 Old town ed-Dahhar, Hurghada | ||
| Hurghada · el-Ghurdaqa · الغردقة | ||
| Governorate | Red Sea | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 160.901 (2006) | |
| height | 11 m | |
| Tourist info web | www.hurghada-tourism.com | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
| ||
Hurghada or el-Ghurdaqa (Arabic:الغردقة, al-Ghurdaqa, al-Ghardaqa, in dialect il-Ghurdaʾa spoken) is the most famous and largest tourist place on the egyptian Coast of Red sea and part of the Red Sea Riviera. The city with about 43,000 inhabitants[1] is the administrative seat of the governorate Red Sea.
background
history
The city was founded at the beginning of the 20th century and temporarily served as a base for the British oil exploration company Anglo-Egyptian Oil Fields Company, a joint venture between Shell and BP, which moved its headquarters here in 1915. Oil had been found in this area two years earlier.
The 1963 built Sheraton Hurghada Hotel marked the turning point from the oil industry to tourism. At that time hardly anyone would have strayed to Hurghada - there was nothing more than a large fishing village here. The provincial capital didn't look much either. However, the then governor Youssif Afifi (Yūsif ʿAfīfī) wanted to make more of this piece of earth with the support of the private sector. For investors there were tax rebates, cheap land, unbureaucratic building permits and no environmental protection. The tourism boom started in the early 1980s.
Nowadays, the city and the surrounding area are firmly in the grip of tourism, which almost completely determines economic life. There are now almost 200 hotels of all price levels here. Further hotel complexes were in the north El Gouna (22 kilometers) and to the south in Sahl hashish (18 kilometers), Makadi Bay (30 kilometers), Sharm en Naqa (40 kilometers) and Soma Bay (45 kilometers) built.
In contrast to other seaside resorts, accommodation here is often quite cheap, which is made up of masses of tourists from all over the world.
origin of the name
The Arabic name of the city el-Ghurdaqa derives from a shrub in the family of Nitrariaceae, the Charmyk bush (Nitraria schoberi) from that in Arabic el-Ghurdaq (الغردق) Is called. Such bushes served as a meeting place for fishermen from the Arabian Peninsula.[2] The Charmyk shrub, which can reach a height of about 2 meters, grows mainly on salty clay soils. Small elongated leaves grow on the thin branches. Dark green berries develop from the white flowers. El-Ghurdaqa denotes exactly one shrub.
The name Hurghada, which is not used in Arabic, was probably caused by a misunderstanding by the employees of the British oil company at the beginning of the 20th century. Certainly because of the Arabic name el-Ghurdaq is rather rare. The Baedeker travel guide to Egypt from 1928 mentions el-Hurghāda as the capital of the border district on the Red Sea with 2123 inhabitants as a workers' village with a mosque and a school.[3]
Districts
Hurghada consists of the following districts, from north to south. There are many alternative spellings, especially for es-saqala.
- El-Ahiya (Arabic:حي الأحياء, Ḥaiy al-Aḥiyāʾ) is a stretch of coast north of Hurghada between ed-Dahhār and El Gouna. But it is hardly used for tourism.
- 1 Ed-Dahhar (Arabic:حي الدهار, Ḥaiy ad-Dahhār) is the old town of Hurghada.
- 2 Es-saqala (Arabic:حي السقالة, Ḥaiy as-Saqāla) is the tourist town.
- 3 New Hurghada (Arabic:الغردقة الجديدة, al-Ghurdaqa al-Hadida) denotes an almost 20 kilometer long coastal strip between es-Saqāla and Sahl hashishwhere there are numerous hotels.
