01The house reefs
Walk in off the beach or out along the jetty and you're over coral. The bay's reefs are made for snorkeling, and the water is warm enough to swim in every month of the year.
Any time of day
Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Red Sea Coast · Destination guide
Makadi Bay
A quiet, purpose-built resort bay south of Hurghada – all-inclusive beaches, house reefs you can snorkel from the sand, and the airport 30–40 minutes away.
- Region
- Red Sea coast
- Best for
- Beach resorts · snorkeling · quiet
- Ideal stay
- 4–7 nights
- When to go
- October–April
- Airport
- Hurghada (HRG), 30–40 min
- Pairs with
- Luxor · Hurghada
Get your bearings
What Makadi Bay actually is
Makadi Bay is a single curve of sand about 30 kilometers south of Hurghada, built from scratch for resorts. There's no old town underneath it. Hotels line the beach one after another, with a small promenade and souk area for an evening stroll and not much else, which suits the people who choose it.
The water does the work. Most resorts have a house reef you can reach from the beach or a jetty, so you can snorkel before breakfast without booking a boat. When you want more than the bay, trips leave for Hurghada marina, the Giftun Islands and the desert, and Luxor is about four hours away by road.
What you're really here to see
What Makadi Bay is known for
01
02Giftun Islands by boat
The standard boat day on this stretch of coast: islands ringed with sandbars and shallow reef, swim stops over the coral and lunch on board. Boats leave from Hurghada marina, a short drive north, and we arrange the transfer.
Full day
03Desert safari
The dry-day option: 4×4s or quad bikes into the Eastern Desert behind the coast, tea and dinner at a Bedouin-style camp, and a night sky with no resort lights to dim it.
Half day
Time to allow
How many days in Makadi Bay?
Makadi Bay rewards a slow stay. Give it at least four nights.
3–4 nightsThe short stop
Beach days, a few snorkels on the house reef and one boat trip. Enough to unwind after a busy itinerary.
5–7 nightsThe right amount
A week of beach days with a Giftun boat trip, a desert safari and an evening in Hurghada.
From LuxorThe classic finish
About four hours by road after the temples, with the airport only 30–40 minutes from your hotel.
Two basesQuiet plus lively
Split the week between Makadi Bay's calm and a busier base such as Hurghada or El Gouna.
Where it fits
Makadi Bay in your itinerary
Makadi Bay is the restful end of a trip, not the busy middle.
From Luxor
About four hours by road each way. Most travelers do the temples first and finish on the beach.
From Hurghada
Around 30 kilometers south, so Hurghada marina, the Giftun Islands and the desert are all day trips from your hotel.
Resort first
All-inclusive beach resorts on one sandy bay, with little else to organize once you arrive.
Snorkeling at the door
House reefs you can reach from the beach or a jetty, without a boat or a booking.
From the catalog
Tours that start in Makadi Bay
Xanadu Makadi Bay Hotel
Xanadu Makadi Bay is a good pick for a Makadi Bay vacation, with sea-view rooms and family-size stays for larger groups. The five-star hotel has 34 room types, including suites, family rooms, and villas. Its largest rooms sleep up to seven, and some room types have balconies or terraces. Choose from sea or garden views, or ask about a swim-up room if you want direct pool access. It is one of the more expensive hotels in Makadi, so it may suit travelers who prioritize a larger resort stay.
From $165
SUNRISE Royal Makadi Resort
Sunrise Royal Makadi Resort is a good-value pick in Makadi Bay for travelers who want a large choice of suites and family rooms. Its 5-star setting on the Safaga Hurghada Road puts Sahl Hasheesh nearby. Room choices include a Family Suite, a Family Room with bunk beds, and an Executive Pool Suite. Some rooms have a private pool, balcony or terrace, and views of the garden, pool, or sea. The largest room types sleep up to five.
From $92
Stella Beach Resort & Spa Makadi Bay
Stella Beach Resort & Spa Makadi Bay is a mid-priced 5-star pick on Safaga Road, with rooms offering sea, garden, or pool views. Room choices include suites and family-size types, with the largest sleeping five. Some rooms have a balcony or terrace, and some have a private pool or living room. This gives couples and families more room styles to choose from than a basic room-only stay.
From $117
Steigenberger Makadi Hotel
Choose Steigenberger Makadi for a good-value five-star stay in Makadi with an Adults Friendly 16+ setting. It costs less than many other five-star hotels in the area. Room choices include garden, pool, bay, or golf views, with a balcony or terrace across the room types. The Executive Suite gives you a suite option, while the largest rooms sleep three. This is a practical pick for adults who want a Makadi base and do not need a family-size room.
From $102
Lemon & Soul Makadi Garden Hotel
Lemon & Soul Makadi Garden is a good-value pick in Makadi, with pool-view rooms and a setting on Hurghada Safaga Road. Its three-star stay suits travelers looking for a lower-cost base in the Makadi area. Room choices include a suite, a garden-view room, and a deluxe room with a pool view. Some rooms have balconies, and the largest room type sleeps up to three. Choose it for a simpler stay rather than a hotel built around large family rooms.
