What Sahl Hasheesh is
Sahl Hasheesh is not a district of Hurghada. It is a resort built from scratch on a bay further south, about 18 km from Hurghada International Airport. Its developer, the Egyptian Resorts Company, bought the land in 1995 and started laying roads and networks in 1998. The bay now runs along 12.5 km of shoreline, over an area of 41 km², which the developer likes to compare to two-thirds of Manhattan.
The hotels and residences are built and run by other companies, each on its own plot. What you see is a string of large resorts, each with its own beach and pools, linked by a seaside promenade, with the desert mountains behind.
Don't come looking for a town. There is no old quarter and no souk, and the place called Old Town is a shopping and restaurant centre that opened its first shop in 2011.
The Old Town and the pier
The Old Town is the centre the developer built for the whole bay: eight buildings on the seafront, with shops, restaurants and cafés along a pedestrian promenade of more than 2 km. Next to it, the Arrivals Piazza faces the sea and can hold up to 15,000 people for events. The developer also presents the Old Town as the bay's public beach.
The pier starts here and runs 489 metres out to sea, with approval to moor nine medium-sized yachts.
Come in the late afternoon, once the heat has dropped, walk the promenade and the pier, and stay on for dinner in the Old Town.
Snorkelling: the Sunken City and the house reefs
The Sunken City is a modern installation of columns and Egyptian-style statues laid in shallow water near the Old Town pier, which has become an artificial reef. You reach it from the shore, with a mask and fins.
Elsewhere, the reef often starts some way out from the beach. Several resorts have built jetties that cross the shallow reef flat to the edge of their house reef, so you can swim straight into deeper water without wading over coral. The bay is sheltered from much of the prevailing north wind. For diving, boats from the bay head to the reefs of Giftun, Abu Hashish, Makadi or Safaga, depending on conditions.
Before you book a hotel for the snorkelling, check that it has a jetty out to its reef, and whether it lends or rents equipment.
Who Sahl Hasheesh suits
Sahl Hasheesh is made for one kind of holiday: a week of beach, pool and reef, with evenings at the hotel or in the Old Town. Most of the beachfront belongs to the resorts, the evenings are far quieter than in Sakkala or around the Marina in Hurghada, and the resorts are large, with their own restaurants and spas.
It suits you less if you want to wander a real town or go out late. Every trip into Hurghada is a taxi ride of 25 minutes or more. If you plan to spend most of your days in Hurghada itself, stay in Hurghada.
Where to stay in Sahl Hasheesh
Our picks are six five-star resorts, all with a private beach. SRNTY Sahl Hasheesh has the highest guest rating of the six. KaiSol Romance is for adults only, and The Oberoi has only suites, some with their own pool. Baron Palace and Al Kasr, which is ultra all-inclusive, suit families, with kids' pools and entertainment. Old Palace accepts small pets in some of its rooms. Ratings are from guests, out of 10.
SRNTY Sahl Hasheesh
A five-star hotel with air-conditioned rooms with a balcony, bathrobes, a minibar and a flat-screen TV. There is a year-round outdoor pool, a kids' pool, a spa with a hammam, a sauna and a hot tub, a fitness centre and a restaurant with outdoor seating, and WiFi is free throughout.
Guests particularly appreciate the staff, the comfort and the facilities. Cleanliness, value for money and the location are well rated. The Wi-Fi is the lowest-rated point, but its score is still good.
The Oberoi, Sahl Hasheesh
A five-star resort of air-conditioned suites with a private terrace, a walk-in wardrobe and a glass-walled bathroom with a marble bath, some with a pool in the garden. There is an outdoor pool, a spa with private steam rooms, a gym, restaurants serving Middle Eastern, Indian and international dishes, and a pool bar. Yoga, cooking classes and stargazing are on offer.
Guests particularly appreciate the staff, the comfort and the cleanliness. The location, the facilities and the Wi-Fi are well rated. Value for money is the lowest-rated point, but its score is still good.
