Egypt beaches might not get the same hype as those in Greece or Thailand, but don’t write them off. Tucked between ancient ruins and desert mountains are coastal spots where you can windsurf, snorkel with sea turtles, or just collapse onto sun-warmed sand. Whether it’s a palm-fringed cove in Sinai or a wild Mediterranean shoreline once graced (supposedly) by Cleopatra, these beaches are the real deal – no clichés, no overkill, just solid reasons to pack your swimwear.
Blue Lagoon in Dahab is one of the best Sinai beaches © Shutterstock
Don’t let the name fool you – this isn’t a luxury resort. It’s a remote stretch of sand and sea north of Dahab that draws a mix of kitesurfers, hippies, and those chasing the unplugged life. No roads. No hotels. Just a few basic huts, a salty breeze, and a whole lot of sky.
By day, you’ll see colorful kites slicing through the air. By night, it’s all about fire pits and stargazing. No Wi-Fi. No schedules. Just the Red Sea doing its thing.
You’ve got two options, both an adventure:
There’s no road access, so you’ll need to plan transport in and out ahead of time. This place doesn’t do spontaneity unless you’re fine with being stranded (some people are).
Na'ama Bay in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt © Shutterstock
North of Ras Muhammad, on a beautiful natural harbour, is the Egypt resort town of Sharm El Sheikh, where a series of resorts merge into one another including Ras Muhammad, Coral Bay, Shark’s Bay (good for families) and Ras Nasrani. However, one of the best Egypt beaches here is Na'ama Bay, a popular arc of powdery-soft sand and Hollywood blue waters.
Some of the region's best diving and snorkelling are nearby including The Tower, Ras Umm Sid, Ras Nasrani and Nabq. Shipwrecks dot the shoreline, testifying to the difficulty of navigation between the reefs. There are plenty of things to do in Sharl El-Sheikh on land as well.
Na’ama Bay is the heart of Sharm, so getting here is easy, and once you’re here, you can walk most of it.
Once a quiet coastal curve west of El Alamein, Sidi Abdel Rahman is now the Mediterranean’s answer to Egyptian glam. The beach still delivers – fine, demerara-colored sand and that calm, pale-blue sea – but you’ll now be sharing it with Cairo’s well-heeled crowd in summer.
The sprawling Marassi Resort complex has brought beach clubs, boutique hotels, and a slice of the Dubai aesthetic. It’s polished, yes – but still one of the best beaches west of Alexandria, especially if you're en route to Siwa Oasis and want a proper beach break. There's plenty of things to do in Alexandria outside of the beaches as well.
Bungalow on a canal. El Gouna, one of the best Red Sea beaches © Shutterstock
Think of El Gouna as Egypt’s Red Sea answer to a private island – except it’s manmade and very much about curated comfort. Built for barefoot luxury, this resort town is all lagoons, soft-sand beaches, and everything-included relaxation. The beaches are groomed to perfection, and the vibe leans upscale but not overly stuffy.
You’ll find beach clubs, yoga decks, windsurf schools, and even a golf course if you’re the type who likes sand both on the shore and underfoot. It’s polished, yes – but still a solid pick if you want to combine beach time with a bit of pampering.
Once you're there, the town runs on golf carts, tuk-tuks, and bikes. It’s compact and well-connected.
If you're into water sports – especially windsurfing or kitesurfing – this is one of the most reliable spots on the Red Sea for consistent wind and flat water.
Nuweiba village in South Sinai, Egypt © Shutterstock
Nuweiba is 45 miles (75km) further north of Dahab and is a slightly superior resort (although cheap accommodations in beachside reed huts and relaxed alfresco cafés can also be found in Tarabin to the north).
With motorway-wide sand-and-shingle bays and dazzling reefs busy with darting fish, Nuweiba is one of the most popular beaches in Egypt, particularly with Jordanian tourists who arrive via ferry from Aqaba. But bookmarked by the Sinai mountains and with the Gulf of Aqaba rolled out like a bright-blue carpet, who can blame them?
If you’re staying in Tarabin (a popular northern suburb), some camps and hostels offer pick-ups from the town or the port.
Landscape with beach in Abu Dabbab, Marsa Alam, Egypt © Shutterstock
Until recently, Marsa Alam was a quiet fishing town, largely untouched by tourism. But when developers discovered that Abu Dabbab Beach was a diver’s paradise, everything changed. The area's warm climate and unique geography have nurtured spectacular coral reefs, known as shaab or erg, where mounds of coral rise like underwater islands, just beneath the waves.
Now, Marsa Alam is a buzzing resort town, packed with hotels, restaurants, and dive shops – something like a southern version of El Gouna. But despite its growth, the real draw remains beneath the surface. Whether you're here to dive with sea turtles, explore the Red Sea’s reefs, or simply soak up the sun, it’s one of the best places to visit in Egypt for ocean lovers.
The beach itself is just off the main coastal road, with easy access to public areas or through nearby hotels.
One of the best Egypt beaches for wind- and kite-surfing, the wide sandy Moon Beach in Ras Sedr is a favourite with Cairenes who have vacation homes here. Unlike the Gulf of Aqaba on Sinai’s east coast, the Gulf of Suez is shallow and sandy-bottomed with abundant marine life. There are also plenty of water sports on offer.
Moon Beach is part of a small resort of the same name, but the area around it has plenty of public access and casual places to stay.
Al-Tur might be the capital of South Sinai, but it feels like Egypt’s best-kept beach secret. Most people blast past it on their way to Sharm el-Sheik, missing a stretch of wide, wind-friendly beach that’s great for kitesurfing and almost totally untouched by mass tourism.
There’s a sleepy local vibe, a scattering of palm groves, and a beach that feels like it was made for long, barefoot walks. If you like your coastlines with more wind than margaritas, this place delivers.
Once in town, the beach is easy to reach – just head west through the palm-dotted outskirts.
Unlike the packed beaches of Dahab or Ras Sedr, you’ll likely have most of the beach to yourself, even in high season.
Nile in Aswan © Shutterstock
The clue is in the name of this cheerful stretch of desert-like sand near Aswan. Accessible either by boat (or camel if you're coming from Gharb Seheyl), it's one of the best beaches in Egypt to go swimming along the Nile. Essentially a sandbar, people will tend to spend a couple of hours cooling off here before moving on.
Cleopatra's beach famous rocks near Marsa Matruh, Egypt © Shutterstock
Sure, the Cleopatra legend is probably just that – a legend. But when you're floating in the natural rock pool that juts into the Mediterranean, it’s easy to imagine ancient royalty sneaking a swim. The beach itself is part rocky, part sandy, and sits just northwest of Marsa Matruh. What it lacks in facilities, it makes up for in dramatic shoreline and striking blue water.
You’re not coming here to sunbathe in style – you’re coming to wade into history, real or imagined, and take a dip where the Med glows electric against the limestone.
There’s limited signage, but locals know it well – just ask for “Shat Cleopatra.”
written by
Olga Sitnitsa
updated 12.05.2025
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