El Mina Mosque
Hurghada, Egypt
El Gouna near Hurghada
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Photo: Marc Ryckaert, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsThe essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- No ticket, but by permit: your passport is registered with security in advance
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Town open 24/7; beach clubs from morning until sunset or evening, each with its own hours
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 4 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Location
- 25 km north of Hurghada, under 40 minutes from HRG airport
officiali
Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - From central Hurghada
- Taxi or Uber, 35–45 minutes
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Bus
- Go Bus from its Hurghada station to the Downtown El Gouna stop
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Getting around
- Tuk-tuks (by operator, from 7–8am until 1–4am), taxis, bikes
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Boats
- Shuttle boat from Downtown to Zaytouna Island; guided lagoon tours
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Open-to-all beach
- Zouni Beach (formerly Mangroovy), 10:00–22:00
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Confirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator. - Payment
- Cards usually taken in resort venues; carry Egyptian pounds for tuk-tuks and tips
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time needed
- Half a day; a full day with the beach
Key facts
25 kmnorth of Hurghada on the Red Sea, under 40 minutes from the airport
2 sourcesi
Official El Gouna websiteEnglish Wikipedia (≈ 20 km)1990the year the resort town was founded
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English and Russian WikipediaWikidataNo ticketbut a security gate: every visitor's passport and permit are checked
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Unofficial: El Gouna kite schools, rental hosts and Hurghada tour operators≈ 37 km²town area (36.8 km²)
3 sourcesi
Russian WikipediaWikidataOrascom Development10 kmof Red Sea shoreline
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English WikipediaOrascom DevelopmentSamih Sawirisfounder; his Orascom Development builds and runs the town
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English and Russian Wikipedia3 hubsDowntown, Tamr Henna Square and Abu Tig Marina
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English Wikipediaofficial El Gouna websiteZaytouna Islanda beach on its own island, reached by boat from Downtown
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English Wikipediaofficial El Gouna websiteMichael Gravesthe US architect designed the Sheraton Miramar hotel and the golf club here
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English Wikipedia: Michael GravesEl GounaRed Sea Governoratethe town belongs to it, not to the city of Hurghada
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WikidataRussian WikipediaIs El Gouna worth a day trip from Hurghada?
Yes, if you want a calm, polished half day by the water. El Gouna is a separate resort town 25 km north of Hurghada, built from 1990 by Samih Sawiris's Orascom Development on a string of lagoons and islands linked by bridges and canals. Houses open straight onto the water, which is why people call it the Venice of the Red Sea.
Compared with Hurghada, the streets are clean and quiet, there's no hard sell, and you can walk past yachts, take a boat through the lagoons and finish with dinner at the marina. Prices are closer to a European resort than to an Egyptian one.
Skip it if you're after history: there are no ancient sites or major museums. It's a modern resort, and the appeal is the setting, the beaches and the evening by the marina.
Things to do in El Gouna
- Abu Tig Marina — yachts, waterfront restaurants and shops; the town's best evening walk.
- Downtown — the original centre, with low local-style buildings, cafés and shops, and the boat stop for Zaytouna Island.
- Tamr Henna Square — a small square of restaurants, the third of the town's hubs.
- A lagoon boat tour — the guided tour from Downtown passes Sunset Tower, Abu Tig Marina and the New Marina; guides speak English and German.
- Zaytouna Beach — a beach on its own island in the middle of the lagoons.
- Kitesurfing — steady wind and several schools on the shore; watching dozens of kites over the water is a show in itself.
- Michael Graves architecture — the US architect designed the Sheraton Miramar and the golf club; the hotel is easy to spot from a lagoon boat.
How to get to El Gouna from Hurghada
Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
More tips
- Sort out entry first: the beach club, restaurant, kite school or tour you're visiting registers your passport with security the day before.
- From El Mina Mosque in Sakkala, take an Uber, Careem or taxi north along the coast road — about 30 km, 35–45 minutes. Agree the taxi fare before you get in.
- Cheaper: Go Bus from its Hurghada station to the Downtown El Gouna stop. Check times and the boarding point in the Go Bus app; these buses don't serve the airport.
- At the gate, show your passport and ask security to look up your permit in their system — you may not have a QR code.
- Inside, use tuk-tuks (up to three people) or walk; Downtown to Abu Tig Marina is a long walk in the heat.
- To get back, book the same taxi or call a car from the marina in the app.
Can day visitors use the beaches?
Hotel beaches are for hotel guests, so day visitors use beach clubs or the public beach. Zouni Beach (formerly Mangroovy) is open 10:00–22:00 and the town calls it a beach for everyone. Moods Beach Club, at the tip of Abu Tig Marina, opens 9:00 until sunset. The Smokery Beach charges entry and needs a booking.
Zaytouna Beach is on an island reached by boat from Downtown. Hotel guests in El Gouna ride free; if you're coming from Hurghada, ask about the boat and entry when you book.
