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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Ain Sokhna
العين السخنة
Ain Sokhna is a weekend beach escape for Cairo residents, not a destination for international travellers: 1–2 nights if you want a quiet Red Sea beach without flying, otherwise skip for Hurghada or El Gouna.
Ain Sokhna is a port and resort town 120 km east of Cairo on the Red Sea coast. It has sandy beaches, resort pools and a few dive spots, but lacks the reef quality, nightlife and flight connections of Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh. Most visitors are Egyptian families and Cairene weekenders. One night is enough for a beach stop; two nights if you want to dive or do nothing.
- Country
- Egypt
- Local name
- العين السخنة
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (very hot, crowded with Egyptian holidaymakers)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 800–1,200 excl. bed · Mid EGP 1,200–2,500 excl. bed · High EGP 2,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Fire and ambulance 123 · Tourist police (Cairo) 126
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (at a resort café) | EGP 40–80 |
| Local meal (koshari, grilled chicken) | EGP 60–120 |
| Beer (imported, at a resort bar) | EGP 60–100 |
| Taxi from Cairo (one way, private) | EGP 400–1,000 |
| Day-pass at a resort (pool and beach) | EGP 200–800 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CAI · Cairo International
- About 1.5 h drive via the Cairo–Suez road; taxis and private transfers available.
Typical fares
- Cairo → Ain Sokhna, taxi
- EGP 400–1,000 (check)
- Ain Sokhna → Port Suez, taxi
- EGP 150–300 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No public transport within the resort strip. Taxi or private car is essential. Most visitors drive from Cairo or arrange a transfer with their hotel.
See and do
Known for
- Weekend beach resorts for Cairenes
- Red Sea diving (moderate reefs)
- Port of Sokhna (industrial and cargo)
- Proximity to Cairo (about 1.5 h drive)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Port Suez | Taxi, about 45 min | About 1 h |
| Cairo | Car or bus, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
| El Gouna | Car via the coastal road, about 3 h | About 3.5 h |
Sleep
- Resort strip along the coast
- Most hotels are lined up south of town; you need a car or taxi to move between them.
- Ain Sokhna town centre
- A few budget hotels and apartments; closer to local shops and the port.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | بكام؟bi-kam? |
| Yes / No | نعم / لاna'am / la |
| I need a taxi | عايز تاكسيayiz taksi |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- The sea bottom near the resorts can be rocky; bring water shoes.
- Resorts often require a minimum spend or day-pass for non-guests; check before you go.
- The high-speed railway is not yet open (check).
- Summer heat is intense; air-con in cars and rooms is a must.
Ain Sokhna is safe for tourists; the main risks are heatstroke in summer and rocky sea floors. Keep valuables in the hotel safe. The area is quiet, with no nightlife beyond resort bars.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ain Sokhna yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Weekend beach resorts for Cairenes
- Red Sea diving (moderate reefs)
- Port of Sokhna (industrial and cargo)
- Proximity to Cairo (about 1.5 h drive)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Ain Sokhna, revision 5221826 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5221826
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Ain Sokhnaالعين السخنة
العنوان ده، من فضلك
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies are in Cairo; the nearest consulate for many countries is in Cairo. Check your country's embassy page.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/ain-sokhna). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.