El Gouna vs Hurghada: where to stay
Both are on Egypt's Red Sea coast and both are reached through Hurghada's airport, but they are very different places to stay. Here is how they compare, and where our apartments are.
Side by side
| Hurghada | El Gouna | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The largest city on the Red Sea coast and the governorate's capital, with a long strip of beach hotels | A planned resort town of lagoons and canals, north of Hurghada |
| Getting there | The airport is in the city | 25 minutes by road from Hurghada airport |
| Pace | Busy: a city, with its markets, nightlife and traffic | Quieter, with most of what you need inside the town |
| By the water | Hotel beaches along the coast, and boat trips to the Giftun islands | Lagoons, beaches and a marina; known for kitesurfing |
| Our apartments | None in Hurghada itself: ours are in El Gouna | 24 spaces from $80 a night |
Choose Hurghada if…
You want a big city's choice of hotels, restaurants and nightlife, the shortest ride from the airport, or a base for boat trips to the islands.
Choose El Gouna if…
You want a quieter stay by the water, a town that is easy to get around, kitesurfing, or an apartment for a long stay. It is 25 minutes from the airport.
Both in one trip
Staying in El Gouna does not rule out Hurghada: it is a short drive for a day out, a dinner or a boat trip.