From $35
JAZ Makadina Hotel in Madinat Makadi
JAZ Makadina is a mid-priced 5-star choice in Madinat Makadi, with family-size rooms and sea-view options. Room choices include family rooms, garden views, and side sea views. Some rooms have balconies, and the largest room types sleep up to four. A Junior Suite gives couples or small families a suite option. It is a useful pick for travelers who want a Makadi base and room choices for different group sizes, without paying among the highest rates in the area.
From $123
JAZ Makadi Star & Spa Adults Only
JAZ Makadi Star & Spa is a mid-priced, adults-only 5-star stay in Makadi, a strong pick for travelers who want a grown-up resort base. Rooms include terraces, with garden or pool views. Choose from several room types, including suites; the Royal Suite has a private pool. This is a better fit for couples or adults traveling together than for families seeking a family-size room. The hotel sits on KM 34 Hurghada - Safaga Road, handy for Sahl Hasheesh.
From $112
Iberotel Makadi Beach Hotel
Iberotel Makadi Beach is a good pick for a beach vacation in Makadi Bay, with sea-view rooms and a pool. This 5-star hotel has rooms with garden, pool, or sea views, plus balcony or terrace options. Ask about the Junior Suite if you want more space than a standard room. It is one of the more expensive hotels in Makadi, so it suits travelers who value a beach setting and resort facilities over a lower price.
From $147
Cleopatra Luxury Resort Makadi Bay
Cleopatra Luxury Resort Makadi Bay gives you a five-star Makadi Bay stay with sea, garden, and pool views at good value. Its range of room types includes suites and a family-size option, with the largest rooms sleeping five. Some rooms have a balcony or terrace, and some include a living room. Choose it for a resort stay in Makadi Bay, with several room views and layouts to suit different trips.
From $68
Every way in
Ways to travel from Makadi Bay
Day trips, classic multi-day tours, Nile cruises, hotels and private transfers – every part of an Egypt trip can be arranged from Makadi Bay. Start wherever makes sense.
Day tours from Hurghada
Hotel pickup, a private Egyptologist, half or full day.
Classic Egypt tours
2–15 day private itineraries, hotels and guides included.
Tours with a Nile cruise
Pair Makadi Bay with a 3–4 night river cruise in one trip.
Nile cruises
Aswan ↔ Luxor sailings, dahabiyas and classic cruisers.
Hotels in Makadi Bay
5★ and boutique stays, hand-picked by our team.
Airport transfers
Private meet-and-greet from the airport to your hotel.
Best time to visit
When to go to Makadi Bay
You can swim here all year. October to April is the comfortable stretch.
October–April · best
The pleasant months for beach days and day trips, and the best window for pairing the bay with Luxor.
Summer · hot
Around 40°C on land. The sea and a pool keep it manageable, but plan trips for early morning or late afternoon.
The water · all year
The sea is warm enough to swim in every month, so a winter trip still means time on the reef.
Pairing with the Nile
Upper Egypt is hottest in summer too, so a temples-then-beach trip works best between October and April.
The practical part
Getting there & around
Close to the airport, quiet once you arrive – the practical part.
01
Getting in
Fly into Hurghada (HRG). Makadi Bay is around 30–40 minutes by road, and we arrange a private transfer to your hotel.
02
Where to stay
The resorts share one bay, so the choice comes down to the beach, the reef access and the board plan. We match the hotel to your trip.
03
Getting around
Beyond the resort promenade and souk area there's no town center. Day trips include pickup, and a taxi covers anything else.
04
Snorkeling and diving
Snorkel the house reef from your hotel. Boat trips and dive centers run from Hurghada, and we line them up before you arrive.
Common questions
Makadi Bay, answered
01Where is Makadi Bay?+
Makadi Bay is a purpose-built resort bay on the Red Sea, about 30 kilometers south of Hurghada. It's around 30–40 minutes by road from Hurghada International Airport (HRG).
02Is Makadi Bay good for snorkeling?+
Yes. Most resorts have a house reef you can reach from the beach or a jetty, so you can snorkel without taking a boat. The water is warm enough to swim in all year.
03Is there anything to do in Makadi Bay besides the beach?+
Not in town. Beyond the resort promenade and souk area there's little, which is the point. Day trips run to Hurghada marina, the Giftun Islands and the Eastern Desert, and to Luxor by road.
04Can I combine Makadi Bay with Luxor?+
Yes. Luxor is about four hours from Makadi Bay by road each way. Many travelers do the temples and the Nile first, then finish on the beach.
05When is the best time to visit Makadi Bay?+
October to April is the most comfortable. Summer is hot, around 40°C, though the sea is warm enough to swim in every month.
Plan your trip
Plan your Makadi Bay stay
Tell us your dates, who's coming and how you like to spend a beach day – we'll send a private plan with the right hotel, transfers and day trips within 24 hours. Cairo · Luxor · Aswan · Hurghada · Marsa Alam · Sharm El Sheikh, on the ground since 1988.