Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada with the family: which one to choose?

Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada? For a family holiday on the Red Sea, the question always comes up. Both Egyptian resorts have large all-inclusive hotels, aquaparks, coral reefs and boat trips. But the atmosphere is not the same, and the right choice mostly depends on your children's ages and what you want from the stay: staying at the hotel, going out in the evening, seeing fish or visiting temples. Here is how to decide.

Two resorts, two shores of the Red Sea

Sharm el-Sheikh lies at the southern tip of Sinai. It is not really a town: it is a string of hotel bays, each with its own atmosphere, such as Naama Bay, Nabq Bay or Sharks Bay.

Hurghada, which many people search for under its Arabic name El Ghardaqa, is on the other shore, on the African side, and has its own international airport. It is a real town, with a traditional district, a port and a marina, lined to the south by a long strip of large beach hotels.

Sharm el-Sheikh: resorts and reefs

• Nabq Bay, in the north: large all-inclusive resorts with pools and aquaparks, very popular with families with young children.
• Naama Bay: the lively heart of the resort, with its promenade, restaurants and shops; handy with teenagers.
• Sharks Bay and Ras Um Sid: hotels next to the reefs, for snorkelling.
• At sea: boat trips to Ras Mohammed National Park are a classic.

For families, Sharm el-Sheikh's strength is its large hotels where everything is on site. We have gathered several of them in our article on hotels with an aquapark in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Hurghada: a real town by the sea

• The hotel strip, south of Sakkala: 4- and 5-star resorts with a beach, pools and restaurants, ideal for families; you need a taxi to reach the centre in the evening.
• Sakkala and its marina: the port, the shops, and the departure point of most boats to the Giftun islands, a protected marine area where you spend the day between beaches and snorkelling.
• Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi Bay, further south: large, quiet hotels with no town around them.
• El Gouna, to the north: a new town built around lagoons and a marina.

Hurghada also has hotels with an aquapark, such as Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park, Titanic Beach Spa & Aqua Park or Jaz Aquamarine. And if your children are old enough, Luxor and its temples can be visited from Hurghada by road; the drive is long, so a night there makes the trip more comfortable. All the areas are described in our article Hurghada: which area and which hotel to choose.

Which one suits your family?

• With young children: an all-inclusive resort with an aquapark and a kids' club, to avoid travelling around. Nabq Bay in Sharm el-Sheikh and the hotel strip in Hurghada both work well.
• With teenagers: Naama Bay in Sharm el-Sheikh or the Hurghada marina, to go out in the evening; add a day on a boat.
• To see fish: Sharm el-Sheikh hotels next to the reefs let you snorkel from the beach; in Hurghada, you usually take a boat to the islands.
• To combine beach and sightseeing: Hurghada, from where you can visit the temples of Luxor.
• For a large family: ask for a family room or connecting rooms, and check how many people each room accepts.

The same things to check in both resorts

• Accepted ages: some hotels are adults only, others only take families and couples. One example worth knowing: Rixos Sharm El Sheikh is now an "Adults Only 18+" hotel; Rixos Premium Seagate, on the other hand, welcomes families.
• What "all-inclusive" covers: drinks, snacks, à la carte restaurants.
• The minimum height required for the big slides.
• The cancellation terms of the offer.
• Married couples: bring your family record book and check the hotel's policy.

When to go?

Summer is very hot in both resorts: in Hurghada, days often go above 35 °C from June to September. From autumn to spring it is milder, which makes them good destinations for the winter and spring holidays; the water and the wind are then cooler for boat trips. Book early for the festive season.

Visa and formalities

In principle, Algerian citizens must get a visa before travelling to Egypt, whichever resort they choose; check the current requirements with an Egyptian embassy or consulate, or on the official website, before you travel. Nreservi does not handle visa applications.

Book in dinars, in Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada

On Nreservi, you book your hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada online. In Algeria, you pay in dinars without a bank card: BaridiMob, bank transfer or cash at our Telemly agency. Living abroad? You can also pay online by card, and your voucher is sent to you once the payment is made. More details in our guide to booking a hotel without a credit card.

See hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh

Nreservi, online travel agency — 1st floor, 116 boulevard Colonel Krim Belkacem (Telemly), Algiers Centre — +213 540 28 40 40.