When travelers come to Egypt and think of a beach destination, Hurghada is one of the towns that first comes to mind. To me, I always say that Hurghada is so 2008! Little did they know about the surrounding hidden gems – and El Gouna is proudly one of them. So, if you’re planning on exploring El Gouna, Red Sea on your next trip to Egypt, read along.
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About El Gouna, Red Sea
Not so long ago, back in 1989 to be more precise, Orascom Development Holding, owned by the famed Samih Sawiris, began the construction of this wonderful resort town. Located only 25 kilometers north of Hurghada, this heavenly destination, best known for its pristine lagoons, is definitely worth visiting.
Before diving in, let me first break down some things to know about El Gouna for you to have an idea of what to expect.
- El Gouna’s 2 main hot spots are Downtown and Abu Tig Marina – there’s also the New Marina which is right after it.
- It may have been around for a little bit over 30 years only, but El Gouna is indeed a real town with real locals living there. It’s not just some sort of summer resort like those on the North Coast that operate seasonally. There’s an entire generation that grew up there, there’s a school, a university campus, a stadium, a hospital, even an airport – there’s a whole life there.
- It’s posh. El Gouna’s marinas are all lined up with jaw-dropping yachts and the breathtaking architechture of its villas will, well… steal your breath away. If there’s anything El Gouna is best known for, it’s that it’s a fancy schmancy destination. So, if you’re looking for a budget trip, you’d better skip.
- The town is a perfect destination for digital nomads. There’s WiFi almost everywhere and its famed coworking space, GSpace, makes things even easier. In fact, its dynamic, yet laidback, lifestyle had turned it into an entrepreneurial hub over the recent years and a lot of Egyptians, as well as expats, had moved their startups there.
- It’s an eco-friendly town. El Gouna and its hotels have shown continuous efforts in the field of environmental sustainability, which had earned the town The Global Green Town Award, granted by the UNEP, back in 2014.
- It’s also a pet-friendly town. More like taking your pet monkey to the bar kind of pet-friendly. I kid you not, I’ve seen it with my bear eyes before.
Things to Do in El Gouna, Red Sea
Beaches
El Gouna, Red Sea features lots of lagoons, so you’re not limited to the beach at your hotel – there are lots of other private beaches that you could enjoy.
- Makani Beach
- The Clubhouse
- Zeytuna Beach and Island
- El Gouna Sailing Club
- Moods
- Buzzha Beach
- La Playa
Watersports
There are lots of water activities and sports that you can do in El Gouna. Check out the list of activities below, followed by the places that offer them.
- Kitesurfing and windsurfing (Makani Beach, Element Watersports, Osmosis Kiteboarding, Kite People, Kiteboarding Club, Kitepower, Kite Family, and Red Sea Zone)
- Kayaking (El Gouna Sailing Club and Osmosis Kiteboarding)
- Waterskiing and Wakeboarding (Sliders Cable Park and Sharmania Watersports)
- Diving and Snorkeling (Orca Dive Club, Blue Brothers, Euro Divers, Dive Trek, Easy Divers Academy, Colona Dive Centre, TGI Diving, The Dive Connection, and Coraya Divers)
Excursions
Looking for a different adventure? Land or sea, El Gouna’s got you covered.
- El Gouna Mountain Goats (for hiking trips)
- Alex Safari
- Ocean Diva Catamaran Sailing Tours
- The Voyagers (sailing trips)
- Boat rentals (could be easily booked via El Gouna Sailing Club, Orca Dive Clubs, Ocean Diva, or some hotels likes Movenpick or Sheraton)
DON’T FORGET TO GET INSURED
Nightlife
Even though El Gouna doesn’t have any clubs, it still offers sick nightlife. Events manage to make their way and venues appear out of nowhere. For instance, Cooks Club is considered a party hotel – parties and live performances are very common there. Places like Clubhouse also host events at times, while the desert itself gets turned into venues like the famed “The Venue”.
