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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Port Safaga
Spend 1–2 days in Port Safaga for beach, diving and cheap ferry to Saudi Arabia; longer only if you need a rest stop before Hurghada.
Port Safaga is a small Red Sea harbour with a public beach, a private dive club, and a Ro‑Ro ferry to Duba, Saudi Arabia. It lacks extensive tourist infrastructure, so a single night covers the main activities; add another night only if you prefer a relaxed pace before heading to Hurghada or the wider Red Sea resorts.
- Country
- Egypt
- Best months
- Oct–Apr (cooler sea, less sandstorm risk)
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (high heat, occasional sandstorms)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 300–500 excl. bed · Mid EGP 500–800 excl. bed · High EGP 800+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus ticket Luxor‑Safaga | $4 |
| Public beach entry | $7 |
| Nemo Dive Club pool | $5 |
| Snorkel boat (Nemo) | $50 |
| Ro‑Ro ferry seat to Duba | EGP 4,000 |
| Taxi within Safaga | ≈50 EGP |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HRG · Hurghada International Airport
- About 60 km (37 mi) north; bus or taxi to Safaga, roughly 1 h — check schedulesAbout 37 mi (60 km) north; bus or taxi to Safaga, roughly 1 h — check schedules
- LXR · Luxor International Airport
- Daily buses from Luxor to Safaga take about 3–5 h (Nov 2025); check times
Typical fares
- Bus Luxor‑Safaga
- about $4, 3–5 h (check)
- Taxi Safaga town centre
- ≈50 EGP, 5–10 min
- Ro‑Ro ferry Safaga‑Duba seat
- EGP 4,000, 8–10 h crossing (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk or cheap taxi (≈50 EGP) within town; bus from Luxor/Qena (≈US$4) stops at the main bus station 3 km (1.9 mi) west of centre.Walk or cheap taxi (≈50 EGP) within town; bus from Luxor/Qena (≈US$4) stops at the main bus station 1.9 mi (3 km) west of centre.
See and do
Known for
- Public beach north of town
- Nemo Dive Club & Hotel
- Ro‑Ro ferry to Duba, Saudi Arabia
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hurghada | Bus from Safaga bus station, about 1 h | ≈1 h |
| Duba, Saudi Arabia (ferry) | Ro‑Ro ferry via Kenzy Travels office | ≈12 h total (including waiting) |
Sleep
- Budget hotels near the bus station
- Simple rooms, walkable to beach and ferry office; suitable for 1 night.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much is it? | بكم؟bikam? |
| Where is the ferry terminal? | أين محطة العبّارة؟ayna mahattat al‑‘abbara? |
| I need a taxi, please | أريد تاكسي من فضلكureed taxi min fadlik |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- Public beach water quality is low; bring your own sun protection.
- Ferry schedule can shift; confirm departure a day before.
- Taxi drivers may overcharge; agree on price (≈50 EGP) before boarding.
Generally safe for daytime beach and ferry activities; stay alert at night and keep valuables hidden.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Port Safaga yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Public beach north of town
- Nemo Dive Club & Hotel
- Ro‑Ro ferry to Duba, Saudi Arabia
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Port Safaga, revision 5177796 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5177796
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/port-safaga). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.