In the south of Hurghada, along the road to Safaga, are the resorts Sahl hashish (18 kilometers), Makadi Bay (30 kilometers), Sharm en Naqa (40 kilometers) and Soma Bay (45 kilometers), in the north El Gouna (22 kilometers).
getting there
| Distances | |
| Cairo | 460 km |
|---|---|
| Safaga | 60 km |
| el-Quseir | 146 km |
| Marsā ʿAlam | 273 km |
By plane
Hurghada has the international airport 1 Hurghada International Airport
(IATA: HRG). The airport is located about 15 kilometers south of the city center. There are several daily flight connections from EgyptAir with Cairo. Countless charter airlines also fly to Hurghada all year round. Below is a selection of providers from German-speaking countries:
- Chair from Basel and Zurich.
- Condor from Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Friedrichshafen, Hamburg, Hanover, Cologne / Bonn, Leipzig / Halle, Munich and Stuttgart.
- Edelweiss Air from Zurich.
- NIKI from Salzburg and Vienna.
- TUIfly from Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Frankfurt am Main, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Zweibrücken.
- Sundair from Bremen
By bus
Hurghada is easily accessible by public transport.
- Public buses from Upper Egypt usually run several times a day from Cairo (Travel time 6 hours, from Turgoman, around LE 70), Sue (5 hours, about LE 40), Aswan (7 hours, about LE 50), Luxor (5 hours, LE30) and Asyūṭ. The 2 Public bus stop is located in Tariq el-Nasr St.
- 3 SuperJet. There are connections to Cairo (5 classes - the prices are between 75LE and 190LE / as of December 2016), a bus continues to Alexandria.(27 ° 14 '32 "N.33 ° 49 ′ 39 ″ E)
- 5 High jet. Tel.: 16108. Buses to / from Cairo (every two hours during the day, LE 110–150) and ship to Sharm esch-Sheikh.(27 ° 13 '43 "N.33 ° 50 ′ 10 ″ E)
The stations for SuperJet buses and 6 Buses to El Gouna are on the same street but a little further south.
Service taxis also operate from / to Suez (around LE 30), el-Quṣeir, Safāgā and Marsā ʿAlam. A connection from Luxor is also possible: first to Qinā and from there to Hurghada. The 7 Bus stop the service taxis is located around the intersection of Tariq el-Nasr and Soliman Mazhar St.
By boat
The ferry connection between Sharm esch-Sheikh and Hurghada was not served from autumn 2010 to August 2016. After two years of operation also has La Pespes Fast Ferry ceased operations in summer 2018.
Hurghada has one 8 Marina(27 ° 13 '32 "N.33 ° 50 ′ 31 ″ E) with 200 berths for yachts with a maximum length of 90 meters and a maximum draft of 4.5 meters.
The 9 Ferry dock is located north of the marina.
mobility
Within the urban area of Hurghada you can freely circulate by car, but you have to pay attention to the unconventional driving style of the locals. It is not uncommon to encounter ghost drivers without lights at night, and very few Egyptians turn on the headlights at dusk. If you want to reach other cities from Hurghada (e.g. in a south-westerly direction to Luxor or in a northerly direction to Cairo), foreigners have to travel in a convoy accompanied by the military.
Run in the area of the city Minibuses (Shared taxis) on fixed routes, but most of the routes do not lead to the south in the area of the hotels. The fare is no more than LE 2. To get to the hotels by minibus, you go, for example, to "Shery Street" a few meters north of McDonald’s Sekalla; the drivers wait there with their buses until they are full and advertise loudly with “Coral, Magawish”; just get in, wait until the bus is full and then pass LE 2 for each person to the driver.
Taxis are comparatively expensive. Between ed-Dahhar and es-Saqala they cost between LE 10 to 15, to New Hurghada around LE 25. The newer orange-black / white taxis, on the other hand, have a taxometer and cost LE 1 per kilometer plus a basic price of LE 3. Man should insist that the taximeter is also put into operation, or choose the next taxi. The placement service providers are also on site Over and Careem represented. However, for these drivers it is in some places such as B. the bus stop and some hotels are not allowed to offer their services there. Alternatively, you can use the local ABC Taxi Service use.
