Photo: Hatem Moushir, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, colour-graded
Egypt's Red Sea · Destination guide
The Red Sea coast closest to Cairo — a couple of hours by road, so a day by the sea slots into a city break without another flight.
Get your bearings
Ain Sokhna is a small coastal town in Suez Governorate, on the western side of the Gulf of Suez. Its Arabic name means "the Hot Spring". It lies roughly 55 kilometres south of the city of Suez and about 120 kilometres east of Cairo, which makes it the closest piece of Red Sea coast to the capital.
That short distance is what makes it useful. Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh both mean a flight. Ain Sokhna means a car and a couple of hours, so a sea day can sit inside a Cairo itinerary. It is a coast for Egyptians rather than a package-holiday resort, with the Eastern Desert mountains close behind. There is history here too: archaeologists have uncovered an ancient Egyptian port, used for sea voyages as far back as the Old Kingdom.
What you're really here to see
Photo: Sherif Louis Kamel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, colour-graded01A swim, a sunlounger and lunch by the water. Our Ain Sokhna beach day trip uses resort day use: a private car from Cairo, a day at a Red Sea resort, lunch, and home to the city by evening.
Full day
Photo: Ahmed Helal, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, colour-graded02The coastline is a string of large resorts wedged between the sea and the hills. Higher up, the Galala plateau, around 700 metres above sea level, holds Galala City and Galala University: a different scene from the beach below.
Add half a day
Photo: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, colour-graded03One of Egypt's oldest Coptic monasteries stands in the Eastern Desert, about 50 to 60 kilometres south of Ain Sokhna by road. It is a long outing, so most visitors treat it as a separate day from the beach.
Full day
Time to allow
For now we offer Ain Sokhna as a day out from Cairo. There are no Ain Sokhna hotels on our list yet.
A private car from Cairo, a day at a Red Sea resort beach and lunch, then back to the city in the evening.
A beach day plus a drive up to the Galala plateau, if time and energy allow.
St Anthony's is a different and longer outing, which we can plan as its own tour from Cairo.
Fancy a night by the Gulf of Suez? Let us know and we will look at options, as no Ain Sokhna hotels are listed with us yet.
Where it fits
Ain Sokhna is a seaside extra for a Cairo break, not a holiday base for a week.
About 120 kilometres east, around 1.5 to 2 hours by road depending on traffic. With a private car and driver, the day is straightforward.
Hurghada and Sharm both need an internal flight. Ain Sokhna is a road trip, handy when your itinerary is already full.
A welcome change after days of Cairo, Giza and Saqqara.
For serious snorkelling and a full week of winter sun, head to Hurghada, Marsa Alam or Dahab.
Every way in
Day trips, classic multi-day tours, Nile cruises, hotels and private transfers – every part of an Egypt trip can be arranged from Ain Sokhna. Start wherever makes sense.
Hotel pickup, a private Egyptologist, half or full day.
2–15 day private itineraries, hotels and guides included.
Pair Ain Sokhna with a 3–4 night river cruise in one trip.
Aswan ↔ Luxor sailings, dahabiyas and classic cruisers.
5★ and boutique stays, hand-picked by our team.
Private meet-and-greet from the airport to your hotel.
Best time to visit
Spring to autumn is the time to swim. Day trips are possible for much of the year.
Egypt has a hot desert climate, and a sea day is most welcome then. Set off early and keep the water for the middle of the day.
A comfortable in-between for the beach and the drive up into the hills.
A day on the coast can still be pleasant, but think about how much swimming you want. We will check conditions for your date.
Talk to us about the timing. Resort beaches can feel different on a weekday and at a weekend, and we can advise.
The practical part
Ain Sokhna is a road trip from Cairo rather than a flight. Here is how it works.
Fly to Cairo (CAI), around five hours from the UK. Ain Sokhna is about 120 kilometres east, and the drive takes roughly 1.5 to 2 hours. We book a private car and driver for you.
Our beach day trip includes the private car, resort day use and lunch, so there is nothing to sort out on the day.
Resorts are strung along the coast, so a car is essential. Your driver stays with you all day.
We do not list Ain Sokhna hotels yet. If you would like to stay, tell us and we will look into it.
Common questions
About 120 kilometres to the east. The drive takes roughly 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on traffic and where in Cairo you set off.
It is if you fancy a swim without taking a flight to Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh. It is the nearest Red Sea coast to Cairo, so it slots into a city itinerary easily.
Yes. Our Ain Sokhna day trip from Cairo includes a private car, day use of a resort and lunch. You are back in the city by evening.
The Arabic name means "the Hot Spring". It falls within Suez Governorate and faces the Gulf of Suez.
It is about 50 to 60 kilometres south of Ain Sokhna by road, so it is possible, though it makes a long day. We can plan it as a separate trip from Cairo.
Not yet. At present we offer Ain Sokhna as a day trip from Cairo. If you would like a night there, get in touch and we will look at options.
Photo: Sherif Louis Kamel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, colour-graded
Plan your trip
Send us your dates, who's travelling and what you'd like from the sea, and within 24 hours we'll come back with a private plan: hotel, transfers and any day trips. Cairo · Luxor · Aswan · Hurghada · Marsa Alam · Sharm El Sheikh, on the ground since 1988.
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