Hurghada or Sharm?

[hopeful diver]

My husband and I are hoping to get our OW certificates and go to the Red Sea for a holiday, probably Feb/Mar. I heard that Hurghada has better areas for beginners, but Sharm seems to be more popular. What kind of temperatures at this time of year there? Any advice much appreciated

 

[stiwi]

Sharm El Sheikh is much better than Hurghada, great diving places like Ras Mohammed and Tiran Island also some great local reefs. Sharm is very nice place to spend a holiday, great city center called Naama Bay where every night is a lot of people in cafes/pubs/restaurants. Hurghada isn't so impressive especially at nights, there is so cheap that you can feel strange that in most cafes will be only local people and you both as only two tourists. Sharm is more expensive but you will not feel as the completely strangers there.

I would avoid going there in Feb as I was there in that month. It is the coolest one in Egypt, the air temp is around 25 C. , sea temp 20C. You may think that 25 C. is really hot but it isn't. It is so because of the cold winds which are very unpleasant. But it may be also windless weather for your stay, it allows then normal sunbathing - but you never know. If you must choose between FEB and MAR, go in March. However I suggest going to Egypt in April, it is really nice month there.

Cheers,
Sebastian.

 

[larth]

Sharm is very nice for beginners. Do look up the hotel first as many have a house reef and in-hotel dive club, but not all. This will let you do a lot diving in the same place. In addition to Ras Mohammed and the Tiran islands there are another 20+ dive sites along the coast which are closer and less demanding with lots and lots of fish.

cheers,
Lars

 

[mania]

Sharm El Sheikh is much better than Hurghada, great diving places like Ras Mohammed and Tiran Island also some great local reefs. Sharm is very nice place to spend a holiday, great city center called Naama Bay where every night is a lot of people in cafes/pubs/restaurants. Hurghada isn't so impressive especially at nights, there is so cheap that you can feel strange that in most cafes will be only local people and you both as only two tourists.

Well, it's true about Sharm but it's completely wrong description of Hurghada.
To start with the beginning. Hurghada is an old town while Sharm is a very new and was built from the beginning (which was 1980) only for tourists. Hurghada is as much alive in the nights as Sharm is and there are great places to go to have fun - just to mention Papa's Beach. So for the night parties Hurghada has Papa’s and Sharm has Pacha. There are a lot of restaurants and places to go - looks like Stiwi never went to Sakkala and he doesn't have much idea about this city. Hurghada is cheaper and has much better solution for local transport - mini buses that takes you to the city centre and cost only 1 - 2 Egyptian pounds (in Sharm you have to take taxis for the price around 10 - 20 pounds). In Hurghada you can get original IQ Fish staff as they have their shop there (they don't have one in Sharm).
The major difference between these two is - if you want to feel a bit of Arabic world, their culture and their hospitality - go to Hurghada. Sharm - which I love - is much more artificial. It has plenty of restaurants, bars and clubs but lacks the "touch of the real world" - although after the bombing the real world touched Sharm.
Hurghada has some lovely diving sites but the major problem is that most of the diving centers take you to the most popular ones and some of them are already destroyed by divers. Which doesn't mean that there is nothing there - still the places are great.
Hurghada is much better for beginners - most of the dives in Sharm are more difficult, very often drift dives and deeper. So to do OWD I would go to Hurghada and then next time to Sharm - once you are more advanced. Larth has a bit different perspective - he already has some number of dives while your plan is to do OWD. I did my OWD in Sharm and on one of the dives we had such a strong current that I almost wanted to quit - and currents in Sharm are more common than in Hurghada
February is the coldest month there - once I woke up at 4 am in Sharm and the desert mountains were covered with snow!!!! This is the time of year that local people use winter coats - as in the evening temp. really drops down to 10 Centigrade. It's a windy time so after diving it's really cold on the boat.
March is a bit better - April is the best (not too hot but already really warm).
If you want to know a bit more - please read this thread:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=68804&highlight=Egypt+tips
I tried to put there all the most important infos about diving in Egypt.
So the choice is between easy and more difficult dives, between a town that has a long history and the town that is an artificial, tourist city. In both of them you will find thousands of multinational tourists and entertainment. As I wrote I love Sharm but maybe because I have a lot of friends there and I don't live there as a tourists but as one of the locals. While in Hurghada I'm a tourists. Still like this place also.
Mania

 

[larth]

When you experienced currents in Sharm - was it on a site along the coast or in Ras Mohammed / Tiran? The first time in Sharm me + wifey only had 20 dives and did not have any problems on the house reef (Ras Nasrani). The last time we were at Pinky Wall, which was also ok for beginners.

