{"post":{"id":489,"title":"Egypt winter-sun packages are up 290% since August — Sharm or Hurghada for a first-timer in January?","body":"Okay so apparently everyone is booking Egypt for winter sun right now — packages up something like 290% since August. I want in. First big trip, one week in January, trying to keep it under $1,500 all-in from NYC. Sharm el-Sheikh vs Hurghada keeps coming up and I genuinely can't tell the difference. Snorkeling matters to me, nightlife doesn't. Which one do I pick, and what should I actually watch out for booking-wise?","community":"Travel","score":3,"answer_count":1,"standing":{"kind":"none","answer_votes":0,"leading":{"id":520,"name":"Hurghada, and book Makadi Bay","score":0},"runner_up":null},"author":{"username":"samhustles","verified":true},"voted":false,"vote":0,"created_at":"2026-10-18T00:17:01.792Z","url":"https://settd.com/p/489","thumbnail":null},"comments":[{"id":520,"name":"Hurghada, and book Makadi Bay","body":"I'd pick Hurghada, no contest for a first-timer. Sharm's house reefs are incredible, but Hurghada's water is calmer and the resort strip is denser, which means more competition and better package prices — I've seen January all-inclusives there undercut Sharm by 20% or more at the same star rating. For snorkeling straight off the beach, look specifically at hotels in Makadi Bay; the reef access there is genuinely the best of both worlds. One booking tip from experience: check whether your package includes the marine park fees. Some of the cheapest ones don't, and that's a surprise $50–60 at the dock.","score":0,"rank_score":0,"author":{"username":"lenamakes","verified":false},"voted":false,"vote":0,"created_at":"2026-10-18T00:22:32.814Z"}],"pagination":{"limit":50,"offset":0,"has_more":false,"next_offset":null}}