El Gouna and Soma Bay are the two Red Sea bases we book most, and they suit different people. El Gouna is a lagoon-side town with bars, restaurants and a scene; Soma Bay is a quiet resort peninsula with an enormous shallow lagoon and almost nothing else. Both sit under an hour from Hurghada airport and both have wind for most of the year.
The short version
| El Gouna | Soma Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| The water | Wide sandy lagoon at Mangroovy Beach, flat inside, choppier outside the reef line | A very large shallow flat-water lagoon at the tip of the peninsula — standing depth over big areas |
| The wind | Side-onshore, steady, strongest April–October | Side-onshore, same season, marginally stronger reputation in mid-summer |
| Off the water | A town. Marina, restaurants, bars, other things to do | Resorts, spa, golf, diving. Very little else — by design |
| Best for | Groups, solo travellers, riders who want an evening | Couples, families, anyone who wants to ride, eat and sleep |
| Transfer | ~25 minutes from Hurghada | ~45 minutes from Hurghada |
Why the Red Sea works when Europe doesn’t
The appeal is simple arithmetic. Egypt gives you around five hours’ flying, no jet lag worth the name, warm water in months when the Mediterranean is cold, and a wind season that overlaps almost the whole European calendar. In February, when Porto Pollo and Tarifa are shut for the winter, Hurghada is riding.
The wind comes from a persistent northerly flow down the Red Sea corridor, funnelled by the desert on both sides. It is not a monsoon and it is not a trade wind, but it behaves with something close to that reliability from spring through autumn.
El Gouna: the one with a town attached
El Gouna was built as a resort town on a network of lagoons and islands, and the kiting happens at Mangroovy Beach on the northern edge. The launch is broad and sandy, the water shallow for a long way out, and the wind arrives side-onshore, which is the direction you want when you are learning or riding alone.
What sets it apart is what happens at six o’clock. There is a marina, there are restaurants, there is a genuine after-kiting scene, and there are other people to talk to. For a solo traveller or a group of friends this matters more than most brochures admit — a windless afternoon in El Gouna is an afternoon, not a write-off.
The trade-off is that Mangroovy gets busy in peak weeks, and the outside of the lagoon picks up chop when it is really blowing.
Soma Bay: the one with the lagoon
Soma Bay is a peninsula about 45 minutes south of the airport, with a handful of large resorts and a lagoon at the tip that is, by any European standard, enormous. Flat, shallow, sandy, and big enough that even a busy day does not feel crowded.
If your goal for the week is to land a trick, get your first jumps consistent, or take somebody who has never kited before and give them the best possible chance, this is the better of the two. Standing-depth water removes most of what makes learning frightening.
What you give up is variety. There is a spa, there is golf, there is some of the best diving in the Red Sea — and there is nowhere to walk to. Some people find that restful. Others find it long by day five.
When to go
| Period | Wind | Air / water | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| April – June | Strong and consistent | Air 28–35°C, water ~23–26°C | The sweet spot. Reliable wind before the real heat. |
| July – August | Very reliable | Air can top 40°C, water ~27–28°C | Windiest, and genuinely hot. Boardshorts weather. |
| September – October | Still strong | Air high 20s–30s, water warmest | Excellent, and the heat backs off. |
| November – March | Less consistent, still rideable | Air ~20–25°C, water ~22–23°C | The European winter option. Take a shorty or 3/2mm. |
What people get wrong
Two things, in our experience.
The first is assuming the Red Sea is bath-warm all year. It is warm, but in December and January the water sits around 22°C and the wind has a chill in it. Most riders want at least a shorty; plenty use a 3/2mm.
The second is booking peak July for the wind statistics and underestimating the heat. Forty degrees on a beach with no shade is a different holiday from twenty-eight degrees, and it is the reason we often steer people towards May or late September instead.
Who this isn’t for
If you want lush green scenery, jungle, or a destination with a lot of non-beach sightseeing on the doorstep, the Red Sea is the wrong shape of holiday. This is desert coastline. It is spectacular in its way, but it is not Sri Lanka or Mauritius.
And if you specifically want waves, look elsewhere. Both these spots are flat-to-choppy. The Red Sea does not really do swell.
What it does do, better than almost anywhere within five hours of the UK, is deliver a lot of hours on the water for a sensible price, in a month when nothing in Europe is working.
Frequently asked questions
Is El Gouna or Soma Bay better for beginners?
Soma Bay, in most cases. Its lagoon is very large and shallow enough to stand across big areas, which removes most of what makes learning intimidating. El Gouna is also perfectly teachable and has more schools, but the water gets busier and choppier outside the lagoon.
When is the kitesurfing season in Egypt?
April to October is the strong, consistent season, with July and August the windiest and hottest. November to March is less consistent but still rideable, which makes the Red Sea one of the few short-haul winter options from Europe.
Do you need a wetsuit in the Red Sea?
In summer, no. From roughly November to March the water sits around 22 to 23 degrees and most riders want at least a shorty; a 3/2mm is common in December and January.
How far is Soma Bay from Hurghada airport?
About 45 minutes by road. El Gouna is closer, at roughly 25 minutes. Both are straightforward transfers on good roads.
Are there waves in El Gouna or Soma Bay?
No. Both are flat-to-choppy flat-water destinations. The Red Sea does not generate meaningful swell, so if wave riding is what you want, this is the wrong coast.
Not sure which Red Sea base suits you?
Tell us who is travelling and what you want from the week. We have ridden both and we will give you a straight answer rather than whichever one has availability.
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