Thanks for the info on Hurghada! I have not been there so it was intresting to read. Now on to reading your tips!

cheers,
Lars

 

[mania]

Lars
You have currents between Sharks Reef and Yolanda - sometimes strong, and Tiran as well. The one I had was Jackson Reef. I'm not saying that you can't do OWD in Sharm but Hurghada is simply easier. So if I had to do it again I would do OWD in Hurghada and then would go to Sharm - even 20 dives is more than none
(I like the old smile much more....)
Mania

 

[hopeful diver]

Thanks everyone for your tips! I think from what you have said, Hurghada sounds the best choice at first,then perhaps another trip to Sharm... Looking forward to seeing all the marine life there

 

[larth]

Lars
You have currents between Sharks Reef and Yolanda - sometimes strong, and Tiran as well.

Tell me about it... first time there we never reached the Yoldanda goods before being out of air...

(I like the old smile much more....)

It seems the orange smile is gone... just be happy! :05:

cheers,
Lars

 

[stiwi]

Hurghada is as much alive in the nights as Sharm is and there are great places to go to have fun - just to mention Papa's Beach. So for the night parties Hurghada has Papa’s and Sharm has Pacha. There are a lot of restaurants and places to go - looks like Stiwi never went to Sakkala and he doesn't have much idea about this city. Hurghada is cheaper and has much better solution for local transport - mini buses that takes you to the city centre and cost only 1 - 2 Egyptian pounds (in Sharm you have to take taxis for the price around 10 - 20 pounds).

I can't agree about nightlife, sorry. Yes there is Papa's and Calypso and some others less known discos but despite them there is not much nightlife. In Sharm the city center (Naama Bay) is full of people every night (even till 02:00), you can see many tourists in cafes, restaurants etc. Everytime when I am in Hurghada in the center of Sakkala I ask myself around 10:00 PM where the hell are tourists?! And yes Mania, I know Sakkala I know some great restaurants (Da Capo and El Arabia are really worth to try), they are cheap, in El Arabia the most expensive dinner cost 5$ - but every time I was there (almost everyday as I had BB) I haven't seen any other tourists! As well as inside and outside of El Arabia (inside is restaurant, outside you can smoke good sheesha).

So Hurghada is much cheaper but it doesn't worth it, if you want to feel as stranger in the night in some local cafes/restaurants then answer is "Hurghada is the option for you". I have been more times in Hurghada but after I went to Sharm once I see no reason going back to Hurghada. Naama Bay in Sharm is so beautifull that you want to be there everyday, Sakkala - sorry but no, I had to eat in the great local and cheap restaurants but that is all, at night you can go either sleep or to disco, you won't find such great promenade in Hurghada as it is in Sharm.

Cheers,
Sebastian.

 

[mania]

Sebastian
Maybe we have been in Hurghada in different times because everytime I was there the place was packed with tourists. But - because I can easily afford it i was there always in the pick season. Never went to Hurghada off season so I may not know how it looks then. Sebastian - talk at least once in your life with Dorota and Wojtek (Polish instructors living there) and ask whether you are right or rather wrong. They certainly know better than both of us.
But Hurghada is worth going there - what you wrote is not true. And it's the place - as I wrote ( I do hope you read my post carefuly and understood it completly) Hurghada has more of an Arabic city, normal city where normal Arabs live than Sharm. Naama Bay is a fun place but 100% artificial. You find places like this in every reasort city all around the world. And this is a major difference. If you want to know how local people live, their culture and so on - you would rather find it in Hurghada than in Sharm. And as I already wrote - I love Sharm, I almost live there. But still have to be honest - this is an artificial city and nobody has their roots there. In Hurghada you meet people with their parents, grandparents and so on living there. If you still don't understand this difference - there is nothing I can do. But I hope that others do.
So to make it simple - if you are only interested in living in the hotel, walking the promenade and don't want to know or see the local culture - go to Sharm. If otherwise - try Hurghada. And diving there is easier than in Sharm.
Mania