Middle East - Anthony Ham [151]
Drinking & Entertainment
Papas Bar (www.papasbar.com; Sharia Sheraton) Probably the most popular hangout in Hurghada, this Dutch-run bar has loads of atmosphere and is packed nightly with diving instructors and other foreign residents. There’s a Papas II located in Ad-Dahar – both feature a constantly changing entertainment program.
Several internationally renowned nightclubs have set up franchises in Hurghada, including the Ministry of Sound (www.ministryofsoundegypt.com) and HedKandi (www.hedkandibeachbar.com). Music ranges from house to techno to disco to R&B, with admission prices up to E£100 – check their respective websites for details. At the time of research, both these places had plans to move to the swish new marina complex at the northern end of Sakalla.
El-Arabi Coffee Shop, situated opposite Seagull Resort, is a popular local tea-and-sheesha spot.
Getting There & Away
Air
Hurghada International Airport ( 344 2592) is located 6km southwest of town. EgyptAir ( 346 3034-7), with an office on the resort strip, has several daily flights to Cairo (from E£400 one way), though prices fluctuate wildly with demand. There are no buses between the airport and town; a taxi costs somewhere between E£15 and E£25.
Boat
A luxury high-speed ferry operated by International Fast Ferries Co ( 344 7572, 012 190 1000; www.internationalfastferries.com; one way adult E£250 or US$40, child 3-12 half price) plies the waters of the Red Sea between Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, departing at 4.30am each Wednesday, and 9.30am each Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from the port in Sigala. The trip takes 1½ hours, but is often cancelled or can take longer when seas are rough (particularly in January and February). There is no student discount on tickets.
It’s sensible to buy a ticket the day before the trip; you’ll need to make your way to the ticket box at the harbour 30 minutes before departure time to grab a boarding pass. The ticket office is in the Fantasia building opposite the Hurghada Touristic Port entrance. The rate of the dollar against the Egyptian pound and the whim of the ferry officials determine which currency you’ll need to use to purchase the ticket. Come prepared with dollars, but be prepared to convert them to pounds.
For details of boats to Duba in Saudi Arabia Click here.
Bus
Three bus companies operate services from Hurghada.
The Upper Egypt Bus Co bus station is at the southern end of Ad-Dahar. There are at least 10 daily buses to Cairo (E£55 to E£60, six hours) between 9am and 1am; the 7.30pm service goes on to Alexandria (E£80, nine hours). There are around eight buses per day to Luxor (E£30 to E£40, five hours), with the 10.30am, 10.30pm and midnight services travelling on to Aswan (E£45 to E£55, seven hours). There are three daily buses to Marsa Alam (E£30 to E£35, five hours) via Al-Quseir (E£20, three hours), leaving at 5am, 8pm and 1am. To Suez (E£35 to E£40, four to five hours), buses depart every two hours between 7am and midnight.
The Superjet ( 355 3499) bus station is 500m south of the Upper Egypt bus station in Ad-Dahar. It has services to Cairo (E£70, six hours) at noon, 2.30pm, 5pm, midnight and 2am. The 2.30pm and 2.30am service continues to Alexandria (E£85, nine hours). One daily bus to Luxor leaves at 7am (E£30, five hours)
The newly established El Gouna Bus Co ( 355 6188; Sharia al-Nasr) has a bus station a few hundred metres south of Superjet in Ad-Dahar. It has at least a dozen daily services to Cairo (E£60 to E£70) between 8am and 3am.
Convoy
It is officially compulsory for foreigners with private transport to travel from Hurghada to Cairo and Luxor by police-escorted convoy. Although we have met many travellers who have had no problems driving themselves independently to Cairo, it’s not possible to dodge the convoy to Luxor (there are 10 checkpoints). The convoys to Cairo leave from the first checkpoint on the road to Cairo in Al-Gouna, 20km outside Hurghada, at 2.30am, 11am