Dahar sometimes called Downtown is the oldest part of Hurghady. It is a good place for a walk and to visit the old bazar.
Hurghada or Hurgada also known in Egypt as Ghardaga, 30 years ago, was only a fishing village, but now is one of the best Egyptian tourist destinations. With more than 30 km of hotels along the beach, Hurghada can satisfy the needs of every visitor, from scuba diving to windsurfing to desert safaris. The unique underwater gardens near Hurghada are some of the finest in the world. The sandy Hurghada beaches invite us to relax in peace and to sunbathe. Traditional cafes and restaurants can be found in the centre of Hurghada. Hurghada is also a convenient base camp for trips to Cairo, Luksor and Asuan. The warm waters in Hurghada are ideal for windsurfing, sailing, swimming, deep sea fishing, but above all, snorkeling and scuba diving. Hurghada has many fine accommodations. Hurghada restaurants are mostly along the main road. Hurghada is the biggest tourist resort of the Red Sea coast and international center of aquatic sports. Hurghada is called a party town, as life begins at night. Hurghada counts 60.000 inhabitants living in three parts: Dahar (north Hurghada), Sakkala (central modern Hurghada), Village Road (South, new part of Hurghada)
This area is called Village Road. In this part of Hurghada is many hotels far away from the city center
Modern part of Hurghada. In this area there are many pubs and discos. It’s a perfect place to do shopping. You can also find duty free shops here (to buy alcohol 48 hours after arriving in Hurghada) and many souvenir shops.
Most hotels in Hurghada are situated by the sea and thus have their own beaches. If you live in such a hotel, you can use it free of charge. Most of the beaches in Hurghada are private and they are often separated from one another. If you get bored with the beach by your hotel, you can visit another hotel beach (I personally recommend Old Vik) and after paying (20-25 LE) you can benefit from it all day. Sometimes free drinks and beer are included in the entrance fee (e.g. Papas Beach Club). You can also find public beaches in Hurghada, which are greatly visited by Egyptian families.
There is no typical public communication in Hurghada but transportation in Hurghada is very easy.Transport is provided by white minibuses (full of Egyptians), running every few minutes, bus fare (1-2 LE) and the same taxis, but inside the taxi there is only the driver and his helper (the price must be set in advance, short route 10 LE, long about 20 LE). Of course payment should be done upon completion of route, when leaving the taxi. In orange taxis (normal price is 3 LE start and 25 piastres per 1 km) and you must negotiate the price before.
The best place to shop in Hurghada is Sakalla and a market in the Dahar district of Hurghada . Prices in many shops are not given and you have to negotiate it with the shopkeeper. Usually the price given by the shopkeeper is 2-3 times higher than the final one. Remember that Egyptians are masters of bargaining. Usually they invite you to their shops in order to show you their goods. Often when we spent a larger sum of money in their shops, the shopkeepers invite us for tea. The shops are open until late hours at night. Egypt is an Islamic country and alcoholic drinks are only available in bars, pubs, at discos and in duty free shops (each tourist can buy three bottles 48 hours after arriving in Egypt). An entry in the passport is made of every alcohol purchase. Hurghada is also a good place to purchase diving equipment. In the Sakalla district of Hurghada you can find popular bars and discos greatly visited by tourists.
Hurghada in Egypt is one of the largest tourist destinations of the Red Sea basin. Hurghada is a modern Egyptian resort attracting diving amateurs. Hurghada offers a clear and warm sea with fabulous coral reefs having no equal in the whole world. Egypt and the Red Sea coral reefs attract diving enthusiasts. Hurghada, thanks to its location among about 50 coral reefs, is one of the best diving places in the world. The high salinity of the Red Sea causes the visibility underwater to reach up to 35m. You can find about 200 diving bases in Hurghada, so you have a lot to choose from. Diving is a very safe sport, provided that you abide by safety rules. When choosing a diving base, you shouldn’t be directed just by the price, because many cheap Egyptian bases offer low service quality trying to save money on insurance, equipment servicing or employing qualified staff.
