From: Tripadvisor.com for first - time visitors to Hurghada

Stunning coral reefs and turquoise waters perfect for windsurfing have made Hurghada, on Egypt's Red Sea Coast, a busy resort town. Within easy reach of the stunning Giftun Islands and the Eastern Arabian Desert, Hurghada has seen enormous amounts of development in the past decade and now stretches 25 miles along the Red Sea. Some of the world's best diving and snorkeling sites are just offshore. Walk or catch a cab to explore old quarter El Dahar. Airport buses run to and from Cairo Airport

Dahar (downtown) which is the oldest part of Hurghada, busy and full of bazaars and shops, which like in all of Egypt you will be hassled for business.  The area is more run down as more of the tourists now are in the other parts of the town. A taxi will cost you about only 10-20 LE Egyptian Pound (av/price +/- € 1,75 )

Sakkala (which is the middle part of the tourist section) where there are lots of hotels, bars, cafes, shops.  Here you will find the Ministry of Sound on the beach disco, Papas beach bar (where live football is shown) and other discos in the hotels.  Over the hill and past the Calypso Disco you will come to the newest section of Hurghada. This has a lovely walkway with shops, cafes, bowling centre and and a shopping Mall still getting filled with shops.  This section of Hurghada is clean but like before you will be asked to see the goods in the shops.

When you are asked into shops etc., or if you are British, the best thing is to smile, say yes british,  "have bought already so no thank you" and while speaking keep walking.  The Egyptians are frightened of the police and do not wish any trouble. This is the best thing to do.  If you do stop you will be asked practically your life story.  Please remember that the people working in the shops are so low paid that most will try to put price up to supplement their income (which is not enough to live off).  Generally pay for things as you drink or eat so that you cannot have a large bill given at the end of the night and not remember what you have drunk or eaten.  Go to the bar if possible, order and pay.  If you do have a waiter a couple of pounds for generally having coffees is enough, if he has waited on you all evening a tenner (all this Egyptian pounds) is more than enough.

Hurghada is being developed and lots of apartments are being built, but there is a large population (Egyptians for work and the foreigners who work here) who are needing somewhere to live, some apartments are going to be offered for holiday rentals and these apartments are in the new section which is safe, friendly and clean, WWW.HURGHADAHOLIDAYRENTALS.NET is one of the best apartment rental organisation in Mubarak/ Elkawser area.

If you use the buses or taxis you must haggle and say a price.  You will  find that getting on the bus which is full of Egyptians the best thing for you to do is just hand the money to the driver without having to state a price.  The empty buses are looking for tourists and wanting stupid prices.  Just wave them off and wait for another, they come so often you don't wait long!  Pay maximum 5 Egyptian pounds to go from the new section to Sakkala on a private bus (don't let them let others on) or 1 to 2 Egyptian pounds max if on a bus already with people on.