Soma Bay from the air, the Red Sea behind — Photo: dronepicr

Deep blue water against the desert shore near Ras Soma. — Photo: patano

A pier running out into the bay at Soma Bay. — Photo: dronepicr

Soma Bay and Tobia Island from the International Space Station. — Photo: NASA

Sunset over the mountains and the bay. — Photo: Gberstel

Egypt

Nov · 77% rideable

Soma Bay

What it's actually like

Kiters, the north wind blows side-offshore over flat water, about 17 kt from June to October and strongest from morning to early afternoon. Launch from a centre with boats out, like KBC Ras Soma or the 7 Bft KiteHouse.

Soma Bay is a Red Sea bay south of Hurghada where you pick a centre and the centre is your launch, each one running its own stretch of shore. KBC Ras Soma sits on the sandy beach about 1 km south of the Steigenberger resort. The 7 Bft KiteHouse runs a free shuttle from the Soma Bay hotels, and the Duotone Pro Center is at WYTE Beach. Tornado Surf is at the Paradise Abu Soma resort in Safaga and takes kiters out by boat.

Every month sits at 65 per cent or more. June to October is when the bay is properly lit: about nine days in ten clear 12 knots for three daylight hours, and September comes close to every day. Expect about 17 knots on those days. December to February are more variable.

The wind is most reliable from the morning to the early afternoon and eases late in the day, so plan your sesh early. In July about eight days in ten are windy at 8am and nine in ten at noon, falling to three in ten at 6pm. Take these figures as a rough steer, not a promise. On a September morning, yalla (Arabic for come on, let’s go), you want to be on the water.

The north wind blows side-offshore over flat water, and that flat water is the whole point of the bay. It usually starts offshore from the north-west in the morning and turns side-shore from the north around midday. At KBC the shore water is so shallow that nobody can kite or wing there at first. Riding starts a little further out in deeper water, with boats in support. Depending on the time of year, the wind slowly dies down in the afternoon.

If you drop your kit in a side-offshore wind, it carries you away from the beach, so ride where a centre has rescue cover. KBC runs several boats, whose crews reach a rider who cannot get back upwind within minutes. The 7 Bft KiteHouse has several rescue boats through the day, and Tornado Surf has Zodiacs. The shallows are wide: check the depth before you ride fast, jump or foil, and ask your centre where the reefs are.

Rules and safety. Water sports centres in Egypt are audited by the Chamber of Diving and Water Sports (CDWS). A flotation vest is mandatory, and you stay within the area designated for the activity and shown on the map. Centres must advise you on the reefs and rocks to avoid, and damaging or breaking reefs or marine life is a violation. Whether the bay lies inside a marine protected area is unconfirmed. There is no written governorate rule for wind sports, so ask your centre for the local rules.

Every centre teaches. KBC Ras Soma teaches kite, wing and kite foiling, and asks for a VDWS licence before it rents you kit: Level 4 for kite, Level 5 for foil and wing. The 7 Bft KiteHouse teaches kite and wing with VDWS certified instructors. Tornado Surf teaches kite with IKO and wing with IWO instructors, and rents kites from 4 to 17 m. The Duotone Pro Center keeps separate launch zones for kite and wing.

Beginners start with a centre and its boat, so book a lesson before you go sending it. The 7 Bft KiteHouse also runs downwind trips across the bay to the island, with a boat ride back, for kiters at VDWS level 5 or IKO 3L and above. Pack boardshorts and a lycra for summer, a shorty for spring and autumn, and a full wetsuit from December to April.

When it's good

Is it for you?

LevelNot checked yet
WaterMillpond
Flat water under a side-offshore north wind: ride where a rescue boat is out.
LaunchMind your feet
KBC’s shore water is too shallow to kite at first, so riding starts further out.
WetsuitBoardies
Sea about 27 °C in November: boardies weather, with a rash vest at most.
AprèsA few places
5 bars and 11 places to eat within 5 km: a sundowner, dinner, then bed.
CostNot checked yet

Where to launch

Conditions change. Check local rules and conditions before you ride.

Launch
Hazard
School
Stay

KBC Ras Soma

On the sandy beach about 1 km south of the Steigenberger resort.

For kite, wing. Directions: Google Maps · Apple Maps
7 Bft KiteHouse

Free shuttle bus from the Soma Bay hotels.

For kite, wing. Directions: Google Maps · Apple Maps
Duotone Pro Center, WYTE Beach

Kite and wing each get their own launch zone.

For kite, wing. Directions: Google Maps · Apple Maps
Tornado Surf, Paradise Abu Soma

Tornado Surf’s centre and marina, on a beach that drops into deep water after a few metres: the start for wing foiling, windsurfing and SUP.

For wing, windsurf. Directions: Google Maps · Apple Maps

Getting there

Nearest airportHurghada (HRG). Land at Hurghada and the bay is about 52 km by road, around 47 minutes.
Flying with a board bagAir Cairo, easyJet, Jet2.com, TUI Airways. Flying into Hurghada (HRG)? Tap through to their board bag rules and fees before you book.
Car or transferKBC Ras Soma airport transfer from Hurghada. KBC Ras Soma will collect you from Hurghada airport by car or van. Travelling with a quiver? The car takes two people or one board bag up to 160 cm, so book the van.
Kit storageKBC Ras Soma guest storage boxes. Your kites sleep in a box on KBC Ras Soma’s kite beach, by the compressor, locked overnight with a night watchman and cameras. Register at reception before you arrive.
Getting aroundBy road. The bay is a road transfer from the airport, so ask your centre or hotel to sort it before you fly.

Stay, learn and rent

Full details for every place are in the Pocket Guide.

The Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge

Diving and surfing lodge: stay here and you can book the 7 Bft KiteHouse’s services to your room.

Book on Booking.com

Steigenberger Resort Ras Soma

Five-star beach resort with rooms, villas and pools. KBC Ras Soma built its centre with the resort. Kiters and wingers get a free hourly shuttle from the hotel entrance and a wing base on the hotel beach.

Book on Booking.com

ROBINSON Soma Bay

Club resort on a 500 m gently shelving sandy beach. Windsurfers get a centre of about 70 boards with VDWS instructors, and wing foiling is on offer. Kiters go through the 7 Bft KiteHouse, with a shuttle.

Book on Booking.com

Book links to Booking.com and Agoda may earn WindChaser a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Pocket Guide

Soma Bay, in your pocket

Everything you need on the beach in one PDF. Save it to your phone and it works with no signal.

01The month: wind, conditions and water02Every hazard, and the local rules03The launches, with maps04Getting there with kit05Stays, schools and kit hire06Where every score comes from

Soma Bay

When it's good

Is it for you?

Where to launch

KBC Ras Soma

7 Bft KiteHouse

Duotone Pro Center, WYTE Beach

Tornado Surf, Paradise Abu Soma

Getting there

Stay, learn and rent

The Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge

Steigenberger Resort Ras Soma

ROBINSON Soma Bay

KBC Ras Soma

7 Bft KiteHouse

Duotone Pro Center Soma Bay

Tornado Surf

KBC Ras Soma

Tornado Surf

Soma Bay, in your pocket

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