Most people when they think of Egypt think of a long swath of desert with a few pyramids dotted here and there, plus or minus a camel or two.
Something we hear all the time when a non-Egyptian sees our beaches for the first time is: “You have beaches like THIS in Egypt???” Yes my friend, indeed we do. And while yes, we have that, we also have thousands of miles worth of fantastic coast. In this article here we’re going to talk about the best beach destinations in Egypt as a whole - meaning, the best places to go to kick back and relax for a chill beach holiday. And trust us, there’s something for everybody!
Top Beach Destinations in Egypt
Here are some of the best beach destinations in Egypt, each offering a unique experience:Hurghada
Ideal if you want: lots of resort and hotel options (including all-inclusive and family-friendly options), water activities and diving.
Hurghada, having spent the first hundred years of its life as a sleepy little fishing village, is now one of the most popular destinations in the world (don’t believe us? Ask TripAdvisor -- Hurghada is regularly one of their top 10 global travel destinations).
Hurghada is an eclectic mix of 5 star resorts and super budget hotels, Red Sea islands and desert excursions, touristy promenades and dingier local areas… there’s something to see and do no matter your age or interests.
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Best way to get there: fly to Hurghada Airport or by car from Cairo (4.5 hours)
North Coast
Ideal if you want: to just relax on the beach and not leave the hotel.
Egypt’s North Coast, called Sahel el Shamali in Arabic (Sahel for short), stretches out for hundreds of kilometers on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast and has arguably some of the most pristine white sand beaches in the region. It’s currently comprised mainly of private residential beach compounds with a few sporadic hotels, so it’s mainly the summer playground of moneyed locals.
Recently though more tourism development has taken root, so those who don’t own beach homes can still enjoy Egypt’s (hands down) best summer beaches. It’s a hassle to get around the North Coast area though, so it’s recommended if you’re just looking to stay for a weekend at your hotel’s beach.
Best way to get there: by car from Cairo (could be anything from a 2.5-5 hour drive, depending on where on the North Coast your hotel is).
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Soma Bay
Ideal if you want: 5 star resorts with a plethora of water sports, diving and snorkeling.
A peninsula jutting into the Red Sea, Soma Bay is another gated resort town. Because it’s surrounded by the sea on three sides, Soma Bay is famous for its water sports, especially kitesurfing and windsurfing due to the ideal wind conditions.
Soma Bay (the official development on the peninsula) is home to only 5 beach resorts, so it’s a good place to go if you want insanely beautiful beaches but still want to avoid the crowds found in other popular Red Sea Riviera destinations (Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh, etc). It has its own dive center as well as jetty to snorkel right on the reef.
Best way to get there: fly into Hurghada and drive to Soma Bay (45 minutes south).
Hurghada Egypt Travel Guide: 11 BEST Things to Do in Hurghada
Dahab
Ideal if you want: great snorkeling and diving in a casual beach town.
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This little bohemian town is smaller, quieter and less commercial than its Red Sea Riviera neighbor Sharm el Sheikh, but the diving is just as good. Home to world-renowned dive sites like the Blue Hole, Dahab pulls in its own fair share of tourists, but those who want to experience a more laid-back vacation.
The main area of town is its seaside promenade, full of local and quirkily-named restaurants and shops. There are also hostels and budget hotels galore. You can also hike to and camp in nearby Ras Abu Galoum and Blue Lagoon. Similar to Sharm, Dahab is also a popular base for treks into the Sinai Mountains and St. Catherine’s Monastery.
Best way to get there: fly to Sharm el Sheikh and drive there, about an hour away.
Marsa Alam
Ideal if you want: a quiet beach holiday that involves diving.
Marsa Alam might not be as well known or frequently visited as Hurghada but if you’re looking for a beach holiday that involves diving, this is a great place for it. This coastal town is more off the beaten track for both Egyptians and foreigners alike, so it’s an excellent place if you want to relax and focus on diving and other sea activities. Accommodation is across the board, from 5 star hotels to sparse beach camps.
There’s very little in terms of restaurants and nightlife, so if you’re someone who likes to be on the beach early and call it a night early too, this might be for you.
Marsa Alam’s famous dive sites like Elphinstone and Daedalus are must-sees for more advanced divers -- you can see anything from hammerhead sharks to manta rays and even whale sharks in these open sea sites. They’re accessible by boat day trips from Marsa Alam.
