No trip to Hurghada is complete without experiencing the Red Sea and its white-sand beaches. Snorkeling fans can join full-day boat trips to various snorkeling hot spots, including reefs where they can explore underwater, watch for dolphins, and ride banana boats. If you prefer to stay dry, opt for a submarine trip. Settle onboard and admire the rainbow-hued corals and fish through viewing windows rather than a facemask. If you’re a novice or experienced scuba diver, Hurghada’s waters beckon with great visibility and rich sea life. Join an open-water boat trip that lets certified divers explore the depths on guided excursions, while beginners enjoy onboard tuition and introductory dives.

Many boat tours finish by midafternoon, leaving you ample time to explore on land. An afternoon tour of Hurghada introduces you to the city’s top attractions, such as its Coptic Cathedral and fishing village. Alternatively, if you’re up for some full-throttle adventure, head into the desert on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), roaring along dusty trails before stopping for tea and a camel ride. For something gentler, meanwhile, wander around the Hurghada Grand Aquarium, where the tanks and transparent walkways are populated with nurse sharks, rays, reef fish, and other marine life.

If you opted for an afternoon ATV tour, it may continue into the night with a stop for sunset photos before a barbecue dinner and folklore show under the stars. Otherwise, relax and enjoy some classic Egyptian entertainment by booking an evening dinner-and-show experience that begins with a meal and culminates in an exhilarating horse-riding, belly dancing, and acrobatic show in an outdoor arena. If that doesn’t fit the bill, head into the desert on a 4x4 drive and savor dinner Bedouin-style as the sun sinks behind the mountains.