El Gouna Tourist Information

El Gouna

A privately-owned luxury hotel town, about 25 km north of Hurghada. Quiet and clean, the town consists of several islands separated by channels and connected by bridges. Besides 14 hotels and 2 marinas, there are also 300 private villas and apartments, and some 500 more are under construction.[citation needed] It is promoted by some as Egypt’s Venice. It is built on 10 km of beachfront and has unique and diverse architecture.

El Gouna provides diving and watersports centres, horse stables, gokarting, shopping arcades, bazaars, a wide selection of restaurants and bars, night clubs, an internet cafe, an automated teller machine (ATM), a pharmacy, the El Gouna international school, a nursery, a private hospital, a marina, an airport, the only casino on the Red Sea coast, a private radio station, a post office, a real estate office and an 18-hole golf course designed by Gene Bates with a unique aqua driving range.

El Gouna at a Glance

• … is as big as central London.
• … has year-round sunshine.
• … offers the widest range of leisure possibilities in the entire Red Sea area.
• … lies against the dramatic backdrop of Egypt’s Eastern Desert Mountains.
• … is frequently chosen by international and national film corporations as a commercial and film-shoot location because of its unique beauty.

El Gouna Facts and Figures

El Gouna Development

• 37.8 million square meters total land area
• 9 million square meters currently developed
• Built on over 20 islands surrounded by lagoons
• Lagoons cover a total area of approx. 2 million square meters
• 10 kilometers of beachfront

El Gouna Town

• Award-winning architecture
• 14 hotels in operation, with three 6-star resorts under plan
• 2,622 guestrooms total
• Environmental awards including Green Globe certification

El Gouna Real Estate

• 2,200 real estate units sold
• Villas and apartments available for rent
• 10,000 residents from all over the world

El Gouna Services

• Private Airport
• Resort-wide transportation include bus, boat, and tok tok
• Wireless, high-speed internet
• European-standard Hospital with hyperbaric chamber and dialysis treatment
• Abu Tig cruising marina and Abydos service marina
• Conference and meeting facilities

El Gouna Dining/Shopping

• Innovative Dine Around Program
• 80 restaurants, bars, and eateries
• Shops ranging from souvenirs to exclusive boutiques

El Gouna Leisure/Sports

• 18-Hole Championship Golf Course
• 2 Angsana Spa outlets
• 4 public-access beaches (Mangroovy, Marina, Buzzah, Zeytouna)
• 3 nearby islands (Giftun, Tawila, Gobal)
• 9 certified diving centers
• 5 kitesurfing centers
• Tennis Academy (Summer 2007)
• Horse stables and Go-Karts
• Football team and sporting club

El Gouna Community

• International school
• University Field Center
• Hotel Training School
• Community Library
• Church and Mosque for religious services
• Nurseries and childcare
• Children’s playgrounds
• Supermarkets and fresh produce

El Gouna Life

El Gouna Sports and Activities

El Gouna offers countless opportunities for all ages and inclinations to enjoy fun, fitness, and fresh air. Take advantage of top-of-the-line equipment and professional staff at various sports-related centers to learn something new. Try kiteboarding or windsurfing; learn to dive or play squash! Ride horseback through the desert, or test your golf skills on El Gouna’s 18-hole USPGA course. Whatever your interests, you’ll find an activity just right for you.

Aqua Centers

Golf  (18-hole)

Diving Centers

Biking

Beach Volleyball

Boat Charter

Fishing

Go-Karts

Horseback Riding

Kite boarding

World-Class Kite surfing

Mini Golf

Paintball

Quad Safari

Tennis & Squash

El Gouna Rejuvenation and Wellness

El Gouna Beaches and Islands

Zeytouna Beach

The lively and beautiful Zeytouna Beach is located on its own island surrounded by sea and lagoons. A 400-meter jetty extending into the sea provides access to deeper water and the coral reef plateau. Beach services include towels, drinks and food, a bar with drinks and a light menu, bathrooms, and fresh-water showers. Enjoy beach volleyball, snorkeling, football, dancing lessons and more. Zeytouna Beach can be accessed by shuttle boat from Downtown and Sultan Bey, or on foot via bridges from the Sheraton and Hill.

Mangroovy Beach
Located just north of the Abu Tig Marina, Mangroovy Beach has become internationally known as the Red Sea’s best spot for kitesurfing. Try out this exhilarating water sport or simply soak up the sun while enjoying the colorful view of a kite-filled sky. Relax under thatched roofs as waiters bring drinks and food to you as you sunbathe, or choose a more active pastime such as windsurfing, snorkeling, beach volleyball or soccer. Summertime at Mangroovy means constant beach parties and barbeques, and beach services include towels, restaurant, bar, fire pits, bathrooms and showers. Mangroovy beach can be accessed by a shuttle bus that departs from downtown every hour.

Marina Beach Club
Located on the northern side of the marina, the Beach Club is the perfect spot to start or finish your day. Services include sun beds and towels. Free access is granted to homeowners upon presentation of owner card, as well as to hotel guests of: TTC Ocean View, Captain’s Inn, Turtle’s Inn and Ali Pasha. A massage parlor on the beach also does henna tattoos. Food and beverage service is provided by Moods Restaurant, and the beach bar remains lively until late. The Beach Club is accessed by the Marina line shuttle bus.

Buzzah Beach
Located on Northern Mangroovy Beach, Buzzha Beach invites you to enjoy the feeling of being away from it all at its private beach 15 minutes from Downtown via the shuttle bus. Besides soaking up the sun and watching kitesurfers on the skyline, activities include billiards, table soccer, beach volleyball and a kids’ playground, all free of charge. Beach services are provided, including a restaurant under Swiss management featuring the only wood-fire pizza oven in town.

Tawila Island
Enjoy the secluded beach at Tawila, just over an hour from El Gouna, where you can take a long walk on sparkling white sandy beaches and revel in the island’s natural beauty or take a swim in crystal clear waters. The boat ride to the island is a joy in itself, and spotting dolphins along the way is very common. Charter boats can arrange for food and drinks on the beach. For access service, contact Coral Tours at Zeytouna Beach.

Gobal Island
Located around two hours’ distance from El Gouna, this gorgeous island offers breathtaking snorkeling from the uninhabited sandy beaches. Enjoy lunch on the beach and own an island for a day.

Giftun Island
Mahmeya Beach on the beautiful Giftun Island has been kept true to its natural environment even as complete services have been added, making it the only island with complete services. A beach restaurant serves up great grilled platters, seafood, and pizza while you relax on the beach with a hip mix of backdrop music, creating a fun atmosphere as you sip an ice cold beer. Located just over an hour from El Gouna.

El Gouna Marinas

Boasting multiple marinas, comprehensive services, and an aesthetically unified harbor town designed by Italian architect Alfredo Freda, El Gouna has quickly become a favorite docking place for pleasure craft traversing the Red Sea.

Abu Tig Marina
The first purpose built yacht marina in the Red Sea, Abu Tig is in a league of its own among Red Sea marinas both for the high standard of services it provides as well as for its matchless backdrop: a harbor town that is not only architecturally praiseworthy for its Yemeni- influenced style but also offers El Gouna’s most exclusive shopping and dining. A number of lodging options are also available in the marina, which houses several hotels ranging from intimate inns to a four-star beachfront establishment.

Abu Tig serves as an ideal home port and a convenient stop-over point for vessels of all sizes both sail and motor, whether simply cruising the great variety of offshore coral reefs and islands in the Red Sea or traveling onwards to the Mediterranean Sea or the Indian Ocean. An ever popular winter base, where sailors can make the most of a reasonable cost of living, it is also the harbor of choice for several international yacht rallies, such as the Med-Red, Vasco de Gama, and Blue Water rallies.

Abu Tig Marina Extension
The expansion of the existing marina is already underway; a new and larger North Basin for the Abu Tig Marina was started early in 2006 and will be finished the last of 2008. This new extension will cater to the rapidly-expanding mega yacht market by offering berthing for vessels up to 60 meters in length.

Abydos Marina
Abydos, El Gouna’s second marina, has a capacity of 40 vessels and harbors El Gouna’s many diving boats. It offers dry dock and repair services, with a ship lift for vessels up to 19 meters, and it has a diesel fuel station, electricity lines, channel-6 VHF and a maintenance center.

Marina facilities in El Gouna include:

• Berthing for 126 boats
• Quayside services, metered electric, water, telephone and cable television
• 4-point mooring system
• 24-hour security
• Waste Water Pump Out
• High pressure jet-wash
• Showers for visiting yachts
• Slipway/Launching ramp
• Shops/Supplies (including fresh fruit and vegetables)
• Full range of resort facilities

El Gouna Facilities and Services

El Gouna is a self-sufficient holiday destination with all the services and amenities needed for comfortable living and hassle-free holidays. The town offers a full range of facilities and services related to transportation, education, accommodation, communication, health, security, home upkeep, and more. Following is a list of available services.

Banks and Financial Information

Communications

Educational and Childcare Services

Information Resources

Maritime Services

Medical Services

Property Services

Transportation

Travel and Tour Arrangements

Beauty Salons

Florists

Grocery Stores and Bakeries

Laundry Services

Security Services