Soma Bay & Safaga, Egypt

About Soma Bay & Safaga

Soma Bay and Safaga sit on the Red Sea about forty-five kilometres south of Hurghada, on a stretch of coast whose geography gives it a measurable edge: sources report that Soma Bay reliably carries at least five knots more wind than the spots around it.

The best season runs May to October, averaging 22 knots and rising to 25 to 30 in the afternoons, with March, April and November as solid mid-season alternatives; the probability of a kiteable day sits at 80 to 90 per cent year-round. The wind blows from the north-west, and the water is a crystalline shallow lagoon — warm, clear and flat, which makes it an excellent place to learn and one of the better foiling spots in Egypt. Summer water reaches 28°C and winter drops to 20°C, when a shorty is welcome.

One thing separates this from other Egyptian lagoons: the wind direction here is offshore, which makes rescue boat cover mandatory rather than optional. Shallow coral needs watching, and the beaches crowd in season.

Hurghada airport is forty-five kilometres away, and the area is otherwise a resort coast with diving on the reefs and desert behind it.

When to go

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

Kite areas

2 distinct riding areas documented within this destination.

• Abu Soma Bay

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

• Safaga

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

Curated places to stay

• Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay

  For the non-kiting partner, the major Spa & Thalasso centre makes rest days an attraction in their own right.

• ROBINSON Soma Bay

  For the non-kiting partner, diving, snorkelling, wellness and social dining create an equally active alternative programme.