Is Hurghada safe for tourists in 2026?

Yes, absolutely. I live here — have done for 15 years — and I can tell you Hurghada is very safe for tourists. The tourist areas have dedicated police, locals are friendly and welcoming, and violent crime against visitors is extremely rare. Standard precautions apply (use hotel safes, agree taxi prices upfront) but overall, it is safer than many European cities. As a local resident, I see tourists every day enjoying themselves without problems.

Can I trust travel advice from local websites?

That depends on who is writing! My approach is radical transparency — I show you my Egyptian phone number, my real name, my actual location. I am not pretending to be someone I am not. I earn commissions from some bookings, and I am open about that. But I never recommend places that would embarrass me if you told me you had a bad experience. My reputation in this community matters.

Why should I trust a local guide over big travel sites?

Big travel sites have never stepped foot in Hurghada. I live here. I know which taxi drivers are honest. I know which restaurants give tourists inflated prices. I know the real cost of a desert safari — not the tourist price, the actual price. That knowledge only comes from living somewhere, not from researching online.

I'm Salem. And I Live Here.

Not "I visited once." Not "I researched online." I actually live in Hurghada — have done for 15 years now. This is my home. And I want to share it with you properly.

Why I Started This Site

Look, I'll be honest with you. I moved to Hurghada back in 2009 — felt like another lifetime ago. Was supposed to stay for a year, maybe two. You know how that goes.

Thing is... I never left. The Red Sea got me. The people got me. Even the chaos got me, eventually. And somewhere along the way, this place stopped being "where I'm staying" and became "where I'm from."

But here's what really pushed me to create this site — and it's going to sound dramatic, but bear with me:

I've watched thousands of tourists get ripped off. Seen them pay triple for taxis. Get sold fake "papyrus" (it's banana leaf, mate). Book tours through hotels at insane markups. And the worst part? They had no idea. How could they? They don't live here.

I started giving advice to friends. Then friends of friends. Then random people at dive sites who overheard me talking. Eventually someone said — "You should write this stuff down, Salem." And honestly? Should've done it years ago.

What I Actually Do Here

Simple version: I'm the local friend you never had.

I tell you what things actually cost — not the tourist price, the real price. I tell you which dive centers are solid and which ones cut corners. I tell you where locals eat (hint: probably not where TripAdvisor says). And I tell you exactly how to avoid getting scammed — because I know all the tricks. I've seen them all.

Think of it like... imagine you had a mate who lived in Hurghada. Someone you could text and ask "is this price fair?" or "should I book this tour?" That's what this site is. Except you don't have to wait for me to reply — it's all here already.

Is Hurghada Safe for Tourists in 2025?

Gets asked constantly. So let me just say it clearly:

Yes. Hurghada is very safe for tourists. I live here. My family lives here. I wouldn't raise my kids somewhere dangerous. The tourist areas have dedicated police. Locals are genuinely welcoming — tourism is our livelihood, we want you to have a good time. Violent crime against tourists? Basically unheard of. Standard precautions apply (use hotel safes, agree taxi prices upfront, don't flash cash) but honestly? It's safer than most European cities I've visited.

That's not marketing. That's me, telling you from 15 years of actual lived experience.

The Honest Truth About This Site

Right, transparency time. Some of the links on this site earn me a small commission if you book through them. You don't pay extra — it comes from the booking platform's marketing budget.

But here's my rule — and I'm dead serious about this:

I never recommend somewhere I wouldn't send my own mother.

If a hotel is crap but pays high commissions? Not going on this site. If a tour operator treats tourists badly? Blacklisted, I don't care what they offer me. My reputation in this community matters more than any commission. I actually have to live here and look people in the eye.

Why Trust Me?

Fair question. Here's my thinking:

🏠 I Actually Live Here

Not visiting. Living. My address is here. My phone number is Egyptian. I'm not pretending to be someone I'm not.

📞 You Can Actually Reach Me

Check the contact page. Real phone number. Real WhatsApp. Real person on the other end. If you get stuck in Hurghada, you can literally message me.

💰 I'm Open About Commissions

Some links earn me money. I tell you that upfront. We're partners here — you get good advice, I get to keep the lights on. Fair deal.

🛡️ I Know the Scams

I've lived here 15 years. I know every trick in the book. And I'm telling you all of them — for free — because tourists being ripped off is bad for everyone, including locals like me who depend on tourism being sustainable.

The Bottom Line

I know what you're thinking. "Another travel blog, another guy claiming to be an expert." I get it. The internet's full of that.

But here's the difference: I'm not going anywhere. I live here. If my advice is wrong, I'll hear about it. If I recommend somewhere terrible, my reputation takes the hit — and I actually have to live with that.

So yeah. I'm Salem. I'm your local guardian in Hurghada. And I genuinely want you to have an incredible trip — without getting ripped off in the process.

Questions? Want to say hi? Need urgent help while you're here?
→ Check the Contact page — all my details are there.

Safe travels,
Salem Ayed Mohammed
Your Local Guardian in Hurghada 🇪🇬