El Gouna

Construction of El Gouna

The history of the city dates back to 1989, when the businessman Samih Sawiris decided to build an Egyptian Tourist Resort directly on the Red Sea coast. 

The city was awarded by the Global Green city prize in 2014 by the United Nations Environment program. It also received a prestigious award in 2017: Green Globes for the environmental, Touristic and social progress.

Water Activities at El Gouna

The city is rich in spectacular coral gardens in sheltered waters with plenty of reef species and colorful octopus. Moreover, divers can swim into a cloud of glass-fish on the Chrisoula K and the Giannis D and see lionfish stalking its prey in dark corners of the hold.

Bluff Point in the north of the city is also a favorite site for safari boats. Rich corals abound as well as the chance to see turtles, morays and occasionally white-tip reef sharks, plus the wreck of the British freighter, the Ulysses.  

Diving attracts both professionals and beginners as well; diving with dolphins and turtles is available, together with those legendary wreck graveyards. El Gouna is a real chance to share your truly memorable experience in learning diving and enjoy amazing corals. Zaytouna and Mangrove are the two main beaches in the city for magical water activities.  Siyul Island is one of the major sites in the city that boast stingrays, leopard sharks and a myriad of colorful reef fish.

Administrative Division of El Gouna

El Gouna is divided into six main districts:

• Abu Teeg district which is directly overlooking the sea and full of yachts and chalets.
• West Golf district which is enriched by surrounding green areas and suitable places for golf fans. There you can enjoy colorful hotels and a wonderful artificial lake.
• Western district of golf
• Mediterranean neighborhood: where plenty of tropical trees and lawn wrinkly exist. Its villas and chalets are overlooking the artificial lakes
• Plateau neighborhood which lies on a high plateau where you can view the entire El Gouna in a beautiful view. This district was commonly known as Italian district (or little Italy) due to the Tuscan Model of buildings
• Nubian Neighborhood:  it lies between downtown and the Italian district, in the heart of the city. You can meet the Nubian environment and southern spirit attested in the Nubian model of buildings and villas and domed style houses.

El Gouna is distinguished by all aspects of life, and it is a perfect place for settlement; it has three major central sites with homes, shopping areas, restaurants and night clubs. Downtown area, Tamr Henna, and Abu Tig Marina area, moreover, a well-equipped hospital, EGIS international School, radio FM Station, and a small special airport for the resort.

Culturally, The city inaugurated a Digital Library associated with Alexandrian Library, in addition to a small museum that displays about 90 different exhibitions, including an exhibition to display the work of contemporary Egyptian visual artist, Hussein Pekka.