Africa · Beach and resort guide
Red Sea resorts, strong value and reliable hotel-led sun, with history available when you want it.
Is it right for you?
A strong fit for
Families, diving, winter sun and all inclusive.
We would think twice for
Travellers who want to wander freely outside the resort every evening, because the Red Sea resorts are gated and self-contained by design, and the holiday happens inside them.
What we would want you to know
Flight times, wind and exact resort area matter.
We’ve been here
We were in Egypt in March and April 2026, at Sharm el Sheikh and then Luxor, where Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings fill a long, hot day, so our view is recent. Sharm is also where our towel-art reels began. The lesson we pass on to every client: start early, before the heat and the coaches, and give the temples a guide rather than just a guidebook.
From our trips
Filmed by us on the trip itself and shown without sound. No stock footage.
Map and areas
The biggest and busiest choice, with everything from family all-inclusives to adults-only hotels along a long stretch of coast. The marina and the Sakkala area have bars and restaurants within walking distance, which is rare in Egypt. Many beaches are shallow over coral, so a jetty or a sandy entry matters.
A planned lagoon town north of Hurghada, with canals, a marina, cafés and a small downtown reached by tuk-tuk or shuttle. It suits couples and families who want life beyond the hotel gates. It sits in the path of the steady north wind, which kitesurfers love and sunbathers on exposed beaches do not.
A bay of large self-contained resorts south of Hurghada, with sandy entries and jetties out to the reef. There is nothing to do outside the hotels, which suits families on all inclusive who want an easy transfer and a simple week of pool, beach and snorkelling.
On the Sinai coast, with some of the Red Sea's best-known reefs close to shore and Ras Mohammed on the doorstep. Naama Bay is the walkable centre of bars and shops. Many hotels sit on low cliffs with steps down to pontoons over the reef, superb for snorkellers but harder work for toddlers and anyone unsteady.
Far to the south and much quieter, with turtles in the seagrass bays and dolphin reefs that draw divers. Hotels are spread out with little in between, so evenings are spent in the resort, and the transfer is long if the flight lands at Hurghada.
The Nile town of temples and tombs, the base for the Valley of the Kings and the start or end of most Nile cruises. Sightseeing starts at dawn, when it is cool and the temples are quiet. Evenings on the Corniche are pleasant, but expect persistent offers of carriage rides and felucca trips.
Weather and seasons
The Red Sea is most comfortable from October to early December and again from March to May, when days are warm without being fierce. January is the coolest month, with days around 23°C, a sea of about 23°C and a brisk north wind that makes exposed beaches feel chilly in the afternoon, so a heated pool matters for families. By August, highs reach around 39°C and the sea is bath-warm at about 29°C, which suits divers more than sightseers. Luxor is hotter than the coast in summer and cold at dawn in winter. Christmas, New Year, February half term and Easter are the dearest weeks.
Worth timing a trip around
At dawn the sun reaches deep into Ramesses II's temple to light the statues in the inner sanctuary. It draws big crowds, so plan well ahead.
Resort life carries on as normal, while towns grow quieter by day and come alive after sunset, with lanterns in the streets and late family meals.
An ancient spring festival when Egyptians of every faith picnic in parks and along the Nile, and beaches get busy with local families.
Many hotels charge a compulsory gala dinner supplement on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, so check before booking festive dates.
| Month | High | Low | Sea | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23°C | 12°C | 23°C | 0 mm |
| February | 24°C | 13°C | 22°C | 0 mm |
| March | 27°C | 16°C | 22°C | 0 mm |
| April | 31°C | 19°C | 23°C | 0 mm |
| May | 35°C | 24°C | 25°C | 0 mm |
| June | 38°C | 27°C | 26°C | 0 mm |
| July | 39°C | 29°C | 28°C | 0 mm |
| August | 39°C | 29°C | 29°C | 0 mm |
| September | 37°C | 27°C | 28°C | 0 mm |
| October | 33°C | 23°C | 27°C | 0 mm |
| November | 29°C | 18°C | 26°C | 0 mm |
| December | 25°C | 14°C | 25°C | 0 mm |
Temperatures are 2015 to 2024 averages from NOAA records for Hurghada Intl, 9 km away at 16 m. Rainfall is from the GPCC rain-gauge analysis (Deutscher Wetterdienst) for 2010 to 2019 and shows the typical (median) month, so one freak storm does not skew it. Sea temperatures: NOAA OISST, 1991 to 2020.
