Orientation & Practical Information

Although paved highways link Hurghada with the main population centers, the town is remote. From Qena, 70km north of Luxor in the Nile Valley, it’s 160 barren, m°untainous kilometers to Port Safaga on the Red Sea coast, and another 50km of empty coastline north to Hurghada. And that’s the short way-Suez lies 410km north at the far end of the Gulf of Suez, and Cairo is another 130km.

The main town of Hurghada, a cluster of hotels, restaurants, shops, and residences, lies 2km north of the harbor (dahar) of Saqala (a.k.a. As-Saqqal), originally the fishing town out of which Hurghada grew. Saqala has plenty of diving shops and cafes, but few budget hotels. If you follow the coastal road south from the harbor, you’ll pass Moon Valley resort (4km) and the Sheraton Hotel (6km). Jasmine Village (15km) is the last in a long string of tourist resorts along the coast. Convenient minibuses shuttle back and forth frequently (50pt to the harbor, LEI to the area around the Sheraton), as do taxis (LE10).

An-Nasr Way, the main thoroughfare, connects the town and harbor. From south to north along a 2km stretch of this street you’ll find all the important points in town. To the east of An-Nasr are more small streets with hotels, restaurants, and tourist bazaars, all separated from the sea by a small, nameless mound, sometimes referred to as the Ugly Mountain. Many hotels are on or just off Abd al-Aziz Mustafa St., which leads from the center of town and An-Nasr Way to the beach and is also lined by numerous bazaars and restaurants. The town’s beaches lie along Al-Bahr St.; take the right fork when An-Nasr Way angles left at a large mosque. Cafes and hotels (in that order) in the harbor flank Sheraton St.; coming from town, make a left at the Hurghada police station and then a quick right and take the winding path toward the Sheraton.