Which one should you book?
The questions people actually ask before booking this coast, answered by the desk. Almost every comparison online is written by someone selling one of the two options — we sell neither, so each of these ends with a straight answer for each kind of traveller instead of a balanced shrug.
El Gouna or Hurghada?
Twenty-five kilometres apart and almost opposite propositions: a built resort town where everything works and costs more, or a real Egyptian city that is cheaper, louder and far more itself.
Hurghada or Marsa Alam?
North or south: convenience, choice and a city, against better reefs, clearer water and considerably more driving.
Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh?
Two different coasts with two different characters — and one practical difference at the border that catches people out.
Sahl Hasheesh or Makadi Bay?
The two quiet bays south of Hurghada, ten minutes apart, pulling in different directions: couples and calm against families and water slides.
El Gouna or Soma Bay?
The coast’s two upmarket options, priced similarly for entirely different reasons: a town with a social life, or a peninsula with almost nobody on it.
Or read the towns themselves
Last reviewed 25 July 2026. We take no commission from any destination — how we make money.