding, quad-biking, or riding in a 4x4 in the desert - Check out our Desert Safari video here.
Airbnb
If you are about to book your Egypt holidays in Hurghada we can highly recommend staying in El Gouna (akin to Sharm el sheikh). We stayed here for 1 week and would’ve loved to stay longer. Every day we got up to watch the mesmerising sunrise and sunset. We even invited friends over for a BBQ on our roof terrace! The apartment was super clean, communication superb and the kitchen was well equipped, we promise you that you won’t be disappointed!
Our AirBnB in El Gouna - A safe and secure gated estate in Hurghada
Weather in Hurghada
What's the weather in Hurghada like? You’ll be glad to know the average temp in Hurghada is always over 20 degrees. Even during the midst of a European winter, Egypt is pleasantly above 22 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) which is perfect for day trips and exploring! Whereas, between June and August your looking at a stifling 36 degrees on average (above 90 degrees Fahrenheit) and your Egypt holiday will be most likely be spent by the pool or swimming somewhere on the Red Sea coast.
In summary,
Clearly, Hurghada is one of our favourite destinations. Likewise, you might also enjoy visiting the ancient Egyptian cities of Luxor and Aswan with its rich culture and history. Either way, if you are looking to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle, Hurghada is a safe destination to spend your Egypt Holiday.
If you are planning a holiday in Egypt, be sure to check out our guides…
A Honeymoon in Egypt guide,
Our guide to Tour Luxor by bicycle.