KaiSol Romance Resort Sahl Hasheesh
An adults-only five-star resort with air-conditioned rooms with a balcony or terrace, satellite TV and a minibar. There are six restaurants and bars, including Italian and Chinese restaurants, a 24-hour lounge bar and an espresso café, an outdoor pool, a spa with a hammam and a sauna, and a fitness centre.
Guests particularly appreciate the cleanliness, the staff and the comfort. The location, the facilities and value for money are well rated. The Wi-Fi is the lowest-rated point.
Baron Palace Sahl Hasheesh
A five-star resort with air-conditioned rooms with a flat-screen TV and a minibar, and swim-up suites with private pools. There are infinity pools facing the sea, heated in winter, a 2,300 m² spa, a kids' club, and seven à la carte restaurants, from Egyptian and Italian to sushi and teppanyaki.
Guests particularly appreciate the comfort, the cleanliness and the staff. The location, the facilities and value for money are well rated. The Wi-Fi is the lowest-rated point.
Al Kasr Sahl Hasheesh
A five-star ultra all-inclusive resort with air-conditioned rooms with a balcony, a sofa and a minibar, overlooking the sea or the gardens. There is a year-round outdoor pool, a kids' pool, a fitness centre, five restaurants with Italian, Turkish, Asian and international dishes, and an entertainment team.
Guests particularly appreciate the cleanliness, the location and the facilities. Comfort, value for money and the staff are well rated. The Wi-Fi is the lowest-rated point, but its score is still good.
Old Palace Resort Sahl Hasheesh
A five-star resort with rooms with a balcony over the pool, the gardens or the Red Sea, satellite TV and a minibar. There is a heated outdoor pool with a hot tub, a kids' club, a water sports centre, a health club, a main restaurant, Italian and Brazilian à la carte restaurants, four bars and 24-hour room service.
Guests particularly appreciate the location. The staff, comfort, cleanliness, value for money and the facilities are well rated. The Wi-Fi is the lowest-rated point.
Getting there from Hurghada
By car, Sahl Hasheesh is 25 to 45 minutes from Hurghada, depending on where you start and which resort you are going to. From the airport, a taxi taken on arrival costs around €10 to €15, and a transfer booked in advance €20 to €25. Taxis have no meters, so agree the fare before you get in. Uber and Careem work in Hurghada; check the app before you rely on it for the way back.
There is no public transport to Sahl Hasheesh: the microbuses that run around Hurghada do not serve the gated resorts. Some hotels run shuttles, free or paid, so ask yours before you arrive.
Practical information
- Location: about 18 km south of Hurghada International Airport, along 12.5 km of shoreline.
- Getting there: taxi or transfer, 25 to 45 minutes from Hurghada; no public transport.
- Beaches: mostly private to the hotels; the Old Town is the bay's public beach.
- Sea temperature: about 28 to 30 °C in summer, 24 to 28 °C in spring and autumn, a little above 20 °C in winter.
- Best for: a beach and snorkelling holiday with quiet evenings.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Sahl Hasheesh without staying there?
Yes. The Old Town, its seafront promenade and the pier are open to visitors, and you can snorkel at the Sunken City from the shore near the pier. The beaches in front of the resorts belong to the hotels, and sunbeds there are for guests or for visitors with a day pass.
Is Sahl Hasheesh good for snorkelling?
Yes. The Sunken City, near the Old Town pier, is a shallow snorkel from the shore, and several resorts have long jetties that cross the reef flat to the edge of their house reef. The bay is also sheltered from much of the prevailing north wind.
How far is Sahl Hasheesh from Hurghada airport?
About 18 km south of Hurghada International Airport, or 20 to 30 minutes by car depending on your hotel. A taxi costs around €10 to €15 if you take one on arrival, and €20 to €25 for a transfer booked in advance.
Is Sahl Hasheesh quiet in the evening?
Yes, far quieter than Sakkala or the Marina in Hurghada. Evenings revolve around the hotel bars and restaurants, and the restaurants and cafés of the Old Town.
