Egyptian Oasis: Vacation in Hurghada

Long working hours, plenty of obligations to take care of in personal life and the depressing (non-)winter weather we experienced in Germany over the past months added up quite a bit. It was time for a spontaneous get-away in the form of a vacation. We decided to escape into the hot weather of the Red Sea in Hurghada, Egypt. To be a little more specific, it was actually Sahl Hasheesh, a bay just south of Hurghada.

Traveler’s Info

Here is some quick information that we would like to share with you to encourage you to travel to the Red Sea, from Hurghada all the way to Marsa Alam.

When traveling to Hurghada, you are most likely going to arrive by plane. After exiting your plane, you will be greeted by a touch of warm, comforting air, especially when you came from ugly weather just around the freezing point. You are going to enter a bus, wait for it to depart to the terminal building, and that’s where the “work” starts. With your passports, the pre-filled visa forms and your hand luggage you are expected to wait in line to get cleared with all required paperwork by employees of your tour operator. Don’t. One reason are the signs that were put up along your way. They state that the required visa costs only 25$. Repeated multiple times. And there’s a good reason for that. The travel companies like to charge you a little more to get a bonus for themselves. It’s not necessary to pay more than 25$. Usually, just before the queue, there is a visa counter which lets you pay by credit card or in foreign cash. It is often marked as foreign exchange, but they sell the required visa for 25$. Go there, the lines are usually dramatically shorter, and buy the visa for 25$ per person. With the document in your passport, walk past the long queues right towards the actual passport check. Then get your luggage and find a travel company agent for your transfer to your hotel. Once you get there, all that is left to do is enjoy your vacation.

Why Hurghada, Egypt Now?

Many of your friends would strongly advise against a trip to Egypt. Believe me, I myself advised us against it, based on wrong beliefs and information. Egypt might be in trouble and a target of terrorism, just like any other country in this world nowadays. Don’t let that make you miss out on a superb vacation. Here are a few reasons why it’s one of the best vacation destinations to date.

Egypt is missing out on over 50% of its usual tourists. This is both bad and good. Certainly bad for the Egyptians who thrive on tourism and the cash flow it generates. But why is it good? Your value as a tourist and guest has drastically increased. They are more inclined to take great care of you, fulfill any wishes that you have and make certain that you have the best holiday of your life. Safety shouldn’t be a concern. There are, I’m not kidding, hundreds of checkpoints along the way from the airport to the hotels, security checks for each vehicle entering a resort and many, many police officers to care for your security.

Quick Tips for the Best Red Sea Vacation

While Hurghada is the most famous place to go, it is also the oldest and most “used” area. If you are into marine wildlife, it might not be an ideal place to go. Too many tourists have caused a reduction in wildlife quality in the Red Sea around Hurghada. But the further south you take your holiday destination, the better it gets. And the warmer it gets. If you want to go snorkeling or scuba diving, consider flying to Marsa Alam or Safaga. If you want to experience Egyptian culture, Safaga is also a great spot, because the trip to Luxor is considerably shorter than from Hurghada. And Luxor is something you should check out. But there are many other things you can do. Take a quad, jeep or camel safari through the desert, experience the Bedouin culture or go for a cruise on the Red Sea or on the Nile. If you are really just interested in lying on the beach and reading a few books while sipping your free cocktails, you could profit from Sahl Hasheesh. It’s a small bay just south of Hurghada that offers more exclusivity than the larger resorts, while still offering high quality with plenty of 4 to 5 star hotels and resorts.

We only stayed five nights, but we had a great vacation including a semi-submarine ride, an exclusive trip to Luxor and its great cultural monuments, as well as a few days on the beach to relax.