- 10 ABC Taxi Egypt, Mohamed Hawaydek Street, house 20, office 10, Hurghada. Tel.: 20 (0)100 222 8294, Email: [email protected]. Booking only possible with a mobile phone with an Egyptian number. Details and costs will be communicated via SMS.(27 ° 11 '49 "N.33 ° 49 ′ 42 "E)
There are also Bike rental-Shops.
Tourist Attractions
The main attraction of Hurghada is without a doubt the coast with its offshore coral reefs for diving and snorkeling. The is a wonderful bay with snorkeling opportunities close to the beach Makadi Bay, about 30 km from Hurghada.
You don't have to be a diver to watch the many great colorful fish go by. Wonderful turquoise green parrot fish, discus fish in many colors. Just wonderful.
It must also be said that numerous snorkelers do not deal adequately with the coral reefs and waddle over the reefs with their fins. This behavior always leads to coral death.
There are sights beyond the sea only in the district ed-dahhar. There is also that here Red Sea Aquarium.
Museums
- 1 Hurghada Museum (متحف الغردقة), Touristic Villages, Hurghada, القري السياحية ، الغردقة. Tel.: 20 (0)111 111 8891.
The one-storey museum, which opened on February 29, 2020 and has been accessible to visitors since April 2020, shows around 1,800 pieces from the entire history of Egypt, mainly from sites on the Red Sea and its hinterland, but also from Cairo museums, on 3,000 square meters. Important topics are “beauty and luxury”, including cosmetics, jewelry and furniture, as well as sport, hunting, fishing, music and dance. The limestone bust of the Meritamun is a special piece Cairo Egyptian Museum was issued. The museum, which cost 185 million Egyptian pounds (about 10 million euros), was financed exclusively by private donors.Open: daily 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.Price: LE 200 for foreigners, LE 100 for foreign students (as of 11/2019).(27 ° 9 '36 "N.33 ° 49 ′ 17 ″ E) - 2 Marine Biological Museum (in the north of the city, Mubarak 7). 1928 by the British zoologist Cyril Crossland (1878–1943) founded.Open: Daily 8 am–8pm.(27 ° 17 ′ 1 ″ N.33 ° 46 ′ 20 ″ E)
- 4 Hurghada Grand Aquarium (in the south of the city). Mobile: 20 (0)111 618 1117, Email: [email protected]. Large aquarium with around 100 animal species, underwater tunnel, rainforest. Restaurant and cafe.Open: Daily 9 am–7pm.Price: $ 25.00 for foreigners, $ 12.50 for children (4-10 years).(27 ° 8 ′ 2 ″ N.33 ° 49 ′ 18 ″ E)
- 5 Sand City Hurghada, Safaga Road (across from the Sunrise Grand Select Crystal Bay Hotel). Tel.: 20 (0)65 348 2286, Mobile: 20 (0)112 877 5454, 20 (0)102 094 4497, Email: [email protected].
Completely overpriced exhibition of 60 sand sculptures and reliefs created by 29 artists since 2014.Open: Daily 8 am–5pm.Price: LE 110 for Egyptians, € 20 for foreigners (as of 2014).(27 ° 5 '58 "N.33 ° 49 ′ 23 "E)
There are also other sights in El Gouna and in the Makadi Bay (Mini Egypt Park, Dolphin World).
activities
water sports
Naturally Swimming. In addition to the pool facilities, many hotels have so-called Private beaches. There is also a public beach in es-Saqāla, which is mainly used by locals.
The Diving centers are mostly in Dahhar and New Hurghada. The dive sites include Schadwan Island, Giftun Island, el-Fanadir, Abu Hashish Cave, Careless Reef, el-Fanous and Umm Gamar Island. However, the intensive use of the diving grounds has led to immense damage to the underwater world. The diving centers are listed in the district articles.
Diving For All - also offers with a handicap iQ on tour at.
For non-divers, trips are made with Glass bottom boats (Aquascope (Hor Palace Hotel, Tel .: 20 (0) 65 346 3657), Seascope) offered. A diving bot is from Sindbad Submarines (Sindbad Beach Resort, Tel .: 20 (0) 65 344 4688).
