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Hurghada / Magawish

Red Sea · Hurghada

also known as Magawish, Magawish Beach, Magawish Hotel, Magawish Islands, Hurghada Kitebeach Magawish

Part of Hurghada →

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

beginner-friendlymedium crowds

On this page

The spot
Wind
Forecast
Month by month
Water
Level
The scene
Launch
Schools
Tips
Getting there
Photos
FAQ

Riding essentials

Season

Mar–Oct

Months riders and schools name

How windy

12-18 kt

Character: thermal

Room to launch

access rules on record, below

Water

mixed

29 °C in summer

Hazards

Reported by riders

Level

Beginner to advanced

With a caveat: see Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Crowds

medium crowds · busy Jun Jul Aug Sep

Schools

named at this spot

From the airport

International Airport (HRG)

Transfer times under Getting there

On the clock

10:00 · 11:00 · 17:00

Fills in between 10:00 and 11:00, builds through the afternoon and usually holds until sunset, though a reported 17:00 Coast Guard cut-off means the last hours are not always rideable. Mornings can begin cross-offshore before the direction swings.

The marks are the clock times the record names, laid on a 24-hour day. The bar between the first and the last covers those hours; it is not a promise of wind.

Nearbystraight-line distance

Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.

Albatros Hotelno page yet
Jasmin Villageno page yet
Sea Horse Bay / Al Ahyaa Lagoonno page yet
Soma Bayno page yet
Safaga

The spot

What is Magawish

Magawish is a Hurghada kite area rather than a beach: the hotel front, the Magawish sandbanks and islands, and school-run training zones.

Accessing the water

Harry Nass has historically sat at Mercure Hurghada and Colona on the Magawish, Rixos and Protels waterfront, and going through one of them is how you get on the water here.

Water conditions

The shallow sandbank water is where lessons and progression happen; off the hotel beach it deepens and chops up into a freeride area.

Wind patterns

Wind is north to northwest and usually cross-shore from the left, but mornings can start cross-offshore before the thermal settles the direction.

Seasonal window

April to October is the season that holds for Magawish, with May to September or October the strongest block Hurghada-wide.

For beginners

It works for beginners only inside the school areas, with the sandbank shuttle, the training lagoon and rescue behind you; the direct Mercure launch has reef, stones and a downwind mole, and it is no place to practise alone.

Essential gear

Wear booties by default, because coral, rock, shell or reef turns up somewhere in every part of this spot.

Pending local updates

Access rules, registration fees and where Harry Nass operates after September 2026 all need a local update.

The wind

locals call it Etesian / Red Sea thermal

Direction

cross-shorecross-offwind blows away from land — rescue cover matters here

Direction to shore

Cross: side-shore from the left at the Magawish hotel beaches, and side-onshore from the left for this coast as a whole. Mornings can start cross-offshore before the thermal settles the direction.

Dominant direction

N, NNW and NW, with NNW dominant most of the time; N and NE are the cleanest angles at this beach.

Kite sizes

4567891011121314151617

metres · typical quiver highlighted

The quiver, in words

For a 75-85 kg rider: 7-9 m through the May-September peak when it runs 18-25 kt, 9-12 m in the shoulder months at 15-20 kt, and 12-14 m or larger on the 12-18 kt winter days. A 9-10 m is the single most-used size here, and an 8 m is the standard pick on a forecast 5 Bft.In high summer riders of that weight sometimes go down to 6-7 m.

Character

thermal

When it fills in: see above ↑

Average strength

4-7 Bft (about 11-33 kt) from April to October and 3-4 Bft (about 7-16 kt) from November to March. Monthly averages land at 15-25 kt through the main season and 12-18 kt in winter. No long-term statistics exist for the Magawish kitebeach station itself.

Typical strength

By month, roughly 12-18 kt in December-February, 14-20 in March, 15-22 in April, 17-25 in May, 18-28 in June and July, 17-26 in August, 16-24 in September, 14-22 in October and 12-18 in November. A normal main-season session sits at 15-25 kt; June is the windiest month.

Clean cross-shore wind at the Magawish and Mercure setup, and less obstructed than most of Hurghada. Mornings can start cross-offshore before the direction turns.

April to October is the reliable Magawish season, with May to September the strongest thermal block and June the windiest month.

The desert thermal adds roughly 1-2 Bft to what the forecast shows.

Winter still gives rideable days but at 3-4 Bft, and wind-free weeks happen.

March, April and November are the in-between months: three or four kiteable days a week, and worth bringing a 12 m or foil gear for.

