Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh? Reefs, resorts, day trips and who each suits

Sharm El Sheikh has the better reefs, with house reefs just off many resorts and marine parks close by. It also has a polished resort feel. Hurghada is a longer strip of resorts, with more variety, more day trips and a livelier town. If snorkelling and diving matter most, choose Sharm. If you want day trips to Luxor and a mix of activities, choose Hurghada.

Snorkelling

Sharm

Day trips

Hurghada

Resort feel

Sharm

Town life

Hurghada

Kitesurfing

Hurghada / El Gouna

Mount Sinai

Sharm

Sharm sits beside Ras Mohammed National Park, and Tiran Island, with walls and coral gardens that are among the best in the Red Sea. Hurghada's reefs are lovely too, with Giftun Island and Orange Bay as the classic trips, and many resorts have good house reefs.

From Hurghada, you can reach Luxor on a long day trip, plus desert safaris and quad rides. From Sharm, the big excursion is the night climb of Mount Sinai and a visit to St Catherine's Monastery. Both have glass-bottom boats and submarines for non-swimmers.

• ✔Hurghada tends to be better value, with a huge range of hotels.
• ✔Sharm has some of the most polished resorts, and often a higher price.
• ✔Both offer all-inclusive deals, and the best prices are outside school holidays.

Both towns have beaches in front of large resorts, but the beach experience is different. Sharm has more resorts built into the coral shore, with piers over reefs and stepped entry into deep water, which is great for snorkellers but less suited to paddling children. Hurghada has more sandy beaches, shallow water and long, gently sloping entries, which many families prefer.

All-inclusive deals are widespread in both. Look for hotels with a house reef if snorkelling is your priority, and check the room view before booking, since construction can change the surroundings. For quiet, consider Marsa Alam, further south, with its protected bays and dugongs.

Evenings are warm and lively. If you want something quieter, a hotel with a good pool bar and an early night suits many visitors, and the star-filled sky in the desert is a good reward for a short drive.

• ✔Sharm: Naama Bay's promenade, shisha cafés, shows and clubs.
• ✔Hurghada: the marina, Senzo Mall and street food in El Dahar.
• ✔Both: Bedouin dinners in the desert, with stargazing.
• ✔Hurghada: the Aquarium and the Sindbad submarine for a family evening.
• ✔Sharm: the SOHO Square entertainment complex.

Check the current travel advice for the Sinai region before booking, and take the usual precautions. Carry a copy of your passport, and avoid unlicensed guides. Tipping is customary in Egypt, so carry small notes. Tap water is not safe to drink, so stick to bottled water.

Respect reefs: do not stand on coral, and do not take shells or sea life. Use reef-safe sun protection, and follow the guidance of your boat crew. See the full guides to Hurghada and Sharm, or pair a beach stay with Luxor for history.

• ✔Divers and snorkellers: Sharm.
• ✔Families: either, with big water-park resorts in both.
• ✔Day-trippers and culture: Hurghada, for Luxor.
• ✔Quiet beach time: Sharm's Nabq Bay or Hurghada's Makadi Bay.
• ✔Kitesurfers: Hurghada or El Gouna.

Read our guides to Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh, or plan a culture trip with Luxor.