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Those who have booked flights to Hurghada have to try the local drink called karkaday, a type of chi, which is made from an infusion of hibiscus and served hot or cold. Chi is to the locals what tea is to the English. It is served in a glass and offered everywhere.

There is also the ubiquitous sheesha pipes in many cafes (also known in the West as a "hookah"). Sheeshas are used for smoking molasses tobacco, with the smoke passing through water before inhaling through a long tube attached to the bowl.

A short boat trip (leaving from Hurghada) to the Giftun Islands is perfect for relaxing or snorkeling. The sand is as white as sugar and the sea is a lovely turquoise colour. It's the perfect day trip that is also a little adventure.

A sojourn to the magnificent Eastern Arabian Desert is another great idea for a day out. The desert extends eastward from the Nile Valley to the Red Sea Rift, with a mountain range which descends slowly down to the Red Sea. The hilly desert terrain is comprised of wadis (dry valleys). When rain falls in these valleys, lush vegetation blooms. In the desert, you can hop on a camel or you can ride quad bikes, sand buggies or motorbikes.

Visits to Cairo and Luxor are popular from Hurghada. Sharm-El-Sheikh and the Sinai peninsula (containing two of the oldest Christian temples in the world, St Catherine's and St Anthony's) is a short flight away from the region.