Hurghada is Egypt’s “windy city” and all this wind has started to attract a whole new group of visitors to this part of the Red Sea. Kitesurfing and windsurfing lovers now flock to this area.

One of the first to land in Hurghada was Tommy Friedl, who has opened two enormous water sports and windsurfing centres right on the beach. Both locations, in Jasmin Hotel and the Grand Seas, have an ideal layout for both wind and kite surfing. Beginners as well as experts will find the place suiting all their needs.

Colona Waterspouts opened in June 2002 in the Magawish Hotel in Hurghada as Egypt's first dedicated kite surfing centre offering kite surfing courses and equipment rentals at one of the better kite surfing spots in the area. Since then, many have followed and now there is a wide array of water sports centres in Hurghada, offering different levels of service.

Both windsurfing and kitesurfing are sports accessible to the majority of visitors on holiday to the Red Sea. For the absolute beginner, there are intro courses, or discover kiting days, where you get to have a feel for what holding on to a kite is all about. Friedl offers a course called “the ABC of windsurfing” in which you will learn the basics of windsurfing in practical and theoretical lessons. After three days and an exam you will be issued a VDWS-certification.

Instructors come from all over Europe, so courses in different languages are available. So wherever you are from, you will probably be able to find a centre to suit your needs, just make sure you contact the centre you would like to do the course with before your holiday.

Most of the kite centres are affiliated with the IKO (International Kite boarding Organization) and teach all levels of IKO kite boarding courses from beginner up to IKO Instructor Training Courses.

The kiting and windsurfing centres are located right on or close to the beach, making it easy for the surfers to get in and out of the water, or for a quick change of sails or kites. They all offer equipment rental so there is no need to bring your boards, kites and sails all the way from home. This will also give you the luxury of having all the sails for different wind strengths. Beach boys and girls are there to help prepare your equipment, take it to the water and launch your kites.

Another up and coming novelty is the so-called kite surfing and windsurfing safari. This usually means going out on a liveaboard boat for a week and sailing the Red Sea looking for and discovering quiet beaches and bays where you can enjoy some undisturbed surfing. This can be a very good, not to mention very exciting and relaxing, solution if you are trying to get away from the big crowds on the few perfect surf locations in Hurghada.

Of course, no one can ever guarantee the weather, but Hurghada is, in general, a very windy area, with prevailing northerly winds, meaning ideal conditions for kitesurfing and windsurfing whether you want to give it your first try, or you are a pro looking for a new challenge.