Hurghada Luxury Resorts on Egypt's Red Sea

Hurghada began as a fishing village and grew into Egypt's busiest Red Sea resort city. Its great gift is the water: warm, calm and remarkably clear, with fringing reefs and offshore islands that rank among the most rewarding snorkeling and diving grounds anywhere. Winter days are typically sunny and in the mid-70s °F, which makes it an easy escape for Americans from November to March.

The city itself has a lively marina, a long promenade and a busy restaurant scene, but the finest stays sit just outside it. Sahl Hasheesh, about 12 miles south, is a planned bay of low-rise resorts and a seafront promenade; Makadi Bay, a little farther on, is quieter still. To the north, the lagoon town of El Gouna is a 30-minute drive, and the golf-and-kitesurf peninsula of Soma Bay is about 45 minutes south.

Hurghada also works beautifully as the beach half of a classic Egypt trip. Pair a few days in Cairo and the Grand Egyptian Museum with temples in Luxor, roughly a four-hour drive away, and finish with a week by the sea.

October to May is ideal, with warm sea, low humidity and steady sunshine. March, April, October and November are the sweet spots for diving and beach days alike. Summer is hot but breezy on the coast, and the water is at its warmest; see when to go for the whole region.

Living and investing: Hurghada and Sahl Hasheesh have a long-standing market for vacation apartments and villas bought by Europeans and Egyptians alike; our Egypt Luxury Real Estate guide explains how foreign buyers approach the coast.