BLOG: Egypt’s little oasis

El Gouna is a strange concept… but it works very well. A ‘private’ town, with security at the entrance, it’s been dubbed the ‘Venice of Egypt’ by many. It’s only about half an hour from Hurghada airport but is a separate little oasis, writes Diane Evans.

Set on lagoons, you can transfer between the hotels by taxi, tuk tuk or boat, under quaint little bridges and alongside water bungalows on stilts. And it feels very exclusive – like a mini St Tropez – rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous in its bars, clubs and upmarket hotels.

To begin with El Gouna can feel a little artificial but the area is so huge, you soon get lost in it, forgetting where you are. And the benefits of a man-made holiday resort are endless. El Gouna really is the high quality Egyptian resort that many are looking for.  It has its own aquarium, stadium, El Gouna FC (yes, really), museum, University (not sure who goes there), school, hospital, golf course, magazine and security force to name a few. And just when you thought there’s nothing to add, plans are afoot for a waterpark. This place holds no bounds.

We started with lunch in Captain’s Inn at the marina which is a laid back experience offering stunning views and lots of ‘people watching’ – when they’re not all on the beach. The tethered boats give you an idea of how the other half lives but the town itself doesn’t feel pretentious. There’s plenty to do and a range of accommodation from upmarket hotel chains to quirky boutique hotels.There’s also a dine-around option where you can use credits from your hotel to try all the other restaurants which include an Indian, Turkish and Vietnamese restaurant among many others.

Kids are welcome. There are water sports – with a range of options at Club Paradisio, which was formerly Club Med El Gouna,  a go-karting track, skate park, Cheeky Monkeys indoor play and kids clubs at some of the hotels including the Movenpick. However, you may have more fun on your own! El Gouna is also famous for its kitesurfing.

El Gouna, which is 25 years old, was the brainchild of Samih Sawiris who bought the land as desert. Today there are 17 hotels built along 10 kilometres of beachfront. The town or ‘resort’ in a mix of palatial private villas, hotels and holiday lets.  From the water, Omar Sharif’s modest bolthole towers above as do many others. You won’t find your neighbours letting you down here.

We stayed in the Sheraton Miramar resort which had good facilities but the sprawling grounds leaves some of the rooms feeling a bit isolated . The rooms themselves were, well, ‘ roomy’ with many boasting arched brick ceilings, the bathrooms were plush and the balconies huge. It really felt like we’d returned to the first world and its luxury.

There’s plenty of options outside the many hotels too. You can get a tuk tuk ‘downtown’ with various shops, markets and restaurants or you can head down to the marina where people amble around without disturbance which is the beauty of a ‘private’ town with its own security. It’s also buzzing at night leaving you wondering where everyone was by day. There are options to keep you amused around the clock but I had to bail out before visiting them all!

Hurghada, incorporating sales to El Gouna, is YouTravel’s biggest growing resort in Egypt – up 159% year on year and you can see why. If you have clients looking for a high quality resort, I’m sure they wouldn’t be disappointed here.