El Gouna, Egypt

About El Gouna

El Gouna was built from nothing on Egypt's Red Sea coast: a resort town laid across a network of islands and lagoons, joined by bridges and waterways, a short drive north of Hurghada. It was conceived around watersports, and the result is a destination of unusual ease — hotels, marina, kite stations and restaurants all within a few minutes of one another, without the logistical friction that attends most kitesurfing travel.

The wind is thermal and dependable. The desert heats far faster than the sea, and the gradient that follows produces side-shore to cross-onshore wind on most days from March through November, typically 15 to 25 knots and often above 20 in high summer. It builds through the morning rather than arriving at dawn, which makes the day easy to shape: breakfast, a long session, lunch on the marina.

Mangroovy Beach is the riding area — sandy-bottomed and waist-deep for hundreds of metres, which is why El Gouna has become one of the most reliable places anywhere to learn or to progress. Stronger riders take boats out to the offshore sandbanks. Winter blows harder and colder, with the sea at 19 to 21°C against 25 to 30°C in summer.

When to go

Best months: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November.

Kite areas

1 distinct riding area documented within this destination.

• Mangroovy Beach

  Best months: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November.

Curated places to stay

• Casa Cook El Gouna

  For the non-kiting partner, design, wellness and a calm adults-only atmosphere make the stay rewarding even when every windy hour is spent ashore.