The Best 10 Things to do in El Gouna
El Gouna, considered the jewel in the crown of the Red Sea is blessed with all year round sunshine and offers residents and guests alike a plethora of exciting things to do. Here are our top 10 recommendations for getting the most out of your visit to El Gouna and what you could be missing!
1. Get to know El Gouna Lifestyle Tour
If it is your first time in El Gouna then a Get to Know El Gouna Lifestyle Tour is a must! MEPM Property would be delighted to welcome you on one of our tours. During the tour you will become familiar with the different areas of El Gouna including the many bars and restaurants of Downtown and the Marina and the different architecture of the towns residential areas which are all located around El Gouna’s numerous interconnecting lagoons You will also be able to familiarize yourself with some of the many activities on offer in El Gouna, a few of which are included in this top 10. This is the perfect start to your trip and a great orientation and property discovery opportunity.
2. Kitesurfing
El Gouna offers fabulous kitesurfing conditions, so much so, that various international kiting competitions have been held in this magnificent resort. Not only does El Gouna offer ideal conditions for global competitors, given its sunny weather and the calm and shallow waters, El Gouna is also an ideal place to learn to kitesurf and anyone can give it a go, no matter your age or experience. El Gouna has 6 different multilingual kite centers - so there is plenty of choice!
3. Golf
El Gouna is home to two golf courses. The 18 hole El Gouna Golf Course, designed by Gene Bates and Fred Couples. Designed with every level of golfer in mind this course offers challenges for the beginner all the way through to the advanced golfer playing the tournament circuit. The course boasts three men’s and ladies’ tees each with carefully placed bunkers, lagoons and desert rough. The aqua driving range accommodates up to 30 players. Golf lessons are available.
El Gouna Golf Course Facts
- Holes: 18 holes
- Rating: Par 72
- Opened 1999
- Length: from 4,344 up to 6,296 metres
- Tees: 5-6 (ladies and mens)
- Grass: Seashore Paspalum (no fresh water required)
- Players: Handicaps 0-45
- Services: Pro Shop, trolleys, carts, driving range and club rental
- Catering: Terrace bar and restaurant
- Handicap: Max – 45 req. from October until April, handicap proof should be presented
- Tee Times: must be requested in advance and confirmed by the Club
- Open: Year round
In addition, a further 9 holes are available at Ancient Sands Golf Resort. This challenging course follows the natural undulation of the desert interspersed with strategically located bunkers and water hazards. After play, why not take a stroll around the Ancient Sands Hilltop Village, poised atop a 21m high hill overlooking the Karl Litten designed golf course, the lagoons, red tinted mountains and the turquoise waters of the Red Sea.
For the golfer looking for some further variety, El Gouna is also the perfect base to explore the other courses of the Red Sea. Cascades Golf Course at Soma Bay is an excellent choice for a day trip and gives you more of an opportunity to see other locations along the Red Sea Coast.
4. Catamaran Sailing Cruises
Excellent for a day out at sea with friends, Ocean Diva (62ft) is a fast catamaran capable of up to 26 knots sailing through the water. The catamaran is stable, eco-friendly and very comfortable. The trip includes stops at two reefs where you can swim, snorkel or just relax before grabbing a light bite on board. Dolphins are a regular sighting on these cruises. The Ocean Diva departs from Abu Tig Marina in the mornings and there are also sunset cruises available for those looking to enjoy the view towards El Gouna as the sun sets behind it over the stunning mountain range in the distance.
5. Cable Park
Sliders Cable Park is the newest addition to El Gouna’s watersport scene. The first cable park to be built in Egypt, Sliders Cable Park is one of the world’s largest wake parks and offers a fun day on the water for those who love to go wakeboarding and waterskiing, while being pulled by a cable. It also provides a perfect alternative for days where the weather isn’t suited to kite surfing.
The cable park has 2 ‘easy rides’ to teach new water sports enthusiasts and 2 standard cables for the more proficient. For the more advanced, the park is equipped with obstacles that enable riders to perform various tricks.
Sliders is not only a great place for wakeboarding, there is also a swimming pool, a beach volleyball area and an area for spectators to watch in awe as others perform tricks in the water. In addition, guests can enjoy delicious food in the restaurant with a wonderful view or enjoy a drink at the bar.