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22°C | 7°C | 0 mm |
| February | 25°C | 10°C | 0 mm |
| March | 30°C | 14°C | 0 mm |
| April | 35°C | 18°C | 0 mm |
| May | 39°C | 23°C | 0 mm |
| June | 42°C | 26°C | 0 mm |
| July | 42°C | 27°C | 0 mm |
| August | 42°C | 27°C | 0 mm |
| September | 40°C | 25°C | 0 mm |
| October | 36°C | 21°C | 0 mm |
| November | 29°C | 15°C | 0 mm |
| December | 24°C | 10°C | 0 mm |
Temperatures are 2015 to 2024 averages from NOAA records for Luxor Intl, 7 km away at 90 m. Rainfall is from the GPCC rain-gauge analysis (Deutscher Wetterdienst) for 2010 to 2019 and shows the typical (median) month, so one freak storm does not skew it.
Sand, shingle and swimming
A sheltered, sandy bay at the heart of Sharm with calm water, loungers and a promenade of shops and bars behind. The easiest beach in Sharm for young children, though the best coral lies further out.
Sandy beaches in front of big resorts, with jetties leading out over the reef to deeper water. Calm on sheltered days, and many hotels rope off a sandy area where children can paddle.
A long sandy peninsula south of Hurghada with a steady breeze, loved by kitesurfers and windsurfers. Excellent for learning wind sports, while on the gustiest days the sand blows, so sheltered pools matter.
A sandy bay north of Marsa Alam where green turtles graze on seagrass in the shallows. Easy snorkelling straight from the beach; go early, and keep a respectful distance from the turtles.
Things to do
Many Red Sea hotels sit beside a reef reached by a jetty, so you can snorkel before breakfast. Check the hotel has one before booking, and pack reef shoes and a rash vest.
Sinai's southern tip, where reef walls drop into deep blue water full of fish. Snorkel and dive boats run from Sharm most days, and calm mornings give the clearest water.
A Second World War supply ship sunk in 1941, with lorries and motorbikes still in its holds. It is for qualified divers only, on a long day by boat from Sharm or Hurghada.
A vast complex of temples built and extended over many centuries, with a forest of giant columns in the Hypostyle Hall. Go at opening, carry water, and take an Egyptologist guide.
Royal tombs cut into the desert hills of Luxor's West Bank, their walls still bright with painted scenes. The standard ticket covers a few tombs, and the most famous, such as Tutankhamun's, cost extra.
Balloons lift off before sunrise over the temples and green fields of the West Bank. Flights are cancelled when the wind is up, so never plan it for your last morning.
Three or four nights between Luxor and Aswan, stopping at the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo. Boats vary enormously in quality and in how early they sail, so the boat matters as much as the price.
Possible as a very long day from the Red Sea, but two nights in Cairo lets you add the city's museums and the old Islamic quarter without rushing.
For non-swimmers and small children, a semi-submarine or glass-bottomed boat from Hurghada or Sharm shows the reef without anyone getting wet. Choose a calm morning.
Food and drink
The national comfort food: rice, lentils and macaroni with chickpeas, spicy tomato sauce and crispy onions, served fast and cheap.
Fava beans stewed slowly and dressed with olive oil, cumin and lemon, the everyday Egyptian breakfast scooped up with flatbread.
Egypt's own falafel, made with fava beans rather than chickpeas, so it is green inside and lighter than most.