Windsurfing (e.g. Happy Surf, Mobile: 20 (0) 122 240 9888, Sofitel Hotel, Hilton Plaza; Per center, Giftun Resort) and Kite surfing (e.g. Per center, Mobile: 20 (0) 100 667 2811, Jasmin Village; Colona Watersports, Mobile: 20 (0) 100 344 1810, Magawish Village).
Deep sea fishing (Marine Sports Club, El Fariq Youssef Afify St., Villages Rd., Tel .: 20 (0) 65 346 3004, 346 3005).
golf
One 9-hole golf course is available at the Steigenberger Al Dau Beach Hotel in New Hurghada.
further activities
Will be in many hotels Camel, motorcycle, jeep and quad excursions offered in the surrounding desert areas.
Providers are listed in the corresponding district articles.
shop
In ed-Dahhār is there a 1 Tourist bazaar. A market for locals too, of course, to the south of the ed Dahhar mosque. Apart from a few tourist shops with priced goods, bargaining is the order of the day. You can start at half the price offered by the dealer. And don't worry: Egyptians create even better prices.
kitchen
Almost all restaurants, cafes and bars are in the districts ed-Dahhār and es-saqāla. They are usually open from noon to midnight. In New Hurghada There is only that outside of the hotels 1 Hard Rock Cafe.
Of course there are numerous fish restaurants.
Alcohol is offered in the hotels, from 3 stars. This is also the case in many restaurants. There may be restrictions in the fasting month of Ramadan and on Fridays (these are the Islamic weekends).
Restaurants, cafes and bars are listed in the corresponding district articles.
nightlife
The nightlife is essentially limited to the hotels in the districts ed-Dahhār and es-saqāla.
To the important ones Bars belong to the Little Buddha Bar at the Sindbad Resort, Papa's bar near the marina and the popular AliBaba Coffee Shop formerly es-Seqala - now in New Hurghada, near the Titanic Palace. To the trendy Clubs belong to the Ministry of Sound Club, formerly Papas Beach Club, in the marina (currently closed), the Jungle Club at the Grand Resort and the disco Disco calypso on Hadaba Rd. The The Havana Club, a large open-air nightclub at Dana Beach Resort, is closed.
Will be in some clubs Belly dance events offered, e.g. in Alf Leila wa Leila (1001 nights) in the south of the city.
Facilities are listed in the corresponding district articles.
accommodation
Simple hotels are only found in ed-Dahhār and es-Saqāla. Most of the upscale hotels are located in New Hurghada. But there is not much more than hotel complexes in New Hurghada and es-Saqāla either.
List of hotels
The hotels are described in the individual articles. So that you can find them more quickly, you will find a list of them by location here:
- Ed-Dahhār
- Arabella Azur Beach Resort, Arabia Azur Resort, Bel Air Azur, El Aroussa Hotel, El Gezirah Tourist Hotel, Festival Shedwan Golden Beach, Geisum Village, Green Palace Hotel, Happy House, Happy Land, Hilton Hurghada Plaza, Hotel Beirut, Hurghada Horus Hotel , Jewels Sahara Boutique Resort, King Tut Resort Hurghada, Magic Beach Hotel, Miramar Sindbad Inn Hotel, Montillon Grand Horizon Beach Resort, Sand Beach Hotel, Sea Horse Hotel, Sea Star Beau Rivage, Sea View Hotel, Shedwan Garden Resort, Shooting Star, Snafer, Sphinx Resort, St. Valentino Hotel, Sunny Days El Palacio Resort & Spa, Sunny Days Mirette Family Resort & Spa, Sunny Days Palma de Mirette Resort & Spa, The Ritz Hotel, Three Corners Royal Star Beach, Triton Empire Beach Resort, Triton Empire Hotel, Triton Empire Inn Hotel, Zahabia Village & Beach Resort
- Es-saqāla
