Souks, spa days and plenty of heat in Red Sea winter sun resort

The beach at Jaz Makadina Hotel, Hurghada.

I didn’t see Rosetta’s Stone, Tutankhamun’s tomb or the enigmatic Sphinx on my journey to Egypt; but I did witness stunning sunsets, windsurfers, luxury spas and souk shopping on the Arabian Peninsula that encompasses the Red Sea.

Interestingly, no one can officially decide why it is christened Red. Some historians believe it is named after the tribe of Himyarites who once lived along its shores. Others believe it describes the sea’s location relative to the ancient Mediterranean world – in ancient languages, the colours black, red, green and white referred to north, south, east and west; whilst others say it is named after the red-hued “sea sawdust”, a type of bacteria that grows near the water’s surface.

Whatever your theory, the touristic area of Hurghada is a far cry from the exciting chaos of Cairo, and as I headed through the barren desert sand-scape from the airport with nothing to guide my driver apart from the luminescent moon, I felt like I was being transported into an alternate universe – just a two-hour time difference from the UK.

My destination was an uncomplicated 45-minute transfer, thanks to the night’s clear roads – only slowing down for routine police checkpoints around the town’s perimeter and another search as we entered the Jaz Hotel complex which was to be my home for the duration.

I had chosen the Jaz Group for my solo trip as they boast eight hotels in the Hurghada area and an adjacent souk with a range of stores selling Egyptian goodies. The resort can be booked on an all-inclusive basis, which includes buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner at the El Masry main restaurant plus snacks and drinks; I also treated myself to the Dine Around programme which allows guests to enjoy a complimentary dinner at any one of the seven restaurants in the village.

My driver dropped me at the foyer and I was welcomed with a much-needed cold beverage as I completed my check-in details and was given a brief orientation – with the faint sound of an ‘80s disco reverberating every time the doors opened – but really on that first night, I was already ready for bed! After being escorted to my room overlooking the bay, I was too tired to explore, but excited to see what was on offer when I arose.

I awoke early to the sound of waves lapping and staff brushing down the sand in preparation for the guests; and when I stepped out onto my balcony, I was met with a carpet of coconut-palm umbrellas and the faint smell of sunscreen that complimented my view of the insanely blue Red Sea.

Looking forward to chilling in the sun, I had plans to do yoga, snorkel and finish my book whilst topping up my tan, but little did I realise that there was so much more on offer – from the impressive treatments at the spa and hammam, to shopping and golf.

However, the main draw for me was the access to the beach, and the stunning Sinai Peninsula is a hotbed for its coral reefs with the Red Sea home to turtles, rays and barracudas. With a dive shop on site, there are daily excursions for diving or you could, like me, pick up a snorkel and enjoy dipping in and out of the water at your leisure to see an array of neon fish and flourishing coral reefs closer to the shore.

I could have easily spent my days splashing in and out of the sea – less than 100m from my room – but my “village package” included a single entry to the group’s Makadi Water World Aqua Park, a short (free) transfer away, with 50 slides including multi-lane race tracks, gentle drops, near-vertical free fall slides and a children’s area.

I was also able to tick parasailing off the bucket list.

While the UK shivers under grey clouds and drizzle, Egypt’s weather dials its way up to the perfect temperature with blue skies aplenty – it’s no wonder it’s a popular option for a winter sun escape.