Kitesurfing Nabq Bay

Nabq Bay is the kitesurfing spot at the northern end of Sharm El Sheikh. It is a flat lagoon behind an outer reef, and you launch from hotel beaches with kite schools right on the sand. The wind blows mainly from the north and northeast at 15–25 knots and peaks in the morning. April through October are the most consistent months. The bay sits on a promontory overlooking the Straits of Tiran, at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba on the Sinai Peninsula. It is part of the Nabq Managed Resource Protected Area, established in 1992, which holds the most northerly mangrove forests in the world. Most of the Sharm coastline is deep water and steep reefs suited to diving. Nabq is the only real kitesurfing spot in the area.

Getting to Nabq Bay and launching

Sharm El Sheikh International Airport (SSH) is only 8 to 10 km away, about 15 minutes by private taxi transfer. In Nabq, many resorts are within walking distance of the main kiting areas, and blue microbuses run to other parts of Sharm El Sheikh. The schools work straight off the beach. Red Sea KiteBoarding is at Regency Plaza Aqua Park & Spa Resort, and another school is based at Amarina Sun Resort & Aqua park. KiteLuna also gives lessons in Nabq Bay. Show your passport or ID at the hotel gate, then drive down to the beach. At Coral Sea Waterworld there's a parking slot next to the Spa building.

Wind and season at Nabq Bay

Nabq gets a mix of synoptic wind from large-scale weather systems and local thermal effects, with land and sea breezes boosted by desert heating. The main direction is north to northeast, side-onshore, and mostly stable at 15 to 20 knots. The usual range is 15 to 25 knots. Some days push 30. Timing matters. The wind usually starts early and peaks between 7:00 and 9:00 AM. By midday the desert has heated up, the temperature gradient breaks down and the wind often drops off. On good days, especially in peak season, it can hold through the afternoon, but plan your sessions for the morning. Northerlies are the norm, though occasional southerly flows do arrive. When the pressure systems shift, the wind can flip from north to south for several days in a row. On average, more than 70% of days a year have at least 12 knots, not counting the thermal. The wind blows all year. The steadiest stretch runs from April to September or October. May and June are among the most reliable periods, with north to northeast wind dominating at a consistent 15 to 25 knots. February, March and November still give rideable days, but consistency drops. January and December are a gamble and generally not worth a dedicated kite trip.

Water and conditions

Inside the lagoon the water is flat to mild chop, and it stays waist-deep for about 1500 metres out. Tides come every 12 hours, with up to 80 cm difference in depth between high and low. The outer reef blocks the ocean swell, so the lagoon is largely unaffected by the tide, though it can get very shallow at dead low tide. If you want something rougher, the open water is about a 20-minute upwind tack away. Out there you get moderate rolling swell and some kickers, but no real breaking waves to ride. North of Nabq's centre is a bay where waves roll into a shore break. It isn't a true wave spot, but it's a good one for kiters, and you can reach it from land or by riding upwind.

On the beach at Nabq Bay

The beach centre has changing rooms, showers, lockers, equipment storage and a kite shop. For advanced riders there's beach assistance, a rescue service, a compressor for pumping and fresh water to shower and rinse your gear.