These Date Spots in El Gouna Are Where You Need to Kick off New Years

New Year’s Eve in the usually quiet seaside town of El Gouna has become something of a tradition, with more and more couples, friend groups and even families heading south every year. This means that, although we don’t have a formal statistic, more boyfriends than ever are tactfully evading the annual NYE date, a detrimental mistake that will inevitably lead to the breaking of one of the pillar resolutions (usually #3, Less Bickering) before the year even starts. It’s a common pitfall. Do better.

To those of you who do know better, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to NYE dating in sunny (if a little chilly) G-Town, that are sure to keep the missus smiling, wow your impromptu dates and, of course, bring imminent warmth and long-standing love to the girls’ night out. 

Note: Under normal circumstances, Pier88 would be, without a doubt, on this list. However, the restaurant is undergoing renovations and will be opening in April 2024, so you’ll have to do without this year. 

Villa Coconut

Downtown

When the generous spirit of TLT Hospitality headed east to seaside Gouna, something in the universe shifted, and beachside luxury dining reached a new level of serenity. Villa Coconut lets the opulence of Europe glimmer in the setting Gouna sun. 

The Smokery Beach

New Marina

A slight breeze and the faint sound of crashing waves make The Smokery Beach the envied star cousin of all the Smokeries. The spot upholds the intricate luxury characteristic of Smokeries across the country, with a beachy twist. 

Chicha

Downtown

There’s really not a more romantic way to say ‘Te amo’ to the one you amo than through food. More accurately, through Latin cuisine - and Chicha is the place to be when it comes to Latin wining (or Whiskey sour-ing) and dining. 

Bongoyo

Downtown

The sharp flavours of Bongoyo bring us closer to home, with an upheld sense of lushness that makes itself apparent through cashew sesame beef salads, premium steak and slightly eerie, mostly art deco interiors. 

Le Restaurant

La Maison Bleue

If you’re looking for something more intimate, it does not get chic-er than La Maison Bleue’s Le Restaurant. The gorgeous mansion-turned-hotel serves as the perfect boutique destination for you. 

Nihon

The Chedi

Hidden along the long hallways of the serene and luxurious Chedi, Nihon represents the pleasant surprise of delicious Japanese delicacies on the calm Gouna coast. That is, until you try it once, which is around the time it goes from being a surprise into a go-to. 

Chez Chantal 

Abu Tig Marina

One of the first restaurants to brave the Gouna coast, Chez Chantal keeps alive within its walls not only years of impeccable Belgian culinary expertise, but also a bustling collection of stories held in place by the spot’s spiralling white chairs.