Ain El Sokhna: Top 18 Fascinating Things to Do and Places to Stay
Ain El Sokhna is one of the famous tourist towns in Egypt, and a lovely holiday destination because of its beautiful nature. Ain El Sokhna is located on the coast of the Red Sea, near Suez City, about 55 km and about 120 km away from Cairo.
It was named after hot springs in the Ataka Mountains in Suez that are at an altitude of 750 meters above sea level.
Ain Al Sokhna has a fantastic atmosphere throughout the year. You can visit it in both summer and winter. Its sandy beaches are considered among the most beautiful in the world where you can do summer activities, such as camping, diving, snorkelling, and many others.
Ain Sokhna contains a large group of villages and tourist resorts which include cabins, chalets, and apartments.
Things to do in Ain El Sokhna
Ain El Sokhna is packed with things to do. Each year, countless tourists visit the city to see it’s amazing museums and historical sites, as well as to enjoy the great outdoors. Here are some of the top things to do.
1. Al Galala Mountain
Al Galala Mountain is one of the famous attractions in Ain Al Sokhna. There, you will see the first sustainable city built in Egypt.
The mountain ranges reach 1200 meters in height. This place has cultural and religious importance as it was said that this is the place where Prophet Moses passed on his way to the Red Sea to escape the oppression and tyranny of the Pharaoh and his soldiers.
In the mountain, there is a group of springs that contain sulfur water, which flows continuously, and research proved that this water can treat a range of skin diseases and many diseases that affect bones, such as rheumatoid and rheumatism.
2. Al Galala City
Al Galala City is located on the shore of the Gulf of Suez in the Ras Abu Al Darj area, on an area of 1,000 acres. It is a complete coastal mountainous tourist city, with a very strategic location.
The resort that is located there includes two hotels, one of them overlooks the mountain and the other overlooks the coast. The first hotel has 300 rooms and 40 chalets, while the coastal one has 300 rooms and 60 chalets as well as suites and a mall.
The city of Al Galala is 20 km from Ain Al Sokhna and 60 minutes by car from Cairo. The city also has the longest cable car in the Middle East with a distance of 4.5 km linking the upper area of the city and the two hotels located there.
It contains eight cinemas, two ice rinks, and 624 stores and restaurants, a yacht city with a capacity of 333 yachts, an aqua Park that includes 73 water games, and 10 swimming pools. This is a lovely choice for you to visit with your family or friends. You will find a lot of things to do there to enjoy your vacation in the beautiful city of Al Galala.
3. The Petrified Forest
The Petrified Forest Reserve is located about 18 km away from Cairo, its total area is 7 km and it was declared a nature reserve in 1989. It is a key stop on any Egyptian adventure.
It is considered a rare geological monument that is unparalleled in the world in terms of its vastness and the diversity of petrified wood and it is densely packed with petrified stems and tree trunks within the wood mountain formation.
The branches of the huge petrified trees located inside the reserve take the form of pieces of rock with cylindrical sections.
The Petrified Forest area is an almost flat plateau with some cliffs and hills that have been exposed by the wind, and the protected area is covered in most of its parts by the formation of the Al Khasab Mountain.
Al Khashab Mountain consists of layers of sand, gravel, clay, and petrified wood, 70 to 100 meters thick.
In the spring months of each year, several areas in the Petrified Forest Reserve bloom with white daffodils. This rare flower needs a special environment for growth, and its extracts are used in the manufacture of many modern medicines, especially in Cancer treatments.
There are also trace fossils in the reserve, which might be of organisms that became extinct long ago and it includes some types of sharks. The interesting thing in the reserve is that there was a tooth of a shark found and that means that seawater existed in that area in ancient times.
4. Sulfur Eyes
The sulfur springs are located in the south of the Suez Gulf, inside the famous Porto Sokhna Hotel that is located there and it is one of the oldest hotels there and its water temperature is 35°C all year.
Other sulfur eyes are also found in the southern Gulf of Suez below Mount Ataka, these eyes are used as an effective treatment for many diseases such as skin diseases, chronic gout, arthritis, disorders of the circulatory system, and it is also used to extract a huge amount of negative energy lurking inside the human body.
If you want to try the Sulfur Eyes, you have to stay in them for 10 to 20 minutes every day as it has a role in lightening the pores of the skin and renewing body cells and after you finish the session you should rest for a short time so that your body regains its activity again.
When you finish your therapy, you will feel your muscles relax, and the skin will be exposed to a little redness as a result of the water temperature.
5. Al Adebya Bay
Al Adebya Bay is located 20 km south of the Suez Canal. It is a famous and magnificent place to spend a great time with your family and friends and that is because of its wonderful nature for having birds of certain species that are spread all over the bay.
It is known as a great place for migratory birds to stay during their trips, that’s why it is a beautiful place for tourists to visit to watch the birds that inhabit the area.
Some of these birds are the white seagull and golden eagles and also there are archaeological sites that you can visit, such as the ancient shipwreck area. You can also enjoy other activities there, like fishing and surfing and other water sports.
Youhana Nassif via Unsplash
6. Monastery of Saint Paul
The Monastery of Saint Paul is one of the oldest and famous in Egypt and Al Ain Al Sokhna. It is located in the Eastern Desert near the Red Sea Mountains about 155 km southeast of Cairo.
The Monastery covers an area of about five acres, and it was built in the 5th century over a cave located there and this is where Saint Paul lived for more than 80 years.
It was said that when Saint Paul died, two lions were seen standing by the door of the cave in which Saint Paul lived there and that’s why when you visit any Coptic museum in Egypt you will see him flanked by two lions with a crown above his head.
The monastery has suffered through the years, but the worst one was in 1484 when all the monks were killed and the monastery plundered and it was occupied for 80 years. It was neglected for 119 years and repopulated by monks from St Anthony’s Monastery.
When you enter the monastery you will see three churches, the important one there is the underground Church of Saint Paul which contains the hermit’s cave and burial place. You will also see that the walls are painted with well-preserved frescoes, and the ceiling is hung with ostrich eggs, symbols of the resurrection.
You won’t find direct transportation to the monastery, you will have to take the bus from Cairo to Hurghada and get off at the turn-off for St Paul’s Monastery and take a road of 13 km until you can reach the monastery.
7. Monastery of Saint Anthony
Saint Anthony’s is one of the oldest ancient monasteries in the world, built-in memory of the saint after his death because he was the first to establish the idea of Christian monasticism in the desert of Egypt.
The monastery is located between the mountain range of Al Galala in the Arab desert in the Red Sea and before Zafarana about 48 km and it was built in the 4th century where the spring from which he was drinking and near the cave in which he stayed.
The area of the monastery is 18 acres, and it includes the Church of the Cross and Resurrection.
This church is a modern architectural landmark carved into the rocks of these mountains and the words of the Bible are engraved on its doors which say Christ has risen, in truth, he has risen and on its top, an ancient icon of the father of monks engraved with some words that say “If you want to be perfect, follow me”.
The monastery contains all the necessities of monastic life that were used by monks in the past and some of these things are a Water spring, grain mill, mill, olive press, and sacrifice kiln.
The main entrance of the monastery was used for the entry and exit of people and needs and it was called the saqia. It is called the saqia because the entrance system is a cylindrical reel that rotates around itself, and when the reel rotates, the thick rope attached to it can be pulled or dropped. The monastery is also a pioneer in the use of solar energy as a source of energy.
8. Porto Sokhna
Porto Sokhna Resort is located in the middle of Ain Sokhna, which belongs to the Suez Governorate, and is 55 km from the city of Suez. It is about 150 km from Cairo. Porto is one of the best places in Ain Sukhna, which enjoys a majestic view due to its location as if it is in the heart of the mountain.
Porto Sokhna extends over an area of about 5,000 square kilometres and it is 270 meters high and it is one of the first resorts that added a golf course in Egypt and many golf tournaments were held there.
There, you will find the first cable car in Egypt that takes you from Porto Sokhna to the highest peak of Mount Ain Sukhna and is about 1.2 km away.
It will take you about 10 minutes, and the cable car can take eight people. It is better to take it in the daytime so you can watch the beautiful view from the top.
The beach in Porto Sokhna is a wonderful place to spend your day. You can enjoy eating delicious food between a special breakfast and regional dinner and it also offers some lovely trips.
Porto is such a perfect place for your vacation, where you can enjoy beach games, such as parachutes and sailing on the yacht. Also, there are three types of swimming pools, including one for children.
You can do many water sports, like riding speed boats, scuba diving, and practising sailing. Inside Porto Sokhna, there are many cafes and restaurants, where you can enjoy quiet music and another option is going to the cinema to watch the latest movies shown on its screens.
9. Diving in the Red Sea
This is one of the best things you will do there, where it is rich in its magnificent and impressive colored marine flora and fauna and besides that the coral reefs that are characterized by beautiful shapes and colours in the world.
So if you are diving lovers, then this will be a lovely trip to take in Al Ain El Sokhna.
Sandro Steiner via Unsplash
10. Safari and Mountain Climbing
As you know that Al Ain El Sokhna is famous for its beautiful nature and mountains, that’s why it is a perfect place to explore its nature by doing a safari in the desert or even climbing the mountains there which have both ecological and historical importance.
The most famous mountains there are Al Galala Mountain which is about 1200 meters above sea level and Al Ataka Mountain which is about 800 meters above sea level.
Tourists love going on safari trips to discover everything beautiful and to explore the wildlife there, which gives them information about the desert environment that most of Egypt enjoy. While you are enjoying your safari, you will be able to see many flowers, plants like the acacia tree, and thorny shrubs.
You might even see wild animals, such as deer, foxes, and rabbits.
11. Beaches in Al Ain Al Sokhna
The city of Al Ain El Sokhna contains many beautiful beaches that have distinctive and beautiful colors. It has clear water and white-coloured sand and you can relax and spend a great time on any of these beaches which are considered the most beautiful beaches in Egypt.
The most famous beaches there beside Porto Sokhna are Cancun Beach, located inside the Cancun Beach Resort and it is also a safe beach for families and children, and water sports enthusiasts enjoy complete freedom in practicing their hobby.
There is also Laguna Beach, inside Laguna Beach Resort, and it is one of the most beautiful and magical beaches due to the wonderful green spaces of the resort itself. In this wonderful and clear water, you can practise a lot of water sports such as windsurfing and snorkelling.
To practice all these activities and visit all these wonderful places, you should find a hotel or a place to stay in for relaxation, and from it, you can start your journey in Al Ain El Sokhna, so let us see some of these hotels.
Places to Stay in Al Ain El Sokhna City
As a popular Egyptian tourist destination, there are countless incredible places to stay in Al Ain el Sokhna City. Here are a few of our favourites.
1. Stella de Mary Golf Hotel
The hotel is located directly on the Red Sea on Hurghada Street. It is one of the most luxurious hotels in the area and provides many services for visitors and contains many activities that you and your family can enjoy there.
The hotel also contains a nightclub, dedicated places to play billiards, squash and table tennis, swimming pools, and wellness facilities.
2. Azha Village
This is another famous place in Al Ain Al Sokhna, located in the middle of the city and it is surrounded by magnificent landscapes. It was built on an area of 380 acres, and it contains facilities, main services, and entertainment.
Also, you will find green spaces, restaurants and cafes, health clubs, sports courts, and swimming pools of various sizes.
3. Mövenpick Hotel
It is one of the special hotels in the city, as it is close to many important landmarks there and the hotel rooms feature a modern design overlooking the waters of the Red Sea.
4. Cancun Resort
Cancun Sokhna Resort is located in Zafarana, directly by the sea. It is considered as one of the high-end tourist resorts there and it has a fitness center and children’s areas and it contains a set of air-conditioned rooms, which are equipped with the latest tools.
5. IL Monte Galala
The hotel is characterized by a unique location in Al Galala Mountain, its charming beach, and turquoise seawater. It is like one of the European luxury resorts. You will not find any other resort like it in Ain Sokhna.
It is near the Movenpick Hotel, only seven km away. The hotel contains swimming pools, waterfalls, green spaces, a spa, and a gym. Also, there are medical services, cafes, and restaurants.
6. Blue Blue Village
Blue Blue Village was given this name due to the large areas of water, artificial lakes, waterfalls, and crystal lakes located within the resort, with an area of about 12,000 square meters.
The village contains a private beach, swimming pools for children, adults, and covered pools for ladies. Also, there is a spa, gym, medical services, cafes, and restaurants.
7. Coronado Marina Village
Ain El Sokhna’s Coronado Marina village has a beautiful U-shaped design and the latest and unique European style with a system of tiered terraces that gives a panoramic view of the entire sea from all units.
It was built on a large area in the best sites of Ain Sokhna, where the total area of the village is about 77 acres. The village contains swimming pools, artificial lakes, commercial malls, sports fields, cafes, and restaurants.
If you’re planning your next trip, take a look at our guide to the ultimate Egyptian holiday.
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