A silky green soup of jute leaves with garlic and coriander, served with rice and chicken. Loved by Egyptians and an acquired taste for some visitors.
A warm bread pudding baked with milk, nuts, raisins and coconut, found on most hotel dessert buffets.
Hibiscus tea, deep red and tart, served iced on hot days and hot in winter.
Shape of the trip
Nights 1 and 2
Take the East Bank first: Karnak at opening, Luxor Temple lit up after dark, and a felucca on the Nile at sunset.
Nights 3 and 4
Cross to the West Bank for a dawn balloon, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple, with a guide to make sense of it all.
Nights 5 to 11
Transfer by road to the Red Sea for a week of snorkelling, pool days and evenings around the marina, with a boat trip to the islands.
An idea to react to, not a fixed package. We shape the real thing around your dates, your pace and what the flights are doing that season.
Money
Egypt's all-inclusive resorts compete hard for British families, so a good hotel on the Red Sea is often better value than its equivalent in Europe in winter. The money that changes the trip goes on position and the Nile: a hotel with its own house reef, a good cruise boat and a qualified Egyptologist guide all cost more and repay it. Budget cash for tipping, which is part of daily life.
Flights and transfers
Direct flights serve Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh from Manchester and other northern airports in season, and the flight is only around five hours for hot winter sun, which is Egypt's quiet superpower. Luxor, for the Nile, has its own seasonal flights and also pairs with Hurghada by road.
Flights from UK airports
Route check September 2026. Some routes are seasonal and schedules change, so we confirm the live options when we quote.
Practical details
2 hours ahead of the UK
Egyptian pound (EGP); euros and US dollars are widely accepted for excursions and tips
Arabic; English is widely spoken in the resorts
Type C and F, 220V
On the right
Not safe to drink; use bottled water, including for brushing teeth
Baksheesh is part of daily life; carry small notes for hotel staff, guides, drivers and attendants
Entry for British passport holders
Visa. A visa is normally needed, available online in advance or on arrival. Stays of under 15 days in the Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba resorts, arriving by air at Sharm el-Sheikh, get a free entry stamp instead.
Passport. Valid for at least 6 months after you arrive, with a blank page.
The FCDO advises against all travel to North Sinai and within 20km of the Libyan border, and all but essential travel to the northern part of South Sinai away from its coasts, much of the Western Desert beyond the Nile Valley, eastern Ismailiyah and the Hala'ib Triangle. The places we suggest on this page were outside those areas when we checked, and we check the advice again before every booking.
Summarised from the FCDO travel advice on gov.uk, checked 29 September 2026. Rules change: read the current entry requirements and the full travel advice before you go.
Questions we get asked
It depends on what you want from the sea. Sharm has the more dramatic reefs close to shore, but many hotels reach the water by steps and pontoons. Hurghada and Makadi offer a wider choice of family hotels and sandier beaches, but the coast there is windier.
Often, yes. A north wind blows much of the year, strongest in winter and spring afternoons, which is why El Gouna and Soma Bay are kitesurfing centres. It keeps summer bearable, but in winter it makes exposed beaches feel cool, so a sheltered bay and a heated pool help.
You can, but it means a long road journey each way and a rushed day at the temples. One or two nights in Luxor, or a short Nile cruise before the beach, gives the sites the time they deserve.
The Red Sea resorts and the Nile sites are well-trodden and well-policed, and they are firm favourites with British holidaymakers. Some regions, including North Sinai, carry Foreign Office warnings, so we always check the latest advice before booking and keep clients updated.
About 5 hours 15 minutes from Newcastle. Egypt is two hours ahead of the UK for most of the year, so there is no real jet lag, and winter sun comes no simpler.
Yes. Coral, sea urchins and the odd stonefish share the shallows, and many hotels reach the water over rocky reef flats. Reef shoes protect your feet and the coral, and never stand on the reef itself, which is protected.
Photographs
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