magawish egypt

[miguelkiter]

I'm planning to go to egypt end of may beginning of june, heard that magawish is a good spot, tried to book magawish resort but none of the most used websites had it available, read some very old negative comments about the resort itself but can't find anything recent. has anybody been there recently?
I'm beginner and new this site, looking for a good place to stay, good food and near flat water, all included would be good, any recommendations or tips will be appreciated

[ChickenTikka]

Stayed there last september.

The spot is perfect in terms of learning. Colona does a great job so no complaints there.

The resort itself is structured like a soviet seaside resort filled with russians getting drunk and sunburnt eating buffets meals three times a day. I like russians, as I speak it, used to live there, and sleep with one. But they aren't for everybody.

Rooms aren't particularly great. But not particularly terrible.

I emailed them directly through the form on their website. I think they wanted to charge me 60 dollars per day per person or something around that or 120 dollar's a day for the two of us all inclusive. It depends on your nationality actually. Which is strange, but that's how they do it. I'm american. Russians pay less.

If you are going just to kite then no problem. If you are bringing along a mrs or a bunch of people that don't kite then I'd look elsewhere perhaps. There are definitely other resorts where you might have better quality rooms.

I'm headed back there next month and trying to decide between going back there or the staying in El Gouna. I can stay at the sheraton, which looks quite nice for 70 dollars a day for two people. It's not all inclusive but does include breakfast, which is all I need anyway.

[miguelkiter]

hey, thanks for the good information, I also looked at the sheraton, just that because its my first time there, wanna be right at the spot. I'm going by myself. that price with 3 meals seems cheap, is the food ok?

[ChickenTikka]

Yeah if you are going by yourself to learn how to kite then the magawish is perfect. Book in there for a week. Once you know how to kite then maybe consider going to el gouna (i've never been there so can't recommend it). I have heard that the tide makes the shallow area a lot less useful to learners in low tide.

The sheraton won't be any more lively just more western and less russian looking.

If I were going by myself I would definitely go straight to magawish and not even consider the other places. Since you pay per person at Magawish it's a bit tricky if you are bringing others. Since I'm going with the GF I'm better off not paying the double occupancy at the magawish and going to the Sheraton.

Magawish is one of the best places I've ever seen to learn to kite. It's cheap and convenient and the wind is usually great.

Food is fine although more or less the same cafeteria buffet each night of bland basic food (which is what russian tastebuds prefer - they suck at spice or anything exotic). So you got chicken, potatos, rice. Speghetti. Breakfast will be eggs, sausage, cereal etc.

On the bright side all you can drink beer all day and all night and plenty of russian women that you can take advantage of. Just make sure that her boyfriend is already passed out drunk or off with his mates chasing other women. Or you might just get killed.

Expert Hints:

1. There is a pizza shack just up the beach from the kite school that serves tasty pizza and beer for lunch all afternoon. This is part of the all included. I preferred to eat there over everything else. There is also a place at the kite school which serves burgers and what not but this is not included.

2. When you check in make sure to request a room near the kite school "Colona Watersports" on the south side of the resort if possible. That will save you some walking.

3. Go to the marina downtown for entertainment at night if you feel like it. Make sure though that when you leave to walk straight past the taxi drivers standing waiting for people to leave the marina. These guys are assholes and will try and rip you off. They run a racket. Just walk straight past them and find a taxi on the road and pay the normal price.

4. The normal taxi price, as I recall is pretty much 20-25 egyptian pounds to get you wherever you want in Hurghada. Never pay more than this. If it's a short distance you are probably gonna still end up spending 20 however. If you are a cheap skate there are these vans which you can flag down. They will try to to rip you off but the correct rate is something like 2 egyptian pounds per person. They kinda run a circuit around town. I'm not exactly sure how they work, but if it's headed in your direction just tell them where you are going.

5. Egypt is struggling at the moment. You can sort of tell, even in Hurghada. There is definitely some chaos as basically the country is lacking in authority. You will notice that the resorts are absolutely paranoid about security (they'll make you wear a wristband) otherwise they'll hunt you down and ask you why you are there. Bottomline, in the resort you are definitely quite safe. Kiting is the most dangerous thing you will do. Outside of the resort tread carefully.

6. Because you are learning, buy the 15 euro shoes that they sell in the shop to protect your feet from the rocks and coral. Seriously, don't even consider going barefoot until you are a proficient kiter. Those rocks and coral will rip you to shreds. Even with the shoes on, it still hurts to step on them sometimes.

[miguelkiter]

Thanks for the detailed information,couldn't ask for more, Just what I needed,
colona water sports finally replied to me, the hotel rate is 42Euros per night single room.

[RandomKitesurfer]

I've been twice.

