Safaga

Safaga is a phosphate port first and a resort second, which keeps it plainer and cheaper than its neighbours, and it has three separate reputations. Windsurfers and kiters come for what is generally rated the most consistent wind on the Egyptian coast, funnelled by the bay and the island offshore. Divers come for reefs a little further out than Hurghada's, including Panorama Reef and Abu Kafan, which hold better coral and bigger fish because they see less traffic. And a third group comes for the black sand on parts of the beach, rich in minerals and used in traditional treatment for skin and joint conditions, which has drawn medical tourism for decades. The town itself is functional with little to detain a visitor.

What you actually see

• Consistent wind - the most reliable board conditions on the coast.
• Panorama and Abu Kafan reefs - offshore sites with good coral cover.
• Black mineral sand - the beaches used for traditional treatment.
• A working port - phosphate ships alongside the resort coast.

When to go

October to May for temperature; wind peaks in spring and summer. Three to five days for diving or boarding. The town is quiet year round outside the port traffic.

Honest expectations

The town is industrial and unattractive, with the port dominating the shore. Beaches near the centre are poor. Accommodation is limited and dated compared with El Gouna or Soma Bay. The dive sites are further out, so boat days are long.

Nearby

Soma Bay is just north; El Quseir lies south down the coast.