Hurghada has some of the liveliest nightlife in mainland Egypt, as hotels strive to outdo each other's discos and floorshows - but none are wild raves and the music is strictly mainstream. Posh places baulk at shorts or trainers; smart casual dress is universally acceptable. Most discos set a minimum charge per person, sometimes paid up front in return for a card that gets punched whenever you buy a drink - don't lose it. Drinks prices vary from £E8 to £E14 for a Stella, Sakkara Gold or Meister, £E20-25 for an imported beer or a cocktail. Few discos get going before 11pm, and while most are advertised as staying open till 4am, they may close earlier if things are quiet.

 

Discos wax and wane in popularity, with the most popular hangout at present being the Kalaboush in the Iberotel Arabella, a lively place full of young Egyptian guys and their Russian girlfriends. Other favourites are in holiday villages; the Dome (10pm-4am) at the Inter-Continental has the best dance floor but restricts admission to mixed couples (in theory, anyway), whereas the discos at the Sand Beach, Princess Club and Sindbad Beach Resort put on Russian shows to pull in males. Although £E20 minimum charge is standard almost everywhere, the Giftun Village settles for £E15, while the discos in the Sofitel and Sheraton are free of charge, but don't have a show.

Discos aside, the main entertainments are bellydancing and Russian shows - unless you count the cringe-inducing "Animation Teams" at some tourist villages. Russian shows were pioneered in Hurghada, the novelty of pale-skinned Slav women in skimpy costumes soon proving to be a hit elsewhere, to the chagrin of Egyptian bellydancers . If this is your thing, the main venue is Elf Leila Wa Leila ( 1001 Nights), situated on the southern outskirts of Hurghada. Tickets including transport can be bought at most hotels, even the budget ones; (US$15-18 including dinner, 8-10.30pm; $10 with soft drinks only, 8.30-10.30pm). Slightly less exotic and less expensive is the bowling alley at the Sindbad Beach Resort (tel 065/442-944).