Rhodes vs Hurghada
Weather, sea temperature and the practical facts side by side. Just the data: where we've written a full comparison with a verdict, you'll find the link here.
Key Differences
- Hurghada's sea is warmer from October to June (by up to 6°C)
- Sea at 22°C or more in Rhodes: from June to October
- Sea at 22°C or more in Hurghada: all year
- Hurghada averages 35°C or more from June to September
- From London, Rhodes is about 4 h by air, Hurghada about 5 h 30
- Hurghada has direct flights all year; flights to Rhodes are mostly seasonal
- No visa for EU, UK and US citizens in Greece; Egypt needs one
- Hurghada has coral reefs to snorkel; Rhodes doesn't
- In Rhodes a car helps; in Hurghada you can do without a car
Side by Side
Rhodes
Island, Greece
Hurghada
Resort, Egypt
Getting there
All direct international flights are seasonal; in winter only domestic flights from Athens and Thessaloniki.
- London: 4 h, seasonal
- Frankfurt: 3 h, seasonal
- Warsaw: 3 h, seasonal
- Belgrade: 2 h, seasonal
Direct flights all year from all four cities. The airport is about 8-10 km from the resort strip.
- London: 5.5 h, all year
- Frankfurt: 4.5 h, all year
- Warsaw: 4.5 h, all year
- Belgrade: 3.5 h, all year
Getting around
Buses run from Rhodes Town to almost every resort, but they're often full and late; a car or moped helps for the south and the interior. The town and the medieval Old Town are walkable.
Uber and Careem work in town; taxis have no meters, so agree the fare first. The town stretches about 36 km along the coast, so you walk only within one area, such as the marina.
Beaches and sea
The east coast has long sandy beaches and calm water; the west coast is stony and windy, good for windsurfing, and Prasonisi in the far south is a kitesurf spot.
- Elli beach, in town
- Kallithea, rocky coves for snorkeling (9 km)
- Faliraki, a long sandy beach (35 min by bus)
- Anthony Quinn Bay and Tsambika (east coast)
- Lindos and St Paul's Bay (1 h 15 by bus)
Sandy resort beaches with calm water. The best reefs are offshore, so you snorkel and dive from boats. Almost every beach belongs to a hotel or charges entry.
- Giftun islands, Mahmya and Orange Bay (boat, 20-40 min)
- Town beaches near the marina (entry fee)
- Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi Bay resorts (south)
Food and drink
Tavernas and local wine; in Faliraki the menus lean towards tourist food.
- Pitaroudia (chickpea fritters), Matsi pasta, Lakani (goat with chickpeas), Melekouni (sesame and honey), Souma (grape spirit)
- Coffee about 2.70 EUR, beer about 5 EUR, lunch for two about 46 EUR (Post Office Family Holiday Costs Barometer 2025, resort prices)
Mostly hotel and all-inclusive dining, with restaurants around the marina and Sheraton Road.
- Koshari, Ful medames, Ta'ameya, Grilled Red Sea fish, Karkadeh (hibiscus)
Sights and day trips
- Medieval Old Town (UNESCO) (in town)
- Palace of the Grand Master (in the Old Town)
- Kallithea Springs (9 km)
- Lindos and its acropolis (1 h 15 by bus)
- Ancient Kamiros and the Valley of the Butterflies (west coast)
- Giftun islands (boat, 20-40 min)
- El Gouna (about 20-25 km north)
- Hurghada Marina and El Mina Mosque (in town)
- Luxor (4-5 h each way)
- Cairo and Giza (6-7 h by bus, or 1 h by air)
Best for
Entry and money
Schengen area: no visa for EU, UK and US citizens. The EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the border.
Visa needed: 30 US dollars for a single-entry tourist visa, online or on arrival. Sharm El Sheikh has a free Sinai only stamp for short stays in the South Sinai resorts.
Health and safety
- The EU's EHIC and the UK's GHIC cover state healthcare.
- The main risks are natural: summer wildfires (April to October) and heat. UK travel advice
- EHIC and GHIC don't apply: get insurance that covers medical evacuation. Drink bottled water.
- The Red Sea tourist areas are generally low risk, but there is a terrorism risk in Egypt and boat safety varies. UK travel advice
Plan it
Beach Holiday, Month by Month
Based on the climate alone: sea at 22°C or more and highs under 35°C count as beach weather. Fresh = sea 20-21°C, cold = under 20°C, hot = highs of 35°C or more.
| Month | Rhodes | Hurghada | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | ColdToo cold to swim | BeachBeach weather | Hurghada |
| Feb | ColdToo cold to swim | BeachBeach weather | Hurghada |
| Mar | ColdToo cold to swim | BeachBeach weather | Hurghada |
| Apr | ColdToo cold to swim | BeachBeach weather | Hurghada |
| May | FreshFresh sea | BeachBeach weather | Hurghada |
| Jun | BeachBeach weather | HotVery hot | Rhodes |
| Jul | BeachBeach weather | HotVery hot | Rhodes |
| Aug | BeachBeach weather | HotVery hot | Rhodes |
| Sep | BeachBeach weather | HotVery hot | Rhodes |
| Oct | BeachBeach weather | BeachBeach weather | Both |
| Nov | FreshFresh sea | BeachBeach weather | Hurghada |
| Dec | ColdToo cold to swim | BeachBeach weather | Hurghada |
Weather Month by Month
Average daytime high, sea temperature and rainy days for every month. The two weather stations count a rainy day differently, so compare the rain column loosely.
| Month | Rhodes | Hurghada | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air | Sea | Rain | Air | Sea | Rain | |
| Jan | 15° | 18° | 16 | 22° | 23° | 0 |
| Feb | 16° | 17° | 13 | 24° | 22° | 0 |
| Mar | 17° | 17° | 10 | 26° | 22° | 0 |
| Apr | 20° | 17° | 8 | 30° | 23° | 0 |
| May | 24° | 20° | 5 | 34° | 24° | 0 |
| Jun | 28° | 24° | 1 | 36° | 26° | 0 |
| Jul | 31° | 27° | 0 | 37° | 28° | 0 |
| Aug | 31° | 28° | 0 | 38° | 29° | 0 |
| Sep | 28° | 27° | 2 | 35° | 28° | 0 |
| Oct | 25° | 24° | 7 | 32° | 27° | 0 |
| Nov | 21° | 21° | 10 | 28° | 25° | 0 |
| Dec | 17° | 19° | 15 | 24° | 24° | 0 |
Air: average daily high in °C. Sea: average sea surface temperature in °C (green = warm enough for most people, blue = cold). Rain: average rainy days in the month. Sources: Rhodes airport (1996-2026), sea: seatemperature.org; Hurghada airport (WMO, 1991-2020), sea: seatemperature.org.