Egypt winter-sun packages are up 290% since August — Sharm or Hurghada for a first-timer in January?
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?
1 answer
- Hurghada, and book Makadi Bay
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.