BEYOND THE BEATEN PATH
Egypt
by Vard Mov
Be honest–when you read that this post was about Egypt, were you expecting to see a picture of me posing in front of the pyramids? Yeah, I thought so.
Well I’m here to share a different experience, one that includes the city of Hurghada and the clean, beautiful resort that comprises much of Egypt’s vacation tourism industry.
As one of the two largest resort cities (the other is Sharm-el-Sheikh, though more difficult to fly into), Hurghada is an unforgettably beautiful place. I spent 12 spectacular days here with my family, where all we did was enjoy the Egyptian sun and sea, eat food that tasted like my grandma’s and spent little-to-no money because everything was already included.
Let me start by saying I LOVE routines. When I’m home, I live by my routine–it’s what keeps me sane, and gives structure to my busy life. Recently having launched my brand, I’ve been tired and worn, and in need of a vacation–but still one with routine. And we definitely leaned into it.
Well I’m here to share a different experience, one that includes the city of Hurghada and the clean, beautiful resort that comprises much of Egypt’s vacation tourism industry.
As one of the two largest resort cities (the other is Sharm-el-Sheikh, though more difficult to fly into), Hurghada is an unforgettably beautiful place. I spent 12 spectacular days here with my family, where all we did was enjoy the Egyptian sun and sea, eat food that tasted like my grandma’s and spent little-to-no money because everything was already included.
Let me start by saying I LOVE routines. When I’m home, I live by my routine–it’s what keeps me sane, and gives structure to my busy life. Recently having launched my brand, I’ve been tired and worn, and in need of a vacation–but still one with routine. And we definitely leaned into it.
While I would recommend Hurghada to anyone who likes the clear water with gorgeous white sand and weather that’s hot but not humid, I would preface by saying it’s going to be filled with routine.
Every day, my husband and I woke up at around 7am to go check out the sea, enjoy the waves, tan a bit before the sun got too hot by noon. At that point, we would turn in, go back to our room to shower and rest, and have something small to eat.
Around 3 or 4, we would come back out to the sea–or to the pool with the kids (our extended family has a lot of kids!) to soak up that less-intense late afternoon/evening sun. We also played mini-golf, billiards and darts (which we loved), and enjoyed the bar, which had mainly local Egyptian drinks. It was fun to sit and chat with travellers from around the world over a fun cocktail–we met Germans, Brits, Arabs, Russians and more.
In the evening, the resort put on shows, including ones for the kids, which they absolutely loved. The dinners were down-home and unpretentious, and truly tasted home-cooked. (There aren’t really restaurants or cafes outside the resort, so it did tend to be a little repetitive).
Around 3 or 4, we would come back out to the sea–or to the pool with the kids (our extended family has a lot of kids!) to soak up that less-intense late afternoon/evening sun. We also played mini-golf, billiards and darts (which we loved), and enjoyed the bar, which had mainly local Egyptian drinks. It was fun to sit and chat with travellers from around the world over a fun cocktail–we met Germans, Brits, Arabs, Russians and more.
In the evening, the resort put on shows, including ones for the kids, which they absolutely loved. The dinners were down-home and unpretentious, and truly tasted home-cooked. (There aren’t really restaurants or cafes outside the resort, so it did tend to be a little repetitive).
Around midnight, we would turn in and go to sleep. Then the next morning, we would do it all over again.
Like I said, it was definitely a routine!
While we were perfectly content in our low-effort days, visitors who wanted to could engage in water sports, such as windsurfing, snorkelling, scuba diving, and surfing. The coral reefs and dolphins in this area are legendary. Above the sea, there was also a golf course and beach volleyball.
If it’s nightlife you seek, I would urge you to look elsewhere–this is definitely not the spot.
While we didn’t explore it, some folks mentioned horseback riding and going on a desert safari off-resort. Cairo is nearby, as are some nearby islands, such as the famous Paradise Island.
For us, the real draw–besides those amazing beaches–was truly the warm-hearted Egyptian people. Just like the Armenians we’re used to, the Egyptians we met were multilingual, generous and so helpful. We really enjoyed being on vacation with locals who made it feel like home.
Like I said, it was definitely a routine!
While we were perfectly content in our low-effort days, visitors who wanted to could engage in water sports, such as windsurfing, snorkelling, scuba diving, and surfing. The coral reefs and dolphins in this area are legendary. Above the sea, there was also a golf course and beach volleyball.
If it’s nightlife you seek, I would urge you to look elsewhere–this is definitely not the spot.
While we didn’t explore it, some folks mentioned horseback riding and going on a desert safari off-resort. Cairo is nearby, as are some nearby islands, such as the famous Paradise Island.
For us, the real draw–besides those amazing beaches–was truly the warm-hearted Egyptian people. Just like the Armenians we’re used to, the Egyptians we met were multilingual, generous and so helpful. We really enjoyed being on vacation with locals who made it feel like home.
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