Egypt beach holidays
Egypt offers an unusual contrast: desert mountains behind the hotel and the colours of the Red Sea beneath the surface. A beach holiday can revolve around swimming, snorkelling and slow days by the water, while the Nile Valley adds temples and ancient cities to a longer journey. These are different parts of the country, so a cultural extension deserves its own time rather than being treated as a quick detour.
Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh or Marsa Alam?
Hurghada holidays offer a wide choice of Red Sea resorts and boat excursions. Sharm el Sheikh holidays place you on the Sinai Peninsula, with the reefs of the surrounding coast as a major attraction. Sharm el Sheikh is worth comparing with the quieter southern mainland region around Marsa Alam, including Port Ghalib.
For an all inclusive beach holiday, the details of the shoreline matter. Some hotels have sandy access; others use jetties over a reef. Families wanting shallow paddling and travellers planning to snorkel may therefore prefer different beaches even within the same resort area.
When to visit
Spring and autumn are useful starting points for balancing beach time with excursions. Summer can be intensely hot, while winter brings cooler evenings and sometimes windy days beside the sea. The water remains a separate consideration from the air temperature, especially for longer swims. Away from the beach, make room for Egyptian food such as ful, taameya and koshari. A trip combining the Red Sea with Luxor or Cairo works best when the travel between regions is planned as part of the holiday.
Before you travel
- Currency
- Egyptian pound · EGP
- Language
- Arabic
- Sockets
- European
Egyptian Arabic in everyday conversation.
Two round pins · type C/F
Good to know
Tourist shops and restaurants often accept US dollars or euros, but Egyptian pounds are useful for small purchases outside resorts.
Sea temperature by month (°C)
In October, the warmest sea is at Port Ghalib (28.0 °C) and the coolest at Tawila Island (26.8 °C).
| Beach | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Ghalib | 23.8 | 23.0 | 22.9 | 23.8 | 25.6 | 27.7 | 29.8 | 30.4 | 29.6 | 28.0 | 27.0 | 25.3 |
| Sharm El Sheikh | 23.6 | 22.5 | 22.4 | 23.3 | 25.0 | 26.7 | 28.8 | 29.7 | 28.5 | 27.5 | 26.7 | 25.0 |
| Tawila Island | 22.8 | 21.8 | 21.9 | 22.8 | 24.6 | 26.1 | 28.2 | 29.1 | 28.0 | 26.8 | 25.9 | 24.1 |
Average sea temperature in each month, 2021–2025 (Copernicus ERA5), at each beach. Not a forecast.
Egypt – Sea temperature today
Current estimates for the selected beaches, not a countrywide average. Sea: NASA MUR with an hourly adjustment; air: Apple Weather. The update time refers to this page, not a measurement taken in the water.
Last updated:
| All beaches | Sea (°C) | Air (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Port Ghalib, Marsa Alam | 27.6 °C | 27 °C |
| Sharm El Sheikh, Red Sea | 27.1 °C | 28 °C |
| Tawila Island, Hurghada | 25.9 °C | 26 °C |