# Sahl Hasheesh near Hurghada > Sahl Hasheesh is a purpose-built resort bay 18 km south of Hurghada airport, 25–35 minutes by taxi from the centre. There's no ticket: the fountain piazza, the Old Town promenade and the pier over the man-made Sunken City reef are open ground, with cafés open until about 23:00. Allow two hours, or half a day with snorkelling. Web page: https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/sahl-hasheesh - City: [Hurghada](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada), Egypt - YesGo score: 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - Opening hours: Piazza and promenade are open ground with no set hours; Old Town shops and cafés roughly 10:00–23:00 - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free: the piazza, promenade and Old Town need no ticket - Location: 18 km south of Hurghada International Airport - From central Hurghada: Taxi, Uber or Careem, 25–35 minutes - Public transport: No regular city minibus into the bay — taxi or transfer only - Beach: 12.5 km along the bay, split between hotels - Sunken City: Man-made reef of columns by the pier; snorkel from shore or by boat - Cafés and shops: Old Town roughly 10:00–23:00; each venue sets its own hours - Payment: Cards in most restaurants and hotels; Egyptian pounds in cash for taxis and tips - Time needed: 2 hours for a walk, half a day with snorkelling - Coordinates: 27.04920, 33.88916 - Facts checked: 03.11.2026 ## Key facts - **18 km** — south of Hurghada International Airport (source: Egyptian Resorts Company; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Free** — the piazza, promenade and Old Town are open resort grounds (source: Unofficial: German Wikivoyage, Jet2holidays) - **Man-made** — the Sunken City by the pier is an artificial reef, not an ancient ruin (source: English Wikipedia; German Wikivoyage) - **12.5 km** — of beach along the bay (source: Egyptian Resorts Company; Egyptian Streets (Russian Wikipedia: ≈ 12 km)) - **1995** — the year Egyptian Resorts Company bought the land (source: English Wikipedia; Egyptian Resorts Company) - **ERC** — Egyptian Resorts Company builds the infrastructure and sells plots to hotel developers (source: Egyptian Resorts Company; English Wikipedia) - **Arrival Piazza** — the entrance square, with a fountain and archways stepping down to the sea (source: Egyptian Streets; German Wikivoyage) - **250–490 m** — length of the pier — sources disagree (source: Russian Wikipedia (250 m); Egyptian Streets (489 m)) - **Abu Hasheesh** — a reef island east of the bay, a local protected area (source: English Wikipedia; German Wikivoyage) - **Red Sea Governorate** — the bay belongs to it; it's a separate resort, not a Hurghada district (source: English Wikipedia; Wikidata) > **The Sunken City isn't ancient** The columns and arches under the water by the pier were built along with the resort as an artificial reef for snorkellers. Some tour listings sell it as a lost pharaonic or Heracleion-style city — it isn't. It's still worth a look: corals have grown over the columns and fish shelter around them. For real antiquities, head to [Hurghada Museum](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/hurghada-museum) instead. ## Is Sahl Hasheesh worth visiting? Yes, for a calm evening by the sea. Sahl Hasheesh is a resort bay on Egypt's Red Sea coast, **18 km south of Hurghada International Airport** and about 20 km from the city, on the road to Makadi Bay and Safaga. It isn't an old village: Egyptian Resorts Company bought the land in 1995, laid the roads and utilities and sold plots to hotel developers, which is why everything shares one style of arches, domes and sand-coloured walls. Compared with Hurghada, it's clean, quiet and free of touts. You can stroll through the lit-up Arrival Piazza, walk the Old Town promenade, head out along the pier and snorkel over the Sunken City. Skip it if you want history, a proper bazaar or nightlife — Hurghada has far more of all three. And don't plan to walk the whole bay: the lively stretch is short, and the far hotels sit an hour's walk away past empty plots. ## Things to do in Sahl Hasheesh - **Arrival Piazza** — the resort's entrance square, with a tiled fountain down the middle and archways stepping down to the sea. It's lit up after dark and is the most photogenic spot in the bay. - **Old Town** — a pedestrian quarter on the northern promenade with cafés, restaurants, souvenir shops and pharmacies. It's new; only the architecture is old-style. - **The promenade** — the seafront walk links the hotels. The busy part is only about a kilometre around Old Town; beyond it, you're walking past building sites. - **The pier** — a long, curving pier runs out over the reef, with moorings for excursion boats. On a calm day you can see the seabed and the Sunken City columns from it. - **Snorkel the Sunken City** — an artificial reef of columns and arches close to shore, the bay's main snorkelling spot. - **The gate** — an Egyptian-style entrance with columns and sphinx statues; you'll see it from the taxi window. - **Abu Hasheesh Island** — a reef east of the bay, visited by dive and snorkel boats. ## How to see the Sunken City The Sunken