El Gouna – Lagoons, Marinas and the Red Sea

El Gouna is a coastal town on the Red Sea, shaped by winding lagoons and lively marinas. Canals and relaxing beaches add to the scenery. El Gouna brings together offerings from several areas, so you can plan around the activities that matter to you.

Lagoons, Beaches and Marinas

The marinas each offer a different waterside setting. The North Basin at Abu Tig Marina has moorings and upscale dining; the basin is also known for its lively waterside atmosphere. Fanadir Marina offers a quieter setting, with shops, restaurants and walks along the waterfront. As El Gouna’s original marina, Abydos Marina also offers a peaceful waterside retreat.

These differences can help you decide which aspects of the town’s character interest you most: dining and a lively waterside atmosphere, or a quieter setting and waterfront paths. The lagoons, canals, beaches and marinas represent different sides of this coastal town rather than focusing on just one activity.

Water Sports and Waterside Activities

El Gouna offers boat rentals, diving, kitesurfing and other water sports. The area around the town has dive sites featuring shipwrecks, coral reefs and diverse marine life. El Gouna is known as a kitesurfing and windsurfing destination, with year-round sunshine, favorable wind conditions and shallow water; actual conditions vary by season. If you have specific activities in mind for your trip, you can take these differences into account when choosing when to visit.

Sliders Cable Park in El Gouna is Egypt’s first wake park. It has two 5.0 cable systems and two 2.0 cable systems for wakeboarding. The facilities also include a floating aqua park, a swimming pool with a restaurant, and a children’s playground. As the facilities may change, it is advisable to check what is currently available before your visit if these features are important to your plans. Aerial sports also offer a way to explore El Gouna from the air.

Golf, Horse Riding and Tennis

For golf enthusiasts, the two clubs mentioned differ in the number of holes. The El Gouna Golf Club, next to the Steigenberger Golf Resort, is an 18-hole championship course. Ancient Sands Golf Club currently has 12 holes. This gives you a specific basis for comparing the two offerings.

At Farah Horse Stable, beach and desert rides range from options for all experience levels to riding lessons. These include beginner lessons as well as advanced show jumping in a training arena; swimming with horses is also offered. El Gouna Tennis Club has six clay courts and two hard courts, all lit for evening play. Professional coaching and group lessons round out the tennis offering.

Culture, Dining and Getting Around

El Gouna hosts events featuring music, art and culture throughout the year. Dining options include local specialties and international cuisine. In Abu Tig, the dining scene includes restaurants, cafés and bars serving local and international offerings. This makes it easy to combine a stay that includes daytime sports activities with culture and dining.

El Gouna is 25 kilometers from Hurghada and less than 40 minutes from Hurghada International Airport; travel time varies with traffic. Go Bus offers intercity buses, limousines and shuttle buses to El Gouna. As services may change, it is a good idea to check the current options before you travel. Around El Gouna, visitors can get around by local taxi and tuk-tuk or rent bicycles. This lets you plan your journey to the town separately from getting around once you are there.

Discover more destinations: Hurghada, Abu Ghusun, Quseir, Ad Dahhār, Marsa Alam, Safaga, Za‘farānah

Back to the main travel overview: Red Sea Governorate.