Closer to the shore, if you’re lucky, you can also see Egypt’s rare dugongs, a cousin of the manatee, who live in the warm shallow waters of Marsa Alam.
Best way to get there: fly into Marsa Alam Airport
Sharm el Sheikh
Ideal if you want: a resort beach holiday or a diving trip.
Sharm el Sheikh has been an international beach destination darling for decades, with dozens of direct flights between Europe and the Sharm Airport daily. Besides its all-inclusive resorts, it's also world-famous for scuba diving. According to Dive Magazine, “Sharm El Sheikh has been, for many years, the favourite Egyptian destination for scuba divers, and has probably contributed more to the European dive business than any other resort in the world.”
Sharm is also a good base for trips to the Sinai Mountains, St. Catherine’s Monastery and Ras Mohammed National Park.
Best way to get there: fly to Sharm el Sheikh Airport
Ras Shetan/Nuweiba
Ideal if you want: to camp on a beach and disconnect.
Nestled between mountains and the Red Sea’s Gulf of Aqaba is a strip of coastline called Ras Shetan, between the towns of Nuweiba and Taba on the Sinai peninsula.
Both Nuweiba (a little beach town) and Ras Shetan are known for their get-away-from-it-all beach camps, usually run by local Bedouins. The camps are a mix of beach huts or bare-bone bungalows, and you’re more than welcome to set up your own tents right on the beach. At night, there’s usually a large campfire where the Bedouins and guests from all over the world talk, play instruments and sing.
Nuweiba and Ras Shetan are also a good place to stay if you want to explore the Colored Canyon and Wadi Wishwashi in the nearby Nuweiba mountains.
Best way to get there: fly to Sharm El Sheikh and drive (2 hours), or drive from Cairo (6-8 hour drive).
El Gouna
Ideal if you want: to stay in a clean and green beach resort town with lots of great restaurants and nightlife.
El Gouna is a modern resort town spanning over 10 km of pristine Red Sea coast, with lagoons throughout, and their architecture is inspired by traditional Egyptian homes in the countryside and Upper Egypt. It’s a beautiful town equally as popular with Egyptians as it is with tourists.
El Gouna’s beaches aren’t as nice as its neighbor Hurghada, but it’s the best beach holiday destination if you’re looking for good restaurants, nightlife and activities all in a safe, easily-navigable little beach town.
Best way to get there: fly to Hurghada airport (30 mins from El Gouna), or by car or bus from Cairo (about 4 hours).
Sahl Hasheesh
Ideal if you want: an all-inclusive resort on pristine beaches.
On most online booking sites, Sahl Hasheesh and Soma Bay are grouped together as ‘Hurghada’. And while they are indeed considered in the Hurghada ‘area’, they’re their own separate towns and very different from Hurghada proper.
Sahl Hasheesh is a resort town built on a bay in the Red Sea south of Hurghada back in the 1990s, and is known for its beautiful stretch of coastline and long boardwalk. It’s home to some of the most highly ranked beach resorts in the country, such as Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh and Baron Palace.
Featured Resorts
Here are some of the top-rated resorts in Egypt:- SUNRISE Select Royal Makadi Resort
- Beach Albatros Resort - All Inclusive
- Baron Palms Resort Sharm El Sheikh (Adults Only)
- SUNRISE Garden Beach Resort - All inclusive
- Shams Prestige Abu Soma Resort - All inclusive
- Coral Hills Resort Marsa Alam
- Sunny Days Palma De Mirette Resort & Spa
- Amwaj Beach Club Abu Soma
- Sunny Days El Palacio Resort & Spa
The Oberoi Beach Resort, Sahl Hasheesh
Egypt’s Red Sea coast is globally renowned as an aquatic paradise, home to vibrant marine life and pristine coral reefs. Set across 194,249 square metres (48 acres) of prime beachfront, The Oberoi Beach Resort, Sahl Hasheesh offers luxurious suites with uninterrupted ocean views.
It features high domed ceilings, is bathed in natural light and dotted with traditional design elements; from the auspicious eight pointed star to neoclassic columns and handcrafted lanterns. Guests can enjoy international fine dining, a wide array of water sports and PADI-certified diving experiences.
Interiors span a king size bedroom and a marble bathroom with a sunken bathtub and private courtyard views. There is also a living room, a powder room and a pantry. With traditional high domed ceilings and Egyptian design features. Situated on the beach front, these suites feature floor to ceiling windows that frame Red Sea vistas. They have a king size bedroom and lounge area. Decorated in a soothing palette and filled with natural light.