City sits in shallow water close to shore by the pier at the north end of the bay. You can spot some columns from the pier when the sea is flat, but you really need a mask: the columns are covered in coral and full of fish. There are two ways in. **From the shore**, if you're staying at one of the hotels near the pier — the first columns are a short swim from their beach. Beaches here belong to the hotels, and whether a non-guest may swim from them is up to the hotel. **By boat** — snorkelling trips from Hurghada and from the bay's hotels stop at the Sunken City and the Abu Hasheesh reefs. Prices vary widely between operators, so check what's included: transfer, lunch and gear. Non-guests do walk out along the pier, but the resort doesn't publish access rules — if security closes it, don't argue. Don't stand on the reef, and wear water shoes: there's coral close to shore. ## How to get to Sahl Hasheesh from Hurghada 1. From El Mina Mosque in Sakkala, book an Uber or Careem or take a taxi south past the airport — about 25–30 km, 25–35 minutes. Street taxis have no meter, so agree the fare before you get in. 2. Ask for “Sahl Hasheesh, Arrival Piazza” or “Old Town”, so you're dropped where the walk begins rather than at a far-off hotel. 3. There's no regular city minibus to the bay: Hurghada's white minibuses run along the coast road but don't turn off here. The Go Bus stop inside the resort serves intercity routes, not trips from the centre. 4. Start at Arrival Piazza, walk through the archways to the sea, then follow the promenade to Old Town and the pier. 5. Head back by calling an Uber or Careem from Old Town. In the evening you may wait a while for a car, so allow time or book the same driver for the return. ## How much does it cost to visit Sahl Hasheesh? Nothing to get in: nobody charges for the piazza, the promenade or Old Town. You pay for the ride, for coffee or dinner and, if you want to get in the water, for a snorkelling trip. Café prices are higher than in central Hurghada — this is a bay of four- and five-star hotels. **Paying.** The currency is the Egyptian pound. Hotels and most restaurants take international Visa and Mastercard, but carry small pound notes for taxis, tips and small shops. Uber and Careem work in Hurghada; you can pay by card in the app, though some drivers ask for cash. ## Guided tour or on your own? Going on your own is easy — easier than [El Gouna](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/el-gouna), where you need a gate permit. Here there's no permit: a taxi drops you at the piazza. From Hurghada, a ride there and back plus two hours in the evening is enough. A guided tour makes sense if you want the story of the bay and its Sunken City legend, and don't want to worry about a ride back: the guide picks you up from your hotel and drops you off again. These trips usually take 3–4 hours including the drive. Staying in Sahl Hasheesh itself? Tour operators pick up from the bay's hotels for the same day trips as from Hurghada — boats to the islands, Luxor, Cairo and desert safaris. ## Restaurants and evenings on the promenade Restaurants and cafés cluster along the Old Town promenade and around the pier: Italian and Egyptian food, coffee shops and bars. Most stay open late, and a few bars run past midnight. Come in the early evening, when the heat drops and the piazza lights and fountains come on. The sun sets behind the mountains, not over the sea, so there's no sea sunset — but the light on the buildings is soft. Dinner by the pier and a taxi back to Hurghada make a good end to the day. ## Sahl Hasheesh vs El Gouna | | Sahl Hasheesh | El Gouna | | --- | --- | --- | | Where | 18 km south of Hurghada airport | 25 km north of Hurghada | | Entry | Open, no permit | Permit: passport registered with security in advance | | Highlights | Fountain piazza, Old Town, pier over the reef | Lagoons, Abu Tig Marina, Downtown | | In the water | Snorkelling at the Sunken City | Lagoon boats, kitesurfing | | Time needed | 2 hours, half a day with snorkelling | Half a day, a full day with the beach | Both are modern resorts with no ancient sites. For a short evening out, Sahl Hasheesh is simpler; for a full day by the water, El Gouna has more. ## Before you go: checklist Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Uber or Careem installed, mobile data working - [ ] Small Egyptian pound notes - [ ] Mask and water shoes if you want to see the columns - [ ] Sunscreen and water - [ ] Leaving in the late afternoon, in time for the piazza lights - [ ] A plan for getting back to Hurghada ## Hurghada by the water: compare and choose Every Hurghada place by the water that YesGo has rated. - [Hurghada Fish Market](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/hurghada-fish-market) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free entry; seafood sold by weight - [Hurghada Marina](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/hurghada-marina) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Sahl Hasheesh](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/sahl-hasheesh) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free - [El