Golf holiday in Soma Bay

Why golfers travel to Soma Bay

In Soma Bay everything lies on one peninsula. The operator describes it as a self-contained resort of ten million square metres that is surrounded by the sea on three sides. Because the hotels, the golf courses, the practice facilities and the beaches lie only a few minutes' drive apart, you get by without a rental car in your golf week.

You play there on desert courses by the sea. That is a different kind of golf from a parkland course in Central Europe, because sand lies next to the fairway instead of forest. On several holes you also play right along the Red Sea.

• Sun in winterIn January it is around 22 degrees during the day. Rain hardly ever falls.
• Short distancesFrom the hotel to the first tee it is a few steps or a few minutes by car, depending on the house.
• Practising into the nightDriving range, short game area and short course have floodlights.
• The sea for your companionIf your companion does not play, they find beach, reef, diving club and a kite station.

Golf courses in Soma Bay

The wind plays along

Wind blows over Soma Bay all year round, often strongly from the north. The operator of the golf course calls it constantly changing and counts it among the difficulties of the Gary Player Course. At the same time Soma Bay is regarded as one of the best places in the world for kitesurfing. That says more about the wind than any figure.

In Soma Bay it almost never rains. In return the wind blows on every day.

For your round that means that, depending on the direction of the wind, you need one club more or less than at home. I would also bring some patience for the score. The new Hidden Coves Course, by contrast, lies more sheltered between hills. Because the dry desert air keeps the humidity low, even warm days feel pleasant on the golf course.

Practice under floodlights

The practice facilities of Somabay Golf have floodlights. That is why they are open from 7 a.m. to midnight in summer and from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in winter. The driving range is around 300 metres long and has tees at both ends. Added to that is the Scoring Arena, an area of 5,000 square metres for the short game.

According to the operator, PGA professionals teach in the Golf Academy. For beginners there is a course over five days there. So if someone is travelling with you who would like to learn golf first, Soma Bay is a good place for that. The short course with nine par-3 holes serves the academy as preparation for the big golf course.

What golf costs in Soma Bay

The prices apply to the Gary Player Course and the practice facilities of Somabay Golf.

Prices according to the golf course, as of 13 November 2026. Prices change. You learn the current prices from the golf course before booking.

Climate and when to travel

The columns show the mean daily maximum temperature for every month.

From October to April you find temperatures at which you enjoy being outside for the whole round. From June to August, by contrast, the maximum temperature is above 36 degrees. Then I would play early in the morning and practise under floodlights in the evening.

Hotels and accommodation in Soma Bay

These places to stay are on the hotel list of the peninsula. Each of them has a page of its own here.

South of the peninsula lies the Steigenberger Resort Ras Soma. It names Makadi Golf as its golf course and offers the transfer there for 10 euros per trip (as of 13 November 2026).

Getting there and getting around

For a golf trip to Soma Bay you fly to Hurghada. From there it is 45 kilometres south in the direction of Safaga and a further 8 kilometres from the Soma Bay exit to the hotels. The hotels give a driving time of around 45 minutes for that. The operator gives the flight time from Central Europe as around four hours.

1. VisaAs a German citizen you need a visa for Egypt. On arrival it costs 30 US dollars (German Foreign Office, as of 13 November 2026).
2. TransferYou book the transfer from the airport with the trip or through your hotel. The Kempinski advises against the local taxi and arranges rides through the concierge.
3. To the golf courseThe Cascades lies in the middle of the golf course. The ROBINSON Club runs a shuttle to the golf course and to the driving range. In the other houses you can ask about the way before booking.

Egypt is mostly one hour ahead of Germany. The two countries change their clocks on different days, however. Around the change in spring and in autumn the difference can therefore be zero or two hours for a few days. So before an early departure I would look at the time in your travel documents.

Mirco’s experience

I got to know road traffic in Egypt in Cairo and to this day I sum it up as “Drive to hell”. Fortunately you do not have to drive yourself in Soma Bay. I would book the transfer from the airport in advance, because then your holiday begins at the exit of the terminal.

For everyone who does not play golf

Soma Bay is worth a trip even without clubs. At the house reef in front of The Breakers a jetty 420 metres long leads into the water, and next to it lies a diving club. A shuttle bus runs to the kite station. The spa of The Cascades covers 7,500 square metres and has a pool with sea water.

For a day without golf Luxor is an option, because according to the Kempinski the Nile valley lies two hours' drive away. What else you can think about on a trip with a companion is covered in the guide Golf holiday with a partner who does not play.