Holiday hotspot with short flights, gold sandy beaches and 20C winters – and won’t break the bank
SUN, shimmering waters and stunning scenery make Soma Bay a year-round must-visit – just five hours from the UK.
Egypt’s Red Sea resorts rarely drop below 20C in deep winter, and visitors will revel in the warm glow of this paradise idyll.
Local businessman Ibrahim Ali, beaming in front of a backdrop of picturesque desert mountains, calls it a “taste of heaven” — and it’s hard to disagree.
The self-contained community of Soma Bay is on a peninsula dotted with glorious sandy beaches less than 30 miles from Hurghada, where there are easyJet flights year-round from Manchester, Bristol, Gatwick and Luton and winter-only flights from Liverpool.
Luxury hotels, paradise beach restaurants and aquatic sport hubs are bathed in sunshine 365 days a year.
The 7BFT Kite House aquatic centre in Soma Bay boasts one of the world’s best venues for kite surfing, with its spectacular bay, flat water and sandy beaches.
Professionals flock there from across the globe, but trainers are also on hand to offer coaching to eager beginners.
There is also the option of kite foiling and wakeboarding, or just enjoying the spectacle from a dozen beach hammocks.
Other water adventurers visit the area for the snorkelling.
The Red Sea’s crystal clear waters and its coral reefs are ripe for exploring — you could even spot wild turtles and manatees.
There’s also the option to explore the coastline on horseback — or camel’s back.
Staff at the Jasmine Stables provide a comfy home for their nine nags, which happily take tourists of all standards on sunset rides and even swimming expeditions.
Trotting, or even cantering along the desert sands, is exhilarating.
And the photos, particularly as the sun goes down, will last a lifetime.
Soma Bay’s Raceway Go-Karting gives motor-heads a chance to enjoy driving thrills, this time round a dedicated track.
For other fun-seekers the Alex Safari offers quad-bike explorations of the endless dunes surrounding Soma Bay.
Sunrise and sunset tours take two and a half hours and will again give you stunning photos that you’ll want to frame to remember the beauty of the moment.
Mr Ali, who runs the desert quad-bike adventures, gushed: “Anyone staying away from Soma Bay is missing out on heaven.
“My message to people in the UK is that this is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
“We love and respect nature and allow people to come and safely savour this incredible place. If you come here, you won’t stop. It’s a Mecca for divers, kite surfers and desert thrill-seekers.”
Mr Ali is among the painfully polite and professional Egyptian staff who can’t do enough for visitors.
With so much going on in the 5km-long resort, it’s ideal that there are so many amazing food and drink venues dotted along the beaches.
Camel’s back
Grilled fish in the SeaShell restaurant, and the chicken kebab in the Baladina restaurant were a particular triumph.
Another must-visit is the elevated Soma Bay bar, which offers parties on its terrace each night as the sun drops across the bay behind the desert mountains.
It’s the go-to venue for local VIPs, and another never-forgotten night out.
Getting around is fun on cheap-to-hire buggies from the local Bike Hoppa kiosks. There are charging points everywhere.
And the jaw-dropping Cascades Golf Resort, Spa and Thalasso — boasting 18 holes designed by nine-time Major- winning legend Gary Player — was a stunning base for our stay.
This huge, contemporary luxury hotel has Egypt’s best spa — the 5H Thalasso — in a sprawling complex with eye-popping views in every direction.
The vast spa’s Aqua Tonic treatment involved an hour-long water “assault course”, where dedicated power jets target each part of the body in turn.
Being blasted by water does twice the job offered by any masseur or masseuse, and leaves you toned and chilled after a hectic day.
Mealtimes are marked by newly- arrived guests embracing the waiters, who they had befriended on previous trips.
And after tasting the food it’s easy to see why they return.
There are around 30 fresh eating options at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
And never has an all-inclusive, all-you-can-eat buffet been so welcome.
Guests can enjoy the foot-golf attraction and are treated to evening entertainment in the Eagle’s Nest bar and billiard room.
Meanwhile the tranquil swimming pool tempts the most inquisitive and adventurous holidaymaker to stay glued to their sun lounger.
But such is the magical combination of heat, water-sports, desert hospitality and breath-taking scenery, it’s crucial to keep on the go.
And as Mr Ali told The Sun, staying away is not an option.
Watching another blissfully happy tourist disappear over the horizon on a sedate camel walk, the proud businessman said: “My message is come, relax and unwind. And enjoy a taste of heaven.”
GO: Egypt
GETTING/STAYING THERE: Seven nights’ half-board at the 5H Cascades Golf Resort, Spa & Thalasso is from £581pp including easyJet flights from Manchester on November 28 and one 22kg suitcase.
To book, go to onthebeach.co.uk.
MORE INFO: See somabay.com.