Gouna](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/el-gouna) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · No ticket; entry permit needed - [Hurghada Grand Aquarium](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/hurghada-grand-aquarium) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · $35, $32 online; kids 4–9 $17.50 - [Orange Bay](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/orange-bay) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Trip from $20 + park fee ≈ $5 - [Dolphin House](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/hurghada-dolphin-house) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Tours from $17 + ≈ $5 fee ## Museum, aquarium and an evening in Sahl Hasheesh Antiquities at Hurghada Museum in the morning, the aquarium on the way south in the afternoon, then the piazza, the pier and dinner in Sahl Hasheesh. YesGo sets the times and transfers. 1. [Hurghada Museum](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/hurghada-museum) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 300 EGP, students 150 2. [Hurghada Grand Aquarium](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/hurghada-grand-aquarium) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · $35, $32 online; kids 4–9 $17.50 3. [Sahl Hasheesh](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/sahl-hasheesh) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free ## Not to be confused with Abu Hasheesh is a reef island offshore, not the resort itself. Makadi Bay is the next bay south — a different resort. You'll also see the name spelled Sahl Hashish or Sahl Hasheesh; it's the same place. ## Tips - Arrive in the early evening, when the heat drops and the piazza and fountains are lit. - Start at Arrival Piazza and walk towards Old Town — that's the best stretch of the promenade. - Don't walk to the far hotels: it's about an hour past empty plots and building sites. - For the Sunken City, a snorkelling boat trip is easiest — it doesn't depend on hotel beach rules. - Bring water shoes: there's coral and sharp rock near the shore. - Back in Hurghada, finish at [Hurghada Marina](https://yesgo.io/egypt/hurghada/hurghada-marina) — it stays busy late. ## Questions ### How far is Sahl Hasheesh from Hurghada? 18 km south of Hurghada International Airport and about 20 km from the city, 25–35 minutes by taxi from central Hurghada. ### Is Sahl Hasheesh part of Hurghada? No, it's a separate resort on its own bay in the same Red Sea Governorate, just south of the city. ### What is the Sunken City in Sahl Hasheesh? A man-made reef: columns and arches were built underwater along with the resort. It isn't an ancient ruin, but it's a pretty snorkelling spot. ### What is there to do in Sahl Hasheesh? Walk Arrival Piazza and the Old Town promenade, go out along the pier, snorkel over the Sunken City, or take a boat to the Abu Hasheesh reefs. ### Can you visit Sahl Hasheesh if you're not staying there? Yes. There's no gate permit — a taxi takes you to the piazza. Beaches, however, belong to the hotels. ### How do I get from Hurghada to Sahl Hasheesh? By Uber, Careem or taxi, 25–35 minutes. There's no regular city minibus into the bay. ### Is there an entrance fee? No. The piazza, promenade and Old Town are open ground. You only pay for boat trips, snorkelling and food. ### Can you snorkel in Sahl Hasheesh without a boat? From hotels near the pier, the Sunken City is a short swim from the beach. Non-guests depend on hotel rules, so a boat trip is the safer bet. ### Is Sahl Hasheesh good for families? Yes for an easy evening: a car-free promenade, fountains and shallow snorkelling. Children should wear water shoes because of the coral. ## How we checked The English core comes from search results and related questions: things to do, the Sunken City, how far from Hurghada, is it worth visiting, getting there and boat trips. Distance to the airport and beach length come from the developer, Egyptian Resorts Company, and two more sources. Sources give different areas for the resort (41 km² from ERC, about 30 km² on Russian Wikipedia), so we leave it out. The pier length differs too — 250 m on Russian Wikipedia, 489 m in Egyptian Streets — so we show both. English Wikipedia and German Wikivoyage confirm the Sunken City is artificial; Russian Wikipedia and some tour listings call it an ancient ruin, which is wrong. Free access, Old Town hours, the lack of minibuses, taxi times, pier access and card acceptance are unofficial and marked “verifying”. We don't list tour prices: they vary widely between operators. ## Sources - Egyptian Resorts Company — Sahl Hasheesh brochure (distance to the airport, beach length, main features) - English Wikipedia: Sahl Hasheesh; Russian Wikipedia: Сахль-Хашиш; Wikidata Q4409519 - German Wikivoyage: Sahl Ḥaschīsch (Old Town, pier, Sunken City, gate) - Egyptian Streets — Sahl Hasheesh: sanctuary on Egypt's Red Sea (piazza, pier, beach) - Jet2holidays — Sahl Hasheesh Old Town (distance, opening hours) - iXBT Live — travel report from Hurghada (transport and promenade) - Hurghada tour operators' snorkelling programmes --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. 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