- Resort - It is crappy, its a bit of a dump. If your expecting Hilton style luxury then please, do not go here. However, I was there to kitesurf and simply wanted some cheap digs, right on spot and didn't care to much for the luxury or the rest of the hotel as I was planning on heading down town every night. I would call the resort UK 3 star at best. The food is alright, a lot of people got the runs both times I was there. The kiting infrastructure/main launch spot/shop/centre and the rooms used by kiters are all off to the edge of the resort. Which is ideal, the rooms as small single story clumps of 3/4 rooms a block. Its actually quite convenient and cool. You can chill out with a bunch of other kiters outside your rooms next to the spot which makes it a good social. But I state again, think of it as just on spot lodgings, this is not the Hilton. There is a small hotel cafe next to the kite spot which does good sandwiches and pizza's, its ideal to come in from time on the water and grab something, but its not included as part of the all inclusive. My suggestion would be get a deal on the room only, have nothing to do with the rest of the hotel and pay as you go on food down on the spot from the hotel cafe and down town at night.

- Centre - pretty well equipped and pretty friendly, owned by a finish guy called Bengan, and the manager is a guy called Gaz from the UK. The shop is reasonably priced for Egypt and has good equipment in stock, mainly Naish stuff. The centre has a kewl lay out with bean bags to chill on, lots of other kiters around, wifi, the hotel cafe provides a lot of convenience and of course good snack meals as already mentioned. They have a lot of different instructors passing through from all other. IKO center if I remember right.

- Spot - The spot is interesting. I would say pretty amazing for advanced and intermediate riders, crap for beginners. The hotel has 3 coves. Center being in the furthest right. leading out to a stretch of deep blue about 300m out and then beyond that about 600m out is a perfect and beautiful sandbar, its like a mirror, flat lagoons form at different tides, this arrangement of sandbars, lagoons and flat, shallow water goes on for miles... Gaz said to me 'That is kitesurfing' and I agree. A lot of safari's go out to it from other areas. If you want a bit of chop, you got it in the deep blue area, if you want to mess around close to the beach you can.
However, this is why it is crap for beginners.... They have issues with the swimming area's, ie, you can't drift into them. They have issues in the spot directly in front of the center which a beginner would not be able to handle. IE, the gusts caused by the cove next door and the building mean that a beginners simply would not be able to get out directly in front of the center. As a result they walk you about half a mile over to the left of the three coves on the other side of the hotel grounds. There is no facilities there, no cafe, no beanbags, no vibe, its a bit of a wasteland. Ok conditions to learn, pretty flat and waste high... but the convenience of the centers facilities is somewhat lost. Even when you have got up and riding, the deep blue will be difficult to negotiate because of the amount of at times dangerous sea traffic, so forget about getting out to the awesome sandbar.... I would learn up at El Gouna and come to this spot when independent.

- Wind - Its Egypt, its constant and good red sea wind which comes up late morning at 14-16 knots typically, sticks around until early evening and is reliable most of the year. I would expect only 1 no wind day a week.

In conclusion, hotel is a dump, think of it as cheap beach side kite digs. Center is well equipped and social, spot is great and sandbar awesome for good independent kiters. Its a social place to be, aim to eat in the hotel cafe and go down town by taxi (10/15mins) with other kiters each night to party and get dinner... and Hurguarda is a great party! Man, I lost so much time on the water due to obscene hangovers...beginners and learners stay away. Make sure you go at a popular time of year to ensure a good supply other people are around.

Don't go as a couple, because she will not like this place for reasons specified. As a single its great.... I got laid pretty easy there to a hot Russian chick so it was a good trip all round...

El Gouna, I have been to 3 times and my opinion is it is definitely better for learning, more instructors, bigger, better and more varied facilities to choose from and much better hotels. As a couple its El Gouna every time for me. But Colona will get the job done at the Megawish, you may just find it frustrating not being able to take full advantage of the spot at novice level, and have to do a bit of walking. Hurguarda is definitely better for party for singles then El Gouna. If I was a single kiter I would still learn at megawish for this reason... as a couple its got to be Gouna.

[Toby]

Bengan is Swedish

[RandomKitesurfer]

Lol, Skandi's.... all the same

[miguelkiter]

Thanks for the detail info, at the end i postponed my trip, but planning for end of augost beginning of september, according to your suggestion considering going a few days to elgouna, then moving to magawish, is going to be just need nice is good but as long at the hotel is clean, it would be good enough, what hotel/spot do you recomend in elgouna??, I'm also considering ras sudr.I've read that the hotels there are mostly dumps.
I'm just beginning to go upwind, looking for a good place to improve,
Miguel.

[Toby]

It happens many times, that people get stomach problems.
Get "Antinal" with Antibiotica, the one medicine that really helps, quickly.
It costs only 10 Eg Pounds in the pharmacies for 24 tabs.

In El Gouna I recommend the "Ali Pasha" hotel.
3 stars, all fine and you can get it for around 25 Euro incl breakfast or 30+ all in.

Right now Egypt is very cheap, you get great hotel deals etc on the web, search with those price comparison sites.

In Soma Bay I recommend the "Breakers" hotel. Nice rooms, beautiful view, great service, great food and majority just divers and kiters.
I heard they stop charging extra for a single room, so gets even cheaper.