By late evening the promenade along the water is busy with people strolling between cafes and shops, and the marina area fills with diners and drinkers. Nightlife here starts late, and the clubs near the promenade keep going well past midnight.
Hurghada has a broad, cosmopolitan nightlife scene that runs from hotel discos to marina bars and traditional cafes. It suits visitors who want an easy, Western-style evening close to their resort, as well as those who prefer a walk along the waterfront with tea and a sheesha. Alcohol is generally easier to find here than in many other parts of Egypt, and it is usually served in bars and hotels.
Where to go out in Hurghada
1. Hurghada Marina
The marina is the anchor of the city's nightlife, with many bars within the development and a reputation for a cosmopolitan scene. It suits an evening that mixes dinner, drinks and a walk by the water.
Note that the marina is a newer part of town, so it feels more polished and international than the older districts.
2. The promenade
In the evening you can walk the promenade for traditional cafes, shopping and dining, with a bowling and family entertainment centre close by as well as a few malls and restaurants. It suits a relaxed, mixed-age evening rather than a late club night.
Nightlife usually begins quite late here, and some clubs can be found in close proximity to the promenade.
3. Sakala and Sheraton Road
Sakala is the busiest area and the city centre, with Sheraton Road lined with hotels, shops and restaurants. It suits visitors who want to be in the middle of things and walk between venues.
At the end of Sheraton Road you will find Praha Cafe, a Czech pub.
4. El Dahar
Dahar is the oldest part of town, home to the traditional bazaar, the post office and the long-distance bus stations. It suits an earlier, more local evening of browsing and tea rather than a night of clubbing.
5. Hotel discos and resort nightlife
Almost every hotel comes equipped with its own disco, and the largest hotel resorts are located between Mamsha and Sahl Hasheesh. This suits guests who want to stay close to their room and avoid arranging transport.
Other nightlife leaders in the city have included Hard Rock Cafe, Little Budha, Calypso Disco and the R&B Club, and in the summer months the Voodoo parties have been held on Wednesdays within the Grand Hotel Resorts. Ask at your hotel or tour guide to recommend a venue, as the scene changes.
6. El Mamsha
Many of Hurghada's newer hotels, restaurants and shops are located along El Mamsha. It suits a modern evening of dining and browsing in a resort setting.
7. Traditional cafes and sheesha
Cafes serve karkaday (hibiscus infusion, hot or cold) and chi (local tea, usually in a glass), often with a sheesha pipe. Sheesha is used for smoking molasses tobacco in various flavours and is legal.
Dubai Cafe offers a variety of non-alcoholic drinks and hookah with a welcoming local atmosphere, street-side and indoor lounge areas, and is cheap. This suits a low-key evening when you want to sit and watch the street.
8. El Gouna and the resort towns
The Hurghada metropolitan area includes resort towns such as El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh, Soma Bay and Makadi Bay. These suit visitors staying in those resorts who want an evening without travelling into the city.
Abu Tig Marina is in El Gouna.
How a night out unfolds
Nightlife usually begins quite late in Hurghada, so there is no need to rush your evening meal. The promenade is the natural place for an after-dinner walk, with traditional cafes, shopping and dining, and clubs are found in close proximity to it. The marina and hotel discos run late into the night. Note that alcohol is usually found in bars or hotels rather than in everyday restaurants.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Armed Forces Day, in October
- Coptic Christmas Day, in January
- Revolution Day January 25, in January
- Ramadan, beginning in February in the year given
- Eid el Fitr, in March in the year given
- Sinai Liberation Day, in April
- Coptic Maundy Thursday and Coptic Good Friday, in April
Frequently asked questions
Is alcohol easy to find in Hurghada?
Yes. Hurghada has a very Western atmosphere, so it is much easier to drink here than in other areas of Egypt, and alcoholic drinks can usually be found in bars or hotels.
When does the nightlife start?
Nightlife usually begins quite late. Plan to eat first and head out afterwards, with the promenade and marina as the main starting points.
What can I drink if I do not want alcohol?
You will find karkaday, chi, yansoon (aniseed tea), ganzabeel (ginger tea), irfa (cinnamon tea) and sahlab, a hot drinkable pudding thickened with orchid-root starch and typically flavoured with cinnamon. Canned soft drinks, fruit juice and lemonade, cold or hot and sometimes made with mint, are also available.
How should I choose a specific club or bar?
Ask at your hotel or your tour guide to recommend a venue. There are many discos and late-night bars dotted around the city, and the scene changes over time.
Decide whether you want the marina, the promenade or your hotel's own disco, then plan your evening around it.