Soma Bay is a resort on the Red Sea Coast in Egypt developed by the Soma Bay Development Company established in 1991. 45 km south of Hurghada International Airport, the 10 million square meters, self-contained community of Soma Bay is surrounded on all sides by the sea. It offers year-round sunshine and mild temperatures. Unique to Soma Bay are its white sandy beaches and panoramic views of desert mountains. A selection of luxury hotels, a championship golf course, a grand thalassotherapy spa, and a diving and kitesurfing center all make Soma Bay an ideal place for relaxation and recreation.
- Diving & snorkeling Soma Bay is popular for scuba diving and snorkeling due to its clear, calm waters and vibrant coral reefs. A fully equipped dive center managed by the Orca Dive Club offers a full range of courses for beginners and seasoned pros. It also features a 420-m jetty that extends directly out to the house reef. A large turquoise-blue lagoon lies at the front of the reef and provides sheltered waters ideal for training. The dive center also offers equipment rental, changing facilities and showers, classrooms with AV equipment, bar, shop and personal lockers. A fleet of dive boats access the many dive sites in the region from the Soma Bay marina. The dive sites in this area have the advantage of being considerably less crowded that those found elsewhere in the Red Sea and include coral gardens, walls, drop-offs and wrecks suitable for all levels of experience.
- Kitesurfing & sailing Soma Bay is arguably one of the best spots in the world for sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. The bay offers flat water conditions, coupled with side shore winds that range from 4-8Bft all year round. The wind is accelerated by the close proximity of the mountains to the sea. Catamaran and Laser boat sailing are popular with the ability to take lessons for first-timers. Soma Bay's7BFT kite surf center is a complete teaching and testing hub with state of the art equipment for teaching and hire. They offer video and headset training aids that make learning to kite surf and improving technique easier, and safer. 7BFT offers teaching and testing weeks with the latest Naish and Carved equipment throughout the year. A kite surf bar, accessory shop and gear hire station is also available on site at the center.
- Golfing An 18-hole, par 72 championship course designed by Gary Player called The Cascades has recently ranked the number 1 golf course in the world outside of Europe for several years in a row by the readers of the German magazine Golf Journal. Adjacent to the championship course, is the 9-hole, par 3 challenge course, also designed by Gary Player, that offers both the beginner and the more advanced golfer the opportunity to practice a variety of shots with emphasis on the short game. The challenge course serves a golf academy where individual and group tuition by PGA golf pros is available. There are also practice facilities, including a 60 bay driving range, and several putting and pitching practice greens.
- Thalassotherapy A member of The Leading Spas of the World, Les Thermes Marins des Cascades is a large facility operated in association with Les Thermes Marins de Saint Malo, one of France's leading pioneers in the field of thalassotherapy. Highlights of the facilities and treatments include a large seawater facility, the Aquatonic Pool, which covers an area of 750 m², a variety of hydrotherapy treatments, including seaweed wraps and underwater massages, plus beauty & wellness treatments that include personalized fitness, weight and nutrition programs as well as post natal recuperation programs.
Diving & snorkeling Soma Bay is popular for scuba diving and snorkeling due to its clear, calm waters and vibrant coral reefs. A fully equipped dive center managed by the Orca Dive Club offers a full range of courses for beginners and seasoned pros. It also features a 420-m jetty that extends directly out to the house reef. A large turquoise-blue lagoon lies at the front of the reef and provides sheltered waters ideal for training. The dive center also offers equipment rental, changing facilities and showers, classrooms with AV equipment, bar, shop and personal lockers. A fleet of dive boats access the many dive sites in the region from the Soma Bay marina. The dive sites in this area have the advantage of being considerably less crowded that those found elsewhere in the Red Sea and include coral gardens, walls, drop-offs and wrecks suitable for all levels of experience.
Kitesurfing & sailing Soma Bay is arguably one of the best spots in the world for sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. The bay offers flat water conditions, coupled with side shore winds that range from 4-8Bft all year round. The wind is accelerated by the close proximity of the mountains to the sea. Catamaran and Laser boat sailing are popular with the ability to take lessons for first-timers. Soma Bay's7BFT kite surf center is a complete teaching and testing hub with state of the art equipment for teaching and hire. They offer video and headset training aids that make learning to kite surf and improving technique easier, and safer. 7BFT offers teaching and testing weeks with the latest Naish and Carved equipment throughout the year. A kite surf bar, accessory shop and gear hire station is also available on site at the center.
Golfing An 18-hole, par 72 championship course designed by Gary Player called The Cascades has recently ranked the number 1 golf course in the world outside of Europe for several years in a row by the readers of the German magazine Golf Journal. Adjacent to the championship course, is the 9-hole, par 3 challenge course, also designed by Gary Player, that offers both the beginner and the more advanced golfer the opportunity to practice a variety of shots with emphasis on the short game. The challenge course serves a golf academy where individual and group tuition by PGA golf pros is available. There are also practice facilities, including a 60 bay driving range, and several putting and pitching practice greens.
Thalassotherapy A member of The Leading Spas of the World, Les Thermes Marins des Cascades is a large facility operated in association with Les Thermes Marins de Saint Malo, one of France's leading pioneers in the field of thalassotherapy. Highlights of the facilities and treatments include a large seawater facility, the Aquatonic Pool, which covers an area of 750 m², a variety of hydrotherapy treatments, including seaweed wraps and underwater massages, plus beauty & wellness treatments that include personalized fitness, weight and nutrition programs as well as post natal recuperation programs.
Restaurants in all the five hotels featuring international and local cuisine. Most guests tend to dine at the hotel they stay in, but guests can also "dine around" at the other hotels at discounted prices. Vacationers usually stay on half-board plans, enjoying a hearty buffet breakfast and dinner, while snacking at the various pool and beach bars for lunch.
Luxor in the Nile Valley is three hours away by car from Soma Bay. Visit Egypt's fabulous ancient sites - the Valley of the Kings and Queens, the Karnak and Luxor Temples. Most of the Soma Bay hotels can arrange day or over-night trips. Other nearby day trips include the Monasteries of St. Paul and St. Anthony, The Roman ruins of Mons Porphyrites and Mons Claudianus, The Fortress of El-Quseir and the Wadi Hammamat.