Egypt beach holiday help.

Needing some guaranteed sun after this “summer” we are looking at Egypt.
All the hotels are huge with canteens for breakfast and loungers rammed on the beach.
We stayed at the Oberoi many years ago and that felt relaxed. It now costs a fortune though.
Can anyone recommend a nice small hotel with excellent beach snorkelling?

Which airport are you flying from?

Stayed at a five place south of hurgada a few years ago. It was big tents pretty much on the beach. Good snorkeling and baby sharks hunting in the shallows.

Flying from Gatwick.

Good snorkeling and baby sharks hunting in the shallows.

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It was big tents pretty much on the beach.

Marsa Shagra?

Have a look at Marsa Alam from Gatwick, far more chilled than the fleshpots of Sharm and Hurghada!

Slight hijack – what’s Hurghada like generally?

Anything there for someone who’s not usually too keen on package hols?

Is there any potential to get out and explore in the hills like in Spain or Greece?

Might have the opportunity to go, due to sad reasons.

Hurghada is great for diving and watersports, generally big all inclusive hotels, only been in the town once and it was typical tourist fare.

Excursions are available but I think it is difficult to do your own thing (don’t bother with Sharm el sheikh, as its advised not to leave the town)

Depends on what you want from a holiday, I’m guessing you are restricted to Hurghada?

Don’t watch that video of the guy in Egypt getting eaten by a tiger shark.

Given the current political/military situation in the region, I’m not sure Egypt would be on my list right now tbh.

Have a look at Dahab. There are some big hotels but also a string of smaller hotels up the coast. The snorkelling is excellent, much better from the beach than Sharm and Hurghada, where you really need a boat trip to see the good stuff. It is closer to the Israeli border if that bothers you but I’ve been a few times and always felt very safe.

Slight hijack – what’s Hurghada like generally?

I liked it as it is more of an Egyptian town, still very touristy but has a rougher, earthier side when compared to Sharm which feels very fake. Maybe not for everyone but I enjoyed wandering around when not in the sea. Hard to get out of town for a wander by yourself but you can jump on a bus to some amazing places like Luxor, Kings Valley, Aswan. All quite touristy but if you get up early and are willing to walk a bit you can have a nice experience away from everyone.

I did El Gouna once which was nice enough, stopped up near the marina which didn’t feel too crowded unlike some of the bigger hotel complexes further south. Not sure I’d go back to Egypt again but if I did it would be on my list to consider.