Explore Egypt's Red Sea: visa, world-class diving & coral coast

Hurghada is the Red Sea's main resort city — a 36-km strip of hotels, diving centers, and beach clubs along the coast. El Dahar (the old town) retains some fishing village character with a souk and local restaurants. Sigala is the mid-range district. The resort strip south to Sahl Hasheesh holds the luxury properties. Diving: Giftun Island National Park (the house reef, day trips ~$30-50 including 2 dives), Abu Nuhas wreck site (4 shipwrecks in one area), and the SS Thistlegorm (longer day trip, ~$80-120). Snorkeling is excellent at most hotel house reefs. PADI Open Water certification: $250-350 (3-4 days). Non-diving activities: glass-bottom boat trips, desert quad biking, submarine rides, and El Gouna day trips. Flights: direct from most European cities (UK, Germany, Russia, Eastern Europe). Budget all-inclusives from $40-60/night; mid-range $80-150; luxury (Sahl Hasheesh, Soma Bay) $150-300.

Marsa Alam, 270 km south of Hurghada, is where the Red Sea's marine life is at its most spectacular and least disturbed. Elphinstone Reef — a submerged wall dive with regular hammerhead shark and oceanic whitetip encounters — is consistently rated among the world's top 20 dive sites. Abu Dabbab bay offers reliable dugong sightings (one of the rarest marine mammals) and green sea turtle encounters accessible even to snorkelers. Fury Shoals (reached by day boat or liveaboard) is a system of pristine coral reefs in shallow water — Shaab Claudia's dolphin spinner populations and the Sataya lagoon where dolphins sleep at night are highlights. Marsa Alam airport (RMF) receives direct European charters. The town is smaller and more low-key than Hurghada — resorts are spread along the coast with significant distances between them. Port Ghalib marina is the closest thing to a town center. Liveaboard trips (3-7 nights) departing from Marsa Alam or Port Ghalib cover the Brothers Islands and Daedalus Reef — pelagic diving at its best.

El Gouna, 20 km north of Hurghada, is a privately developed resort town built around a series of lagoons — think a more relaxed, Egyptian version of a Dubai marina community. The town has its own hospital, brewery (producing Saqqara and Stella beers), a branch of the Cairo American University, and hosts an annual international film festival (October). Architecture ranges from Nubian-inspired low-rise to contemporary Mediterranean. The downtown area has restaurants, bars, and boutiques that give El Gouna a village feel. Diving is accessible from El Gouna's marinas with day trips to the same sites as Hurghada. Kitesurfing is popular at the lagoon (consistent winds October-May). Accommodation: 3-star from $60/night, 4-5 star from $100-250. El Gouna feels distinctly different from mass-tourism Hurghada — more curated, more international, and more walkable.

The Red Sea's coral reefs are unique — warmed by tropical currents but with unusually low nutrient levels, creating the crystal visibility (often 30+ meters) and vivid coral colors that define the diving experience. Over 1,000 fish species (10% endemic to the Red Sea), 200+ coral species, and marine megafauna including dugongs, dolphins, sea turtles, whale sharks (seasonal), and various shark species (hammerhead, oceanic whitetip, reef sharks) make this one of Earth's richest marine environments. The Egyptian government has established marine protected areas (Ras Mohammed, Giftun Islands, Wadi el-Gemal) to manage the balance between tourism and conservation. Reef damage from anchor chains, sunscreen chemicals, and coral contact by divers is a recognized issue — responsible operators use mooring buoys, brief guests on no-touch policies, and use reef-safe sunscreen. The Red Sea's year-round diving (22-28°C water, no seasonal closures) and the range from beginner-friendly house reefs to advanced pelagic walls makes it accessible to every skill level.

The Eastern Desert behind the Red Sea coast is a mountain wilderness (peaks to 2,187 meters at Jebel Shayib, Egypt's highest point outside Sinai) with remarkably dark night skies, Roman-era quarry sites, and Bedouin communities. Overnight desert camps ($40-80/person, organized from Hurghada or Marsa Alam) offer zarb dinner, tea, and stargazing under some of the darkest skies accessible from a resort base. Mons Claudianus, a Roman imperial granite quarry 50 km inland from Safaga, produced columns for the Pantheon in Rome — the quarry remains and a small Roman fortified settlement are reached by 4WD. Wadi el-Gemal National Park (south of Marsa Alam) combines coastal mangroves, desert mountains, and Ababda Bedouin communities with a coastline that's among the least developed in the Red Sea Governorate.

Three airports serve the Red Sea coast: Hurghada (HRG, most flights), Marsa Alam (RMF, growing), and El Gouna uses Hurghada's airport. Direct European flights are frequent (UK, Germany, Russia, Poland, Italy). Transfers from airports to resorts are typically arranged by hotels. Climate: 340+ sunny days, water 22-28°C year-round, air 20-25°C (winter) to 35-40°C (summer). Year-round diving; best visibility October-May. All-inclusive resorts dominate — compare packages as quality varies wildly. Alcohol is available in resorts. Independent restaurants are limited outside El Gouna and Hurghada's El Dahar. For diving: verify your center is PADI/SSI certified; check equipment condition; respect no-touch reef policies. Budget: all-inclusive resorts from $40/night (basic) to $300+ (luxury). Diving day trips $30-70; liveaboards $100-200/day.