Forecast

Live forecast

Windguru Windfinder Windy

Month by month

10 ktJan23°
10 ktFeb22°
11 ktMar22°
10 ktApr23°
11 ktMay24°
12 ktJun26°
12 ktJul27°
13 ktAug28°
13 ktSep27°
11 ktOct27°
10 ktNov26°
10 ktDec24°

avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted

Monthly averages. Highlighted: the months riders and schools name (Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct).

Measured at Hurghada, ~6 km from the spot (multi-year modeled/historical (Weatherspark)).

Every figure, month by monthKnots · Wind from · Air · Water

Month	Knots	Wind from	Air	Water
Jan	10.2 kt	N	16.7 °C	22.8 °C
Feb	10.4 kt	N	17.8 °C	22.2 °C
Mar	10.6 kt	N	20.6 °C	22.2 °C
Apr	10.3 kt	N	23.9 °C	22.8 °C
May	11 kt	N	27.8 °C	24.4 °C
Jun	12.4 kt	N	30.6 °C	25.6 °C
Jul	11.9 kt	N	32.2 °C	27.2 °C
Aug	12.6 kt	N	32.2 °C	27.8 °C
Sep	12.6 kt	N	30 °C	27.2 °C
Oct	10.7 kt	N	26.7 °C	26.7 °C
Nov	9.8 kt	N	22.2 °C	25.6 °C
Dec	9.9 kt	N	18.3 °C	24.4 °C

How this was measuredmeasured · multi-year modeled/historical (Weatherspark)

A ground station recorded this, at the distance the page names.

The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.

Hurghada · Weatherspark · multi-year modeled/historical (Weatherspark)

The water

Type

mixed

Standing depth

Yes on the offshore sandbanks and in the training bay, where it is knee- to waist-deep and you can walk and set up.Not in front of the hotel station: the water goes to swimming depth a few metres off the sand.At low tide parts of the spot drop to knee-deep and beginners have to walk out further before they can get a water start.

Tides

Tidal. The range varies through the seasons and leaves the offshore sandbanks more or less exposed, which changes how much standing water the training areas have. At the main hotel launch, high tide lets you start straight off the sand, while low tide routes you out past a red buoy set between coral.Riders are also told the spot does not depend on tide, which is true for the deeper freeride water and not for the sandbanks or the entry.

Temperature

29 °C summer · 20 °C winter

Modelled monthly average: 22–28 °C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts or a rash vest in late summer. Shorts cover April-November and a full long-sleeve surf suit is the call for the colder months; a shorty works in spring and autumn, and December-February wants a full 4/3 or 5/4.

Currents

No published current figures for the sandbanks, the channel between them or the hotel beach. The only flow anyone describes is the tide running over the banks, and it is not called strong. Treat this as unconfirmed rather than as an all-clear.

Conditions

Flat shallow sandbank water is the main draw for lessons and progression, with deeper freeride water and some chop directly off the hotel beach. Bottom is mostly fine sand, with visible coral patches, rocks, shells and reef downwind, so booties are recommended. The water is very salty.

Diving and tourist boats operate around the riding area.

Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Beginners use the shallow training lagoon and sandbank areas with school support, while confident riders launch from the hotel beach and ride the larger freeride area.

The Mercure and Harry Nass beach is not a place for beginners to practise or self-teach, because of reef sections, stones and a downwind harbour mole. Independent beginners should use the training bay or the school shuttle.

The scene

What riders come here for

freerideslalombeginner lessonsprogressionslalom/speedjumpingfoiling

Who it suitsbeginner

Resort-based Red Sea freeride scene with schools, rental riders and hotel guests; summer and European holiday periods are busier, while Magawish is less crowded than the more developed Hurghada/El Gouna options.

Launch and rules

three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you

With a school or a boat

7 schools name this spot

See who they are

On your own

Room to launch: ok

Read the access rules

Somewhere else

6 spots nearby

All 6 spots within 40 km are under Nearby

Rescue

Radio-based rescue covers the riding zones including the water upwind of the sandbanks, and a boat shuttle runs students about ten minutes offshore to the shallow training area.

The schools on the Rixos and Protels waterfront list launch and landing assistance plus rescue on their own zones.

Cover is tied to being registered with a station; riders who launch outside one have none, which is part of why independent riding without station affiliation is not permitted at these hotel beaches.

Launch

Two different setups share the name.Mercure hotel beachAt the Mercure hotel beach, the main kite launch is the long sandy stretch upwind of the centre: at high tide you start straight off the sand, at low tide a red buoy marks the entry and exit lane between coral, and staff help with launch and landing.The beach directly in front of the centre is narrow and you walk a few steps into the water; the bigger upper-lagoon beach has rocks, shells and rows of sun umbrellas.Rixos and Protels beachesAlong the Rixos Premium Magawish and Protels Grand Seas waterfront, roughly 1.6 km of beach is split into expert, beginner and school zones with a large sandbar offshore, again with launch and landing assistance.