Interiors include a king size bedroom and an en-suite bathroom with private courtyard views.
Dining at The Oberoi
- The Restaurant: Enjoy breakfast and dinner in the dining hall, on the terrace or in the courtyard.
- Zaafran: Candlelit tables sit under a silver leaf ceiling.
- The Bar:
- The Beach Bar: Waves and beats intertwine in a laid-back, coastal haven.
- The Pergola:
Other Amenities and Activities
- The Oberoi Spa: A classically designed space with private treatment rooms and a luxury suite for couples, with a steam room in the private garden.
- Swimming Pool: We offer a 43-metre long infinity pool with an adults’ swimming area, two whirlpools and a splash pool for children.
- Fitness Centre:
Touching Senses
Our range of complimentary activities will help you relax and unwind. Discover scuba diving. Take a cooking class with our chefs. Savour the unique bouquets of fine wines. Stretch out with yoga. Experience a full or half day of sailing on our private boat. Enjoy a luxury sunset cruise around the nearby islands, with views of the Red Sea Mountains. Charm a loved one with an exclusive dining experience on our private pier. Savour a la carte delicacies personalised to suit your occasion. Raise a toast with two glasses of sparkling wines or non-alcoholic cocktails.
Diving
The Red Sea’s crystal clear waters and underwater gardens are a diver's paradise, easily accessed by boat from our onsite PADI certified centre. We offer a range of sea dives, night dives and private dives. We also offer PADI courses, including the open water diver, adventure diver, rescue diver, and Divemaster.
Weddings
Reaffirm your love on the Red Sea shore. We have curated an impeccably romantic day that includes a private breakfast, a couple’s massage, a bridal bouquet, hair and make-up, a champagne ceremony, commemorative photographs, "a wedding cake" and a romantic dinner for two on our private pier.
Local Attractions
- Luxor is often known as the ‘World's Greatest Open-Air Museum’. It spans both banks of the River Nile and is crossed daily by locals and tourists on felucca boats and ferries.
- Senzo Mall is Hurghada’s largest shopping mall. Located near many of the best resorts in Egypt, the airport and The Oberoi Beach Resort, Sahl Hasheesh, Senzo Mall offers international brands, domestic labels and locally-owned boutiques.
- Cleopatra Bazar Mamsha Mall is best known for its Egyptian souvenirs, jewellery, perfumes and clothing.
Other Oberoi Locations:The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra. The Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort, Bandhavgarh. The Oberoi, Bengaluru. The Oberoi, Gurgaon. The Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur. The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace, Khajuraho. Perched atop the Maniyargh Hills near Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, this 350-year-old palace was built by Raja Hindupat Singh Bundela of the Bundela Dynasty. The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata (under restoration). The Oberoi, Mumbai. A seaside sanctuary in the 'City of Dreams'. The Oberoi Sukhvilas Resort & Spa, Siswan Forest, New Chandigarh. A tranquil sanctuary in the Himalayan foothills. The Oberoi, New Delhi. An iconic luxury hotel overlooking Delhi Golf Course and Humayun’s Tomb. The Oberoi Vanyavilas Wildlife Resort, Ranthambhore. The Oberoi Cecil, Shimla. Wildflower Hall, An Oberoi Resort, Shimla. Set within 93,077 square metres (23 acres) of fragrant cedar forest and perched 2,515 metres above sea level, the resort offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in nature. The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur. The Oberoi Beach Resort, Sahl Hasheesh. The Oberoi Philae, Luxury Nile Cruiser. The Oberoi Zahra, Luxury Nile Cruiser. The Oberoi Beach Resort, Bali. The Oberoi Beach Resort, Lombok. Set on the serene shores of Medana Bay and surrounded by surrounded by 97,124 square metres (24 acres) of landscaped gardens, the retreat offers a deep sense of peace and privacy. The Oberoi Beach Resort, Mauritius. The Oberoi, Marrakech. Nestled within citrus orchards and centuries-old olive groves, the hotel features beautifully landscaped gardens and authentic Andalusian architecture, inspired by traditional Moroccan palaces. The Oberoi, Madina. An oasis in the heart of the holy city, offering a serene setting for pilgrims seeking closeness, comfort and quiet reflection.
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