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Sahl Hasheesh

A quiet crescent bay 20km south of Hurghada, built for calm — with the trade-offs calm brings.

Sahl Hasheesh is a single wide bay developed as a self-contained resort area, with hotels arranged around the curve and a pedestrian promenade — the “Old Town” — built in a Mediterranean-Egyptian style along part of the waterfront.

The scale is deceptive from a map. The bay is large, and walking between one end and the other is a serious undertaking in the heat; most people move by hotel shuttle or taxi. Development is ongoing and uneven: polished stretches sit next to plots that have been waiting years for something to happen on them.

What it does well is quiet. This is a place to read a book, swim, dive, and not be sold anything. What it does not do is surprise you.

Suits you if

  • Couples and anyone whose priority is not being bothered
  • Snorkellers — the house reefs here are genuinely good and reachable from the beach
  • Families who want a soft, shallow entry to the sea
  • Anyone who wants Hurghada’s airport without Hurghada’s noise

Probably not if

  • Anyone who wants to walk out and choose between twenty restaurants
  • Travellers without a hotel booking — there is very little standalone infrastructure
  • People who dislike the feeling of a place still under construction

The practical shape of it

Getting there
Hurghada International (HRG), about 25–30 minutes south along the coast road.
Beach and sea
The best argument for Sahl Hasheesh. Long sandy beaches with a shallow, forgiving entry, and house reefs along the bay that hold real coral and fish life within swimming distance of the sand. For a first snorkel in the Red Sea this is a kinder introduction than a boat trip.
Evenings
Mostly inside hotels. The Old Town promenade has restaurants and bars, and how lively it feels depends heavily on the season and on how full the bay is. Do not plan a trip around the evenings here.
What it costs
Mid to upper. Hotel standards are generally high and the bay skews to four- and five-star, but you are not paying El Gouna prices.
When to come
October to May. The bay is somewhat sheltered, which helps on windy days.

The catch

It can be too quiet, and the emptiness is not always the peaceful kind. Long stretches of undeveloped plots and half-finished projects sit between the hotels, and out of season the Old Town promenade can feel more deserted than serene. Book here for the sea, not for the atmosphere.

Nearby

  • Hurghada, 20km north, for everything the bay does not have
  • Makadi Bay just to the south, and its water park
  • Boat trips to Giftun leave from Hurghada rather than from here

Listed in Sahl Hasheesh

Hotels and resorts 63Dive centres 5Restaurants 78Cafés 6Bars 32Things to do 5Shops 4

Last reviewed 25 July 2026. Transfer times and what is open change. Something out of date? Tell us.

Also near here

The rest of what this site has anchored to this town — the wrecks and spots in its bay, the trips that run from it, and how it compares to its neighbours. (The dive sites are listed above.)

Snorkelling

  • Sahl Hasheesh house reefShore entry

    One of the northern coast’s best shore snorkels — real reef within swimming distance of a sandy beach, no boat required.

Day trips from here

  • Giftun island boat day

    The standard Hurghada day out — two or three snorkel stops and a few hours on an island beach, inside a protected area.

  • Orange Bay and Paradise Island

    The beach-club end of the island day — white sand, shallow turquoise water, sun loungers and a bar. Less about the reef, more about the photograph.

How it compares

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