The Red Sea’s best kept secret – lesser-known resort with 33C summers & all-inclusive for £23pp

A HOLIDAY abroad doesn’t have to break the bank this year, depending on where you travel.

There is one holiday destination that Brits may not be aware of that offers hot weather, short flights and bargains too.

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Why El Gouna?

El Gouna, meaning “the Lagoon” in Egypt in Arabic, is only 12 miles from Hurghada, a popular holiday destination for the British, while the airport is around 40 km away.

Flights are less than six hours from the UK, with both Wizz Air and easyJet operating daily flights.

It’s a relatively new destination, developed by Egyptian billionaire Onsi Sawiris in 1989, with resorts scattered across 20 artificial islands.

Now considered an affordable luxury resort, there are a number of sandy beaches including Zeytuna Beach and Moods Beach.

It is sunny all year round and rarely drops below 20°C in winter with highs of 33°C.

A TUI spokesman told Sun Online Travel: “As a lesser known resort in Egypt, El Gouna is not only affordable but also a great choice for those looking to explore beyond Egypt’s typical hotspots.

“One of the pluses is that it’s an easy walk to the center of the resort in the evenings, and there’s also a great hop-on hop-off bus service and tuk-tuks to get around the resort.”

What are the best vacation deals to El Gouna?

Holidays start from £410 per person, including all meals and drinks.

The cheapest deal we’ve found is seven nights all-inclusive at Panorama Bungalows Resort El Gouna, starting at £410 per person.

Other four-star deals include seven nights at the Dawar El Omda Hotel for £497 per person and Casa Cook for £423 per person.

There are 18 hotels to choose from, many overlooking the ocean and some even having their own overwater villas.

For flights the nearest airport is Hurghada and flight deals start from £90 with easyJet flights.

And all-inclusive hotels start from as little as £23 a night – the cheapest we found were El Karma Beach Resort & Aqua Park and The Three Corners Rihana Resort.

How is El Gouna?

While most hotels are all-inclusive, there’s plenty to do outside of the hotel, easily reached by tuk-tuk.

Abu Tig Marina has affordable restaurants and bars with more than 100 to choose from and cruises include Freek, Japanese, Italian and Indian.

Many also visit the destination for water sports like snorkeling, scuba diving, and water skiing, which are popular with tourists, as well as glass-bottom boat tours.

If you are not a fan of the ocean, there are activities such as horseback riding, go-karts and cycling.

The region is also known for its 18-hole golf course.

And many hotels offer day trips such as quad biking and beach safaris.

What else do I need to know about El Gouna?

El Gouna is two hours ahead of Great Britain.

While Arabic is the official language of Egypt, English is spoken at the resorts.

The local currency is the Egyptian Pound (EGP) at £10 around 367 EGP.

You do not need to be vaccinated to visit El Gouna, but you do need your passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months upon arrival.

You need a visa to visit El Gouna which can be obtained on arrival and costs around £10.

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