El Gouna Is The Paradise In Egypt You've Never Heard About

26 degrees in November – sign us up!

Hi, I'm Ada and I love to travel A LOT!

Instagram: @adaenechi

But I don't like to spend a lot. So the place I keep bouncing back to is Egypt, particularly El Gouna! You can get flights under £200 to this paradise in the wintertime when it's still a lovely 26 degrees! So let me tell you about Egypt's best-kept secret...

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You might not have heard about El Gouna because it's a relatively new spot. Just over a 30-minute drive from Hurghada airport, El Gouna was born 30 years ago; made to be a paradise in the middle of the desert. It's now home to over 25 thousand residents and there's a lot to do in this new town.

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1. I'm going to let you in on what should definitely be on your itinerary.

2. Take a sunset hike

Ada Enechi

Everyone who knows me knows I usually hate hiking, but this is something I would do every weekend. Take a hike through the Bedouin trail with El Gouna Mountain Goats (not actual goats) and experience hiking like you've never done before. In this, you'll learn about how much the terrain has changed over the years, as you discover fossils on your journey to the top of the wadi. Once you reach your destination the journey doesn't stop – you'll make camp and have a traditional Egyptian dish as you watch the sun setting under the mountains and reveal a sky so bright with stars you'll find it hard to believe. This is an incredibly enriching experience I will always recommend.

3. Walk the Valley of the Kings

Instagram: @adaenechi

It's a crime to be in Egypt and not experience Ancient Egypt! From El Gouna, you can take a day trip to Luxor and/or Cairo and immerse yourself in one of the oldest known civilizations known to mankind. Walk through the Valley of Kings, visit the Karnak temple and climb up a Pyramid – create memories you'll find hard to describe but will never forget.

4. Have fun in the water!

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Because of the shallow lagoons that run through the town, El Gouna is famed for water sports; amateur and professional water sports athletes feel comfortable training and having fun there. Being so close to the Red Sea there's amazing wind for bidding kite surfers to really push their talents, which is why there are five kite centres in this town alone, as well as having one of the world's wake parks Sliders. Whether it's paddle or wakeboarding, kite surfing or even just swimming in the lagoon, El Gouna has a lot to offer when it comes to watersports. 

5. Party like an Egyptian

Instagram: @sandboxfestival

One thing Egyptians know how to do is throw a good party, so don't miss out on some of the biggest in El Gouna. El Gouna's annual film festival highlights Egypt's best film creatives and others from around the world and has been attended by Academy Award winners such as Forest Whittaker. Sandbox music festival combines the best that El Gouna has to offer, watersports, beach and music. With big acts such as Denis Sulta, Jayda G, and DJ Seinfeld, this is a festival like no other.

6. Set sail down the lagoon

Arsty / Getty Images/iStockphoto

One of the best things about El Gouna is the fact that a lagoon runs through the whole town, straight from the Red Sea. It's shallow enough that you can swim through with ease and clear enough you can see the little fishes around your feet! El Gouna is always expanding and is a lot bigger than you think, so the best way to experience the town is by boat to see everything the town has to offer.

7. Want to use the spa in another hotel? Go for it

Instagram: @thechedielgouna

El Gouna has incredible hotels and facilities, for example, the 5-star luxury resort, The Chedi. Unfortunately, we can't all afford to stay at hotels like this but thanks to El Gouna that doesn't mean you can't use the facilities. All hotel facilities in the town are free to use by anyone that fancies it. Just because you can't afford to stay in a 5-star doesn't mean you can't get a 5-star massage!

8. The Dine around program

Instagram: @malusdeli

On top of having the ability to use incredible resort facilities all around the town, El Gouna also has an incredible 'dine around programme'. This allows you to pay a small fee and you can eat around all the amazing restaurants El Gouna has to offer at a discounted price! This will allow you to eat at some of my favourite restaurants – the incredible breakfast spot Malu's Deli and the Mexican favourite Bodega.

9. Lastly, don't slack on the accomodation!

Instagram: @cooksclubhotels

There are so many amazing things you can do in El Gouna, but where you stay like many holidays is the most important. You have many options, from hotels, Airbnb and renting apartments – I've done them all, but the top three I would recommend staying at all different price points are; Cooks Club, Casa Cook, or Dawar El Omda.