The old El Dahar souk is Hurghada's everyday market: a string of shopping streets where locals buy vegetables, meat, clothes and utensils, and where visitors find spices, hibiscus tea, fabrics, jewellery and souvenirs at prices well below those of the hotel shops. It is not a market set up for tourists: the stalls mix with workshops and cafés, and bargaining is part of the visit.
Highlights
The main bazaar street
El Dahar's shopping street lines up souvenir, clothing and papyrus shops. This is the part most visited by tourists: sellers call out to you, and a polite "no, thank you" ("la, shukran") is enough to carry on walking.
The bazaar during Ramadan
During the fasting month the main street is covered in decorations and stays lively late into the evening, after the fast is broken. It is one of the most colourful times to visit.
Spices and hibiscus
Cumin, turmeric, spice blends and dried hibiscus flowers (karkadé, the red drink widely enjoyed in Egypt) are the easiest things to bring home. Ask to smell before you buy.
The neighbourhood market
Behind the tourist street, the food market is the locals' own: vegetables, fruit, butchers cutting meat on the spot, live poultry. It is the place to see everyday Hurghada; you look more than you buy, and you should ask before photographing people.
Practical info
Tips
- Bargaining is the rule: no price is displayed. Start at around half the quoted price and go up calmly; walking away is often the best way to bring the price down. Fix the price before letting anyone wrap, weigh or "offer" anything. Carry small notes in Egyptian pounds. Beware of "papyrus" sold as authentic: many souvenir papyri are actually made of banana leaf. See also our advice on scams to avoid in Hurghada, the El Dahar guide and the fish market. The information comes from travel guides, not an official source.
How to get there
The souk is in the El Dahar district, in the north of Hurghada. From the hotels, take a taxi (agree the price before getting in) or a minibus to the El Dahar terminal, then walk a few minutes.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
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