- Alia Beach Resort Hurghada, Aqua Fun Club, Bella Vista Hotel & Resort, Biba Hotel, Blue Marine Hotel, Brigitte Hotel, Eiffel Hotel, El Kasr Hotel, El Tabia Hotel, Golden Sun Hotel, Golf Hotel, Grand Solei Moon Valley, Hawai Hotel , Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort, Hurghada Mena Village, Hurghada Seagull Resort, La Perla Hotel, Lamira Hotel, Le Pacha Resort, Les Rois, Minamark Beach Resort, New Ramoza Hotel, Paradiana Laguna Resort, Presidential Hotel, Regina Aqua Park Beach Resort, Roma Hotel Hurghada, Royal City Hotel, Samaka Holiday Center Apartment Hotel, Sea Garden Hurghada Hotel, Seagull Premium, Souvenir Intertel Hotel, Sunrise Holidays Resort, Tiba Hotel, White Albatros Hotel
- New Hurghada
- Aladdin Beach Resort, Albatros Garden Resort, Albatros Palace Resort, Albatros White Beach Hotel, Alf Leila Wa Leila Village, Ali Baba Palace, Ambassador Club, Aqua Blue Hotel, Continental Hurghada Resort & Casino, Coral Beach Rotana Resort, Dana Beach Resort, Desert Inn, Diamond Resort, Friendship Village, Giftun Azur Resort, Golden 5 Paradise Resort, Grand Hotel, Grand Plaza Resort, Grand Resort, Grand Seas Resort Hostmark, Long Beach Resort Hurghada, Hilton Hurghada Resort, Hor Palace Hotel, Iberotel Aquamarine Resort, Jasmine Village, Lilly Land Beach Club, LTI Titanic Beach Spa & Aqua Park, Magawish Swiss Inn Resort, Marlin Inn Hotel, Mercure Hurghada Hotel, Pharao Hotel Al Mashrabia, PrimaSol Beach Albatros Hotel, Princess Club Hotel, Reemyvera Beach Resort, Samaka Beach Hotel, Sindbad Beach Resort, Siva Grand Beach, Sonesta Pharaoh Beach Resort, Steigenberger Al Dau Beach Hotel, Steigenberger Aqua Magic, Steigenberger Pure Lifestyle, Sunrise Crystal Bay Resort, Sunrise Garden Be ach Resort, Sunrise Mamlouk Palace, The Desert Rose Resort, Titanic Resort & Aqua Park
More hotels can be found south in Sahl hashish (18 kilometers), Makadi Bay (30 kilometers), Sharm en Naqa (40 kilometers) and Soma Bay (45 kilometers) and north in El Gouna (22 kilometers).
security
For arrival and departure to Luxor you don't need a convoy between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. At night you have to rely on a private convoy, which is subject to a fee.
On the evening of January 8, 2016, an attack was carried out on the Bella Vista Hotel, in which three tourists were also injured. The Federal Foreign Office advises that travelers should behave carefully.
climate
Hurghada has a mild to warm climate all year round.
| Hurghada | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean highest air temperature in ° C | 22 | 23 | 25 | 29 | 33 | 35 | 36 | 36 | 34 | 31 | 27 | 23 | O | 29.5 |
| Average air temperature in ° C | 16 | 17 | 19 | 23 | 26 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 25 | 21 | 17 | O | 23.4 |
| Mean lowest air temperature in ° C | 11 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 17 | 12 | O | 18.9 |
| Precipitation in mm | 0.4 | 0.02 | 0.3 | 1 | 0.04 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 0.9 | Σ | 5.26 |
| Rainy days in the month | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | Σ | 2 |
| Relative humidity in% | 48 | 46 | 46 | 43 | 42 | 41 | 45 | 46 | 48 | 53 | 51 | 51 | O | 46.7 |
WMO: Weather Information for Hurghada, World Weather Information Service, accessed June 10, 2013. Hurguada, Egypt: Climate, Global Warming, and Daylight Charts and Data, accessed June 10, 2013. | ||||||||||||||
In winter there are often strong north-easterly winds, so that it is hardly possible to swim.
health
Hospitals
- 1 General Hospital, Hospital St., ed-Dahhar. Tel.: 20 (0)65 334 6740. (27 ° 15 '37 "N.33 ° 49 ′ 7 ″ E)
- 2 El-Salam Hospital. Tel.: 20 (0)65 354 8787. Private clinic near the Arabia Azur Hotel.(27 ° 14 '34 "N.33 ° 50 '37 "E)
- 3 Red Sea Hospital, Tariq el-Nasr St.. Tel.: 20 (0)65) 357 2161, (0)65 357 2164, Fax: 20 (0)65 357 2162, Email: [email protected]. (27 ° 14 '9 "N.33 ° 50 ′ 2 ″ E)
- 4 El Arish Military Hospital, Dahhar (in the north of the city). Tel.: 20 (0)65 354 9513, Fax: 20 (0)65 354 7813. (27 ° 15 ′ 41 ″ N.33 ° 48 '25 "E)
There is also another private hospital in El Gouna.
Pharmacies
Medicines are subsidized by the Egyptian state, the prices are set by the state and noted on the packaging. There are pharmacies everywhere and in sufficient numbers, e.g. in the district of ed-Dahhar, Tariq el-Nasr or Abd el-Aziz Mustafa St., and at some hospitals, among others. in the El Salam Hospital, German is also spoken there.
In spite of fixed prices, drugs are very often sold at inflated prices in tourist areas. In pharmacies that work with scanner registers, such as B. the El Ezaby pharmacies et al. in the Senzo Mall, you always pay the regular price.
Decompression chambers
In Hurghada, Dahhār district, there is a decompression chamber for the treatment of diving diseases in the 5 Naval Hyperbaric and Emergency Medical Center, Tel .: (0) 65 354 9150, 354 4195. There are more in El Gouna and Marsā ʿAlam. Divers pay 6 euros per week for this.
Practical advice
Banks
There are branches of the Banque Misr and the National Bank of Egypt in the ed-Dahhar district. They are open from Sunday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Tourist information
The tourist information is located in the Misr St. Bank, Tel .: (065) 346 3221, Fax: (065) 346 3220. It is open daily from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm.
police
The 6 Tourist police is located in ed-Dahhar, in close proximity to the ed-Dahhar mosque, and in New Hurghada. The latter can be reached around the clock at (0) 65 344 7773. There is also a police station in ed-Dahhar, Tel. (0) 65 354 3365.
Consulates
The German honorary consul in Hurghada, Mr. Andreas Müller, stepped down in 2014. Until further notice, his tasks will be carried out by the German embassy in Cairo.
Passport office
The 7 Passport office is located in the security service building, Tariq el-Nasr St., Tel .: 20 (0) 65 354 6727, and is open from Sunday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Gas stations
A gas station from 11 Misr petrol is located on the west side of Tariq el-Nasr St.
post
The 8 Post office is located in the Tariq el-Nasr. It is open every day except Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
phone
The switchboard is located in the es-Saqāla district.
Internet
There are internet cafes in the ed-Dahhar district.
trips
Popular destinations are Cairo, Luxor as well as that Pauline and the Anthony Monastery.
Web links
- Hurghada Tourism, accessed July 2, 2014.
- Red Sea Bulletin, bimonthly free magazine with articles about Hurghada and the entire Red Sea coast in English, German and Russian.
- Aya Nader: Once-leading Red Sea oceanography institute now lifeless, Daily News Egypt article, July 2, 2014, accessed July 2, 2014.
Individual evidence
- ↑Population according to the 2006 Egyptian census, accessed June 4, 2014.
- ↑الغردقة, article on the Arabic Wikipedia.
- ↑: Egypt and the Sûdan: Handbook for Travelers. Leipzig: Baedeker, 1928 (8th edition), P. 390.
