Although it is not bordered by any sea, there are sun and beach destinations near Cairo. Many of them are utilized by Cairenes themselves, looking for vacations or relaxing getaways without straying far from their megalopolis (more than 10 million inhabitants). However, some of them are of international standard and can serve, why not, as the perfect epilogue for a trip to Egypt centered in Cairo-Giza. Here we present the different options.
Ain Sokhna: a destination on the rise
As we told you in this other post, Ain Sokhna has become one of the most desired sun and beach destinations near Cairo for Cairenes. It is located just 130 km from the city (just over an hour and a half by car) and although it does not enjoy the idyllic waters of other Red Sea destinations, it does offer good swimming conditions all year round. That is the reason why so many resorts have been built over the last few decades… although that is also its main drawback today: the landscape is still dominated by cranes operating at full capacity and general services (restaurants, leisure venues) are still scarce. However, there is no shortage of several golf courses and a cable car.
El Alamein: a premium development
Also very recent but more ‘finished’ is El Alamein and its surroundings, especially Marina Alamein, a holiday destination located about 100 kilometers west of Alexandria, on the Mediterranean coast (260 km, 2 hours and 45 minutes by road from Cairo). Its development has had a clearly premium focus, with resorts and apartments on artificial lagoons and islands, as well as marinas with all amenities and services, and the World War II museum not far away.
For its part, Alexandria also stands on the front line of the coast, but its beaches are not oriented towards tourism but rather towards the fun and respite of the inhabitants of this megacity (nearly 6 million inhabitants in its metropolitan area). However, as it is the Mediterranean coast, the low season (winter) is more pronounced. Also in this sector of the Mediterranean coast is Marsa Matruh, another fully established sun and beach destination, but from Cairo it is somewhat far: 440 km and more than 4 and a half hours by road.
Port Said: where the Mediterranean meets the Suez Canal
While the characteristics of the terrain in the Nile Delta make its coast less attractive, at its eastern end is a city that wants to bet on this niche of sun and beach tourism near Cairo. It is Port Said (200 km, 2 and a half hours by car), so named because it emerged in the mid-19th century at the mouth of the Suez Canal, built at that time. Its beaches are not the most paradisiacal and are mostly used by Egyptians themselves, but in recent years resorts with services such as swimming pools, solariums, and other holiday tourism amenities have been proliferating.
Ismailia: a destination for Cairenes
Like Port Said, Ismailia was created thanks to the Suez Canal (it is located in its middle section) and is a destination mostly frequented by Egyptians and, specifically, by Cairenes, given its proximity (125 km, 1 hour and 45 minutes). Of the four destinations, it is perhaps the least attractive in terms of landscape and with the most modest beaches, as they are bathed by Lake Timsah. But its interest may lie precisely in the fact of sharing space with the local population, who find a convenient and affordable holiday solution in its beach bars.