6. Luxury Motor Yacht Charter
Having palatial accommodation for 13 VIP guests, M/Y Seven Spices is the most luxuriously appointed 40 metre private charter yacht available in Egypt!
M/Y Seven Spices is uniquely positioned as being the only super yacht available in the Red Sea to offer such spatial accommodation of 6 beautifully hand-crafted staterooms, whilst being looked after by an international mixed gender crew to ensure the highest levels of service. It’s a great day out where you can enjoy all of the onboard equipment giving you the opportunity for diving (with a qualified dive instructor), snorkeling, kite surfing, wind surfing, water skiing or wakeboarding, speed boat ride, banana boat ride and much more. In addition, food and drinks are provided throughout the day to top of the experience, so you can feel yourself relax and enjoy the full luxury cruising experience.
Other luxury yachts such as Madam Jean provide an excellent alternative to M/Y Seven Spices as a high luxury yacht charter. Whilst the M/Y Seven Spices and Madam Jean might be over budget, it is possible to charter a boat with a captain for a more private day out snorkeling and exploring the local reefs, looking for dolphins or visiting one of the islands off the coast of El Gouna. In addition to private boat charter, it is also possible to go out to sea for the day on one of the many boats operating snorkeling day trips. Usually, the boat will depart at 9am and return 4pm.
7. Tennis and Squash
For those who enjoy sport away from the water El Gouna has it’s own tennis academy offering four clay courts with lessons for all age groups available from ACE International Tennis Academy. In addition there are also tennis and squash courts available at Club Paridiso and the Movenpick Hotel. Pre-booking is a must to ensure your slot.
8. Diving
The Red Sea is the most northerly coral sea in the world and stretches over 2,240km from the Suez in the north to Bab al Mandeb in the south. There are more than 1,200 different species of marine organism. Besides the fish, there are a range of mussels, snails, coral and vegetation. The colourful fish like the butterfly fish, angelfish, surgeonfish are the first to catch the eye, but on closer inspection you will see more exotic creatures such as the lionfish, crocodile fish and moray eels. The Red Sea is also the only place in the world that is home to all four species of sea turtle.
El Gouna’s diving centres offer a complete range of diving education, including PADI diving certification, from beginner to professional level. In addition, the Dive Tribe is also a certified National Geographic Diving Centre. There are tailor made diving courses for children, including PADI Bubble Maker, Discover Scuba Diving, Junior Scuba Diving, and a Junior Open Water Diving and Snorkeling course. Some of the dive centres in El Gouna also offer diving for people with physical disabilities, these can be found in Sheraton Miramar, TTC Rihana and the Movenpick Resort & Spa.
9. Dining & Parties
With over 100 restaurants and bars, even the fussiest eater will find something to suit their taste. Most of the town’s restaurants are situated in either Abu Tig Marina or the El Gouna Downtown, but the hotels also offer a range of restaurants. There are many restaurants offering international cuisine as well as more specialist local and regional foods such as Egyptian, Thai, Vietnamese, Italian and so on. Make sure you escape the hotel or accommodation you’re staying in and sample some of the delicious offerings.
El Gouna is a true party town. So if the party lifestyle is for you, you will find something every day of the week including Karoke nights, live music, clubs where you can dance the night away, beach barbecues and so much more. If you don’t like to party, don’t worry, the party places are easy to avoid.
10. Mahmya Island
“Mahmya” in Arabic means “protected area” and the island of Maymya is truly an oasis of peace. Mahmya is home to one of the loveliest beaches in the Red Sea Riviera region. Boats depart from Hurghada marina and it is also possible to be collected from El Gouna. A day to discover Mahmya comprises a boat trip out to the island, where you can enjoy a mouth watering buffet lunch on a fine white sandy beach, relax to soothing music, sunbathe, swim and snorkel all day in the crystal clear waters of Mahmya.
MEPM can help you make the most of your visit to El Gouna. Our team know the latest news, events and activities and can make sure that you find what suits your needs. There are also a number of other activities and facilities that you can enjoy from El Gouna such as its range of spa experiences, the New York Met Opera screenings, go-karting, desert safaris, horseriding as well as a number of weekly parties and activities that vary seasonally.
Why not choose from one of our experiences to enjoy the best on offer in El Gouna. Our team can recommend the best things to do, or you can simply enjoy some much needed R & R.
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