Hazards riders report 14 reported

Wind

Morning cross-offshore wind before it turns cross-shore

Crowds and zones

boat traffic near Hurghada marina areas
Tourist and diving boat traffic around the riding area
Downwind reef and harbour mole at the Mercure/Harry Nass launch require staying upwind

Bottom

Coral patches and reef sections near the sandbanks and downwind of the center

Waves and currents

Very shallow water at low tide in parts of the spot
At low tide the entry at the main launch is a marked lane between coral, not open beach

Protected areas and rules

Rocks and shells in parts of the beach/upper lagoon

Other

sandbank navigation at low water
Pointed sun umbrellas on the beach can damage kites
Strong sun and heat in the Red Sea climate
Very salty water; it takes a day or two to get used to and it stings cuts and eyes
Deep water a few metres off the sand in front of the hotel station, with no standing recovery
Beach access is private hotel property; riding unregistered means no rescue and no permission

Rules & access

1 min read

Rules in effect

2026: Coast Guard rules are reported to prohibit kiteboarding after 17:00 at any Hurghada spot, hotel or resort; the written text was not located.
2026: riding without being registered at a surf station is not permitted at the Magawish hotel beaches, and a beach-use fee applies to everyone using the beach, commonly quoted around USD 3-7 a day (2026 figure) on Egyptian beaches, with the current Magawish number unconfirmed.
2026: marked riding zones apply, beginners are held to the shallow training bay, and intermediates who cannot hold their height upwind are put on a course rather than left to ride free.
2026: a board leash is mandatory at this station.
2026: the Harry Nass windsurf and kite centre at Mercure Hurghada closes at the end of September, with a replacement location not yet announced, so the operator at that launch is about to change.

Access

Most beaches here are private hotel property and access runs through the kite school rather than a public right of way.

Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.

Schools that ride here

Rider tips

Ask the station where the beginner and training zone sits that day; the hotel-front freeride water and the shallow sandbank teaching areas are separate places.
Wear booties even where the bottom looks like sand: coral patches, shells, rocks and reef all turn up.
Check the direction in the morning. It can start cross-offshore and swing cross-shore later.
Do not plan a late session. A 17:00 Coast Guard cut-off is reported for Hurghada hotels and resorts even though the thermal often runs to sunset.
Confirm who runs the beach before you book: the Mercure station closes at the end of September 2026, and the Rixos and Protels operation is the one that continues.
Time your entry with the tide at the main launch. High water lets you go straight off the sand; low water puts you in the marked lane past the red buoy.
Rinse everything. The water here is unusually salty and it dries hard on lines and bearings.
Reserve rental gear ahead for the peak months, and pack the 12 m: it stays in the bag most of the main season, but it is the kite that saves a November or February trip.

Getting there

Airport

Hurghada International Airport (HRG)

Route

Fly to HRG, then take a short road transfer south of central Hurghada onto the Safaga Road resort strip. Mercure Hurghada sits at Safaga road km 12, with airport and helipad access 8 km away. Rixos Premium Magawish Bay View is at Red Sea Government, 12 KM Safaga Road, and runs an airport shuttle for an additional charge.

Transfer

About 10 minutes to Mercure Hurghada; wider Magawish/Rixos transfers are commonly around 10-20 minutes depending on hotel and traffic.

Cost level

mixed resort pricing: Mercure is a 4-star all-inclusive base, while Rixos Premium Magawish is a 5-star ultra/all-inclusive resort option.

Staying

On-spot or near-spot resort accommodation includes Mercure Hurghada Hotel, Rixos Premium Magawish Bay View / Suites and Villas, and Protels Grand Seas; central Hurghada and the wider Safaga Road hotel strip provide additional options.

No-wind days

Hotel activities and local trips include scuba diving, snorkeling, Giftun Island, Sharm El Naga, Hurghada city/marina, gym/spa/sauna/hammam/jacuzzi, tennis, squash, horse riding, mini golf, table tennis and archery.

Photos

FAQ

Is Magawish suitable for beginners?

Beginners are best served by the shallow training lagoon and sandbank areas with school support, since the direct hotel-beach launch has reef and stones unsuitable for beginner self-practice.

When is the best time to kitesurf?

April to October is the reliable main season, with May-September or October the strongest thermal period; winter is still kiteable but lighter.

What is the wind like?

The prevailing wind is N to NW, usually cross-shore from the left, though mornings can start cross-offshore before the thermal settles.

Are there rules on kiting hours?

As of 2026, Coast Guard regulations prohibit kiteboarding after 5 pm at Hurghada spots, hotels and resorts.

The bigger pictureEverything about Hurghada

Last updated: August 2026