# Beach holidays

The beach hotels in Sabaro's selection are chosen for sea access, beach quality and, on the Red Sea, proximity to reefs. Five seas share the year: the Gulf at Dubai, the Sea of Oman at Muscat and the Red Sea, all warm in winter, Morocco's cool and windy Atlantic, and the Mediterranean, from Tamuda Bay to Alexandria, for summer. In Tunisia, the Mediterranean is warm enough for swimming from June to October, from Gammarth to Djerba. In Turkey, the Aegean and the Mediterranean are warm enough for swimming from June to October, from the Bodrum peninsula to the Lycian coast.

Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/themes/beach/

## Five seas, five seasons

Choosing a beach starts with the month of travel. The Gulf at Dubai, the Sea of Oman at Muscat and the Red Sea stay warm in winter; Morocco's Atlantic stays cool all year; the Mediterranean is mainly for summer swimming.

| Coast | Hotels in the selection | Water at its coolest | Water at its warmest | Swimming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf, Dubai: Jumeirah, Palm Jumeirah, Marina | Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Bvlgari, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Marsa Al Arab, Al Qasr, Atlantis, One&Only The Palm, Zabeel Saray, Anantara, Ritz-Carlton, Address Beach Resort, Banyan Tree, The Residence | About 22 °C in January and February | About 33 °C in July and August | All year; October to April for the air |
| Sea of Oman, Muscat: Al Mouj, Shatti Al Qurum, Barr Al Jissah; Batinah coast | The Chedi, Mandarin Oriental, W, Grand Hyatt, Kempinski, St. Regis Al Mouj, Jumeirah Muscat Bay, Al Husn, DoubleTree Al Waha, Barceló Mussanah | About 23.5 °C in February | About 31.5 °C in June | All year; October to April for the air |
| Red Sea, Hurghada, El Gouna, Soma Bