Discovering Hurghada

Before my trip, I didn’t know much about Hurghada, except that it’s a great place for snorkelling and scuba diving! Stretching along the coast of Egypt, fringing the Red Sea, it’s a year-round holiday destination, with a plethora of resorts and hotels along the long, sandy beach. I was travelling with TUI, visiting some of their exclusive hotels and learning all about what Hurghada can offer its lucky visitors.

We flew with TUI from London Gatwick, and the flight was about 5 hours. Hurghada is hottest between April and October but for less extreme temperatures, but still with some heat and lots of sunshine, you can visit during the winter months when the climate is milder. There is so much to enjoy in Hurghada, and it’s certainly not just a beach resort, though if you do fancy just relaxing by the pool or beach, then there is plenty of that available too! Not only do the crystal waters of the Red Sea offer amazing diving and snorkelling, there are many other watersports such as kite surfing, paddleboarding, canoeing and windsurfing. The vibrant city is a blend of old and new - the old town, El Daha, is a network of narrow streets, peppered with traces of the past, such as peaceful mosques and quaint bazaars. In contrast the new town, Sakalla, features excellent shops and a glitzy marina, with elegant restaurants and moorings for luxury yachts. Situated on the eastern edge of the Arabian Desert there are also opportunities to enjoy this unique landscape on desert trips or to become a castaway for the day, with a trip to Giftun Island and its white-sand beaches and snorkel-friendly waters - just a short boat ride away.

We stayed in two hotels for our visit. The first was Jaz Aquamarine, which was a stunning, very large hotel with a beach front location, boasting an impressive 14 pools!

The second was Jaz Aquaviva, again a large hotel, with an onsite water park with a variety of slides to suit all ages, and although it doesn’t have a beachfront, there is a shuttle bus to the beach, taking just 7 minutes. Both have spa facilities and a gym for guests’ use.

Whilst in Hurghada we also visited a further three TUI hotels:

TUI BLUE Makadi Gardens – This small Adults Only hotel is part of the TUI flagship BLUE collection, and is all about fine dining, boasting culinary theme nights to take your taste buds all around the world. The city center is 40 mins drive away, and the hotel sits on its own private beach within a complex of 11 hotel properties. A ‘dine around’ option allows guests to also eat at the neighbouring Madinat Makadi resort and there are Spa facilities along with the TUIBLUEF!t programme including classes such as Yoga and aqua aerobics, with watersports available on the beach.

TUI BLUE Crystal Bay Resort – This is another resort in the BLUE flagship collection, with 7 restaurants and 5 bars, set on a private beach in a stunning location 20 minutes from the city centre. This luxury hotel is for all ages, with a great evening entertainment programme offering a range of live shows, mini discos and the garden parties. Here guests can again enjoy the Spa, Gym, TUIBLUEF!t program and beach watersports.  

TUI MAGIC LIFE Kalawy – TUI MAGIC LIFE hotels are the ultimate in 24 hour All Inclusive, with 4 and 5 star hotels in exceptional locations offering packed programmes of activities and entertainment. This hotel was my personal favourite - a beautiful setting in extensive gardens, situated on a private horseshoe-shaped beach.  There are some lovely chill out areas with comfy sofas and one of the best buffet restaurants we ate in for lunch, offering a wide variety of both local and international dishes. It’s great for families with children of all ages, especially if they are active and will make use of the excellent sports and watersports facilities. There are 5 pools including waterslides, 9 bars, 5 restaurants, and a private beach with its own coral reef, so you can just wander out and dip into the lagoon for a chance to spot the local marine life.

Every single hotel we visited had immaculate public areas - there was always plenty of space with sunbeds readily available both on the beach and by the pool. All of the staff were very helpful and friendly, and also extremely knowledgeable, providing information on both the hotels and the local areas. There are lots of day trips to enjoy from the hotels in Hurghada; full day excursions to Cairo or Ancient Luxor; quad bike safaris; snorkelling cruises; desert trips with star gazing or camel rides. I enjoyed the Seascope Glass-Bottom boat trip, which was fantastic – under the boat are glass windows from floor to ceiling, and this is a perfect excursion if you are not into snorkelling or diving but still want to see some of the amazing sea life in Egypt.

Hurghada is a fantastic destination for an All-Inclusive beach holiday, offering excellent value for money with luxury 4/5 star hotels and lots of sports and activities on offer. Most hotels are set on fantastic beaches, and the crystal-clear waters and amazing coral reefs are home to varied sea creatures and colourful fish, perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving. I would definitely choose Hurghada for my own holiday in the future, probably travelling in the winter season when the weather is around mid-20’s so great for winter sun with warm sea waters all year round. With historical Egypt, the bustling old town, the glitzy marina, the Arabian desert and the Red Sea on offer, there is so much to do alongside relaxing by the beach or pool, so there is something for to interest everyone. Hurghada really is a fantastic destination with so much more to offer than just a beach break.

Julie’s top tips for Hurghada:

• To make the 5 hour flight more enjoyable book extra legroom seats and take an ipad or tablet with a film or two to help pass the time.

• When visiting local areas it is recommended for ladies to cover their shoulders, especially if going inside the mosques.

• Drink bottled water and brush your teeth with bottled water.

• Use a high factor sunscreen all year round as the UV is high.

• Bring some insect repellent to prevent unwanted nips!

• My favourite food was a delicious local bread made in clay ovens right in front of us, plus an Egyptian BBQ with all different meats and kebabs cooked at our table.

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If you’ve been inspired, you can chat to Julie at our Hythe shop. Or why not visit your local branch for more details on holidays to Hurghada.

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