In pools and lagoons, proper swimwear is required; loose cotton clothing and long swimsuits aren't allowed under the town rules. Sunbeds and restaurants can be booked in the official El Gouna app.
How much does it cost to visit El Gouna?
There's no ticket for the town itself. You pay for transport, beach club entry, lagoon boats and food. On the official site some clubs are tagged as charging entry; Zouni Beach isn't.
Expect European resort prices rather than Hurghada prices. Beach and boat fees vary by club and season, so we don't list them — ask when you book.
Paying. The currency is the Egyptian pound. Hotels, restaurants and beach clubs usually take international cards, but carry small pound notes for tuk-tuks, boats and tips. Uber works in Hurghada; you can pay by card in the app, though some drivers ask for cash.
Guided tour or on your own?
A tour is the easy option: the operator handles your entry permit from a passport photo, does the driving and usually includes a lagoon boat ride. Best if it's a one-off visit and you don't want to deal with the gate.
Going independently gives you more freedom — stay on the beach until late and eat at the marina — but you still need someone to register you. Start by booking a beach club, a restaurant or a kite lesson. Allow 4–5 hours including the drive, or a full day with the beach.
Before you go: checklist
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Hurghada by the water: compare and choose
Every Hurghada place by the water that YesGo has rated. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Hurghada Fish Market | 44 | 45 min | Free | 23.7 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurghada Marina | 43 | 1 h | Free | 23.8 km |
| Sahl Hasheesh | 28 | 2 h | Free | 42.7 km |
| El Gounayou are here | 26 | 4 h | No ticket; entry permit needed | — |
| Hurghada Grand Aquarium | 24 | 1 h 30 min | $35, $32 online; kids 4–9 $17.50 | 31.3 km |
| Orange Bay | 21 | 4 h | Trip from $20 + park fee ≈ $5 | 31.2 km |
| Dolphin House | 21 | 2 h | Tours from $17 + ≈ $5 fee | 17.4 km |
El Gouna and Hurghada by night in one day
Lagoons and a beach in El Gouna by day, then back to Hurghada for the mosque by the fishing harbour and an evening walk around the marina. YesGo sets the times and transfers.
- El Gounayou are here4 h · No ticket; entry permit needed
- 410 min walk from the previous stopEl Mina Mosque30 min · Free, between prayers
- 7 min walk from the previous stopHurghada Marina1 h · Free
3 places · about 12 h 27 min with walks · 417 min on foot in total
How to do it right
- Come for the last hour before sunset: soft light on the lagoons, then dinner at Abu Tig Marina.
- See the lagoons from a boat, not the shore — only from the water do you see how the town is stitched together from islands.
- Don't want to deal with the gate? Take a tour — the operator arranges your permit.
- Zouni Beach lets everyone in — handy if your Hurghada hotel has no proper beach.
- Heading back, stop for an evening stroll at Hurghada Marina — it's on the way.
- Want a quieter resort south of the city instead? Look at Sahl Hasheesh.
Questions
Can you visit El Gouna without staying there?
Yes, but you need a permit: the beach club, restaurant, kite school or tour you're visiting registers your passport with security, usually the day before. Without it you may be turned away at the gate. This is unofficial — check in advance.
How do I get from Hurghada to El Gouna?
By Uber, Careem or taxi (35–45 minutes from central Hurghada), by Go Bus from its Hurghada station to Downtown, or on a guided tour.
How far is El Gouna from Hurghada?
About 25 km north of Hurghada and under 40 minutes from Hurghada airport.
Is there an entrance fee for El Gouna?
No ticket for the town. Some beach clubs charge entry, and you pay for lagoon boats and food.
Is El Gouna worth visiting?
Yes for a calm half day of lagoons, marina walks and beaches. No if you want ancient sites — it's a modern resort.
What is there to do in El Gouna?
Walk Abu Tig Marina, Downtown and Tamr Henna Square, take a lagoon boat tour, spend time on Zaytouna or Zouni Beach, or try kitesurfing.
Which beaches in El Gouna are open to day visitors?
Zouni Beach (formerly Mangroovy) is open to everyone, 10:00–22:00. Other clubs charge entry or need a booking; hotel beaches are for guests.
Does Uber work in El Gouna?
Uber operates in Hurghada and is the usual way to get there. Inside El Gouna, tuk-tuks and local cabs are easier.
Why is El Gouna called the Venice of the Red Sea?
It's built on lagoons and islands linked by canals and bridges, with houses right on the water.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Official El Gouna website: Transportation, Beaches & Pools, Marinas, FAQs, Destination
- English Wikipedia: El Gouna, Michael Graves; Russian Wikipedia: Эль-Гуна; Wikidata Q286510
- Orascom Development — El Gouna profile (area and shoreline)
- Uber — Hurghada city page
- Sick Dog Surf — entry procedure for non-residents
- El Gouna rental listings and Hurghada tour operators — passport registration at the gate
- Local Guide to Egypt — Go Bus and tuk-tuks in El Gouna
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