El Gouna still offers a variety of bars and lounges where you could still hang out at night:
- Aurora
- Pier 88
- Villa Coconut
- Barten
- Bartender
- Rush Sports Bar
- The Smugglers pub
More Entertainment
- Sea Cinema
- Go Kart
- Habiba Horse
Sports and Fitness
- The Tennis Club
- El Gouna Padel Tennis
- El Gouna Squash
- LAX Gym
- Beach Monkeyz (fitness playground)
- The Shala (yoga space)
Day Trips from El Gouna
- Hurghada – A 30-minute drive
- Giftun Islands – You can take a boat from Hurghada
- Mahmya Beach – A 40-minute drive
- Sahl Hasheesh – A 50-minute drive
- Soma Bay – A 1-hour drive
El Gouna Restaurants
One of the best things about El Gouna is the food – it’s mostly premium quality and there’s a wide variety of cuisine options to choose from. Here are my favorite restaurants around G-town:
Downtown Restaurants:
- Zia Amelia – Italian cuisine
- Chicha – Latin cuisine
- Bongoyo – African cuisine
- Soul Chicken – Everything chicken
- Jobo’s – Restaurant and sports bar
- The Snack Shack – Quicks bites and my favorite waffles (It’s also open till late, so it’s one of my 2 go-to spots for after-party cravings)
- Caleo – Egyptian cuisine
- Il Gelato – El Gouna’s famed gelato place
Marina Restaurants:
- Le Garage – Gourmet burger
- Sotto Sopra – Italian restobar
- La Scala – Italian cuisine
- Bleu Bleu
- 7th Star
- Saigon – Vietnamese cuisine
- Lawrence – Best steakhouse (formerly Charwood’s)
- Malu’s Deli – Best breakfast in town
- The Burger Bar (My 2nd go-to for after-party cravings)
- Il Gelato
Other Locations:
- The Smokery
- Noi Ristorante
* There are way more restaurants in El Gouna, but these are just the ones that I personally prefer to eat at.
El Gouna Hotels
Just a quick reminder: El Gouna is posh. So, don’t expect budget hotels or even hostels. The most budget-friendly rate you could get in G-town is EGP 1,000 per night. Moving forward, I’ll be listing some hotels according to price range (categories will be “lowest budget possible, “luxury hotels”, and “SUPER LUXURIOUS”). Note that I’ll be listing only the hotels I’d recommend or would personally stay at – I won’t be mentioning every single hotel in town. If you’d like to take a look at the rest of the options, you could check the website.
Lowest Budget Possible
- Cook’s Club
- Captain’s Inn
- Turtle’s Inn
- Sultan Bey
- Ali Pasha
- Dawar El Omda
- The Three Corners Ocean View Hotel (P.S: There are 2 ‘Three Corners’ – I definitely DO NOT recommend Rihana Resort, the one in Downtown)
Luxury Hotels
- Ancient Sands
- Casa Cook
- Steigenberger
- Movenpick
SUPER LUXURIOUS
- La Maison Bleue (adults only)
Other Options
- GCribs
- Scarab
How to book your stay in El Gouna, Red Sea?
To book accommodation in El Gouna, you can email reservations@elgouna.com or book through the website or app.
Hottest Stores to Check Out in El Gouna, Red Sea
El Gouna is definitely not your typical shopping destination, but there are two stores that I just love way too much that I couldn’t write this blog post without recommending them. And I promise you, you’ll end up buying something (if not more) before you leave.
- Norshek: This local brand offers ethically-sourced and eco-friendly beauty products that are all natural and handmade. Shampoo bars, body oils, fragrances, you name it. They even have herbal tea and candles! And the interiors just make the visit to the store 10 times more fun!
- Things and Lilies: The concept store is hidden in an alley at the Abu Tig Marina (the one where Best Way supermarket’s located). They have amazing collections by local, as well as international, brands on display. They also have accessories, bags, and even home decor. I’m a guilty shopper, committed to this place.
DON’T FORGET TO DOWNLOAD AN ESIM!
How to Go to El Gouna, Red Sea?
Fly to Hurghada
The fastest way to get to El Gouna is to fly to Hurghada airport, which is only 40 minutes away. It’s even an international airport, so if you’re not coming from Cairo or any other Egyptian city, you can easily make El Gouna your first stop.
For airport transfers, you can either let your hotel arrange that for you or hire a driver from Sixt. Here’s El Gouna branch’s hotline: 19670.
GoBus
GoBus has a bus stop inside El Gouna, so there are several lines to and from the town. If you’re traveling from Cairo, it’s a 5-hour ride through the Ismailia – Ras Gharib road.
By Car
If you don’t mind the 5-hour drive and if you prefer to be flexible on your trip, you can drive instead. That’s, of course, if you do live in Cairo and have a car or have the budget to rent one.
How to Get Around?
Tuk-tuks
El Gouna’s main, and iconic, method of transportation is the tuk-tuk. However, that’s not your typical tuk-tuk! El Gouna’s tuk-tuks are exceptionally vibrant and colorful – they even have electronic tuk-tuks.
How to get one? There are tuk-tuk stations all over town where you’ll normally find them lined up, or you could stop one if it passes by on the street. If you’re at your hotel, you can let the receptionist call one for you, or you could order one via Uber. However, in both of these cases, you’d have to wait for a while. What I personally do is that I keep drivers’ phone numbers saved on my phone – I’ve collected a bunch of reliable drivers’ numbers over the years. Before I start getting ready, I’d call a driver (whoever’s available) and tell them when to pick me up.
If you’re ever in El Gouna and need me to recommend you a good tuk-tuk driver, just drop me a line and I’ll send you some contacts!
The best thing about the tuk-tuk system there is that there’s no need for haggling! The rates are fixed. If you’re one or two passengers, you pay EGP 20 for a one-way trip – if you’re three passengers (which is the maximum allowed), you pay EGP 30. On a side note, there are some far locations such as Ancient Sands and Makani Beach that cost more, EGP 30. But don’t worry, the prices are written on a sign inside each vehicle.
Bicycle/Scooter
You could rent a bicycle or a scooter from the bike center – here’s the extension number: 34044.
There’s also a service called “Baddel” which is an e-bike sharing system, offering 10 stations around town where you can rent an e-bike from one and leave it at the other. The mobile app available for both iOS and Android users makes unlocking them a piece of cake. In case you don’t know what’s an e-bike, it’s just like a regular bicycle but with a small engine; however, it’s an eco-friendly one.
Rental prices for e-bikes start at EGP 25 for half an hour, and the longer you rent it, the less the charge. For instance, an hour would cost you EGP 40 instead of EGP 50.
Shuttle Bus
There are also several shuttle bus lines across town. You can check them out, as well as buy tickets, at your hotel reception, or call the extension: 32100.
Your own car
If you chose to drive all the way to El Gouna, then it’s definitely a smart choice, especially if you’re staying somewhere far from the center. You’ll definitely save a lot of money – gas wouldn’t even cost you much as El Gouna is a pretty small town that normally has zero traffic.
The Best Time to Travel to El Gouna
El Gouna is an all-year-round destination. If you’ll base your dates on the weather, the Spring or Fall months would be perfect – not too hot and not too chilly. However, you could definitely still go in the Summer or Winter months. If you’ll decide according to what’s happening, well, I could assure you that there’s always something happening in El Gouna.
Need help planning your trip to Egypt? Click here to learn more about my travel planning services.
El Gouna Calendar
El Gouna Squash Open – May
Did you know that some of the best squash players and titleholders around the world are Egyptian? No wonder why such a prestigious event takes time in El Gouna every Spring. If you’re a sports enthusiast, don’t miss El Gouna Squash Open because the vibes around town are normally insane around that time.
Sandbox Festival – June
Are you an electronic music fanatic? This 3-day electronic music festival, organized by Nacelle, is one of the hottest in the region. Artists, playing different electronic music genres, come from all around the world and make waves right on time to kick off the summer season in Egypt.
El Gouna Film Festival – October
Even though it’s a relatively new film festival; founded in 2017, but it’s safe to say that it’s one of the biggest in the country. El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) isn’t just the talk of the town around that time, but it’s usually the talk of the entire country, if not the region. If you’re not a cinephile, that’s okay, because the events, parties, and concerts held in El Gouna during GFF are not to be missed! It’s one of the most times of the year when El Gouna comes to life more than ever.
El Gouna Half Marathon – November
Organized by the leaders of endurance sports events in Egypt, TriFactory, El Gouna Half Marathon has been taking place every fall for the past 3 years. Both El Gouna residents and non-residents get together, either to participate or to cheer, at this high-spirited event.
NYE’s Celebrations
New Year’s is hands down a great time to be in El Gouna. Known for its sick nightlife and events scene, the hottest NYE parties usually take place there.
These are not the only events held there. Keep an eye out for events announcements all year long on El Gouna, Red Sea’s Instagram account. They’re usually events worth traveling for – just saying!
Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance!
Travel (solo or not) isn’t always rainbows and butterflies – things might go down south sometimes. You might fall ill or lose your luggage, and that’s when you’ll thank me for having your back covered with travel insurance.
SafetyWing offers different travel insurance packages, tailored to your needs, but their Nomad Insurance is my favorite option.
This travel medical insurance is perfect for frequent travelers. It covers lost checked luggage, travel delay, doctors, hospitals, and more. It even covers the COVID-19 emergency quarantine period if deemed necessary by a physician.
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Booking a trip soon? Here are some useful travel resources:
- Book your flight with Skyscanner, Kiwi, CheapOair, or WayAway.
- Book your hostel with Hostelworld.
- Book your hotel with Booking.com or Agoda.
- Get your travel insurance with SafetyWing.
- Hire a car with Skyscanner, Discover Cars, Rentalcars, or AutoEurope.
- Book your tours with Viator or Klook.
- Download an eSIM from Airalo.
- Check out my trip planning tools for more travel resources.
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- Epic Things to Do in Dahab: Your Unconventional Guide
- Siwa Oasis, Egypt: A Paradise in the Western Desert
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Nadine is an Egyptian curly-head who decided to quit the norm because it just doesn’t suit her. She ditched her 9-5 as a magazine editor to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time digital nomad and to inspire aspiring travelers to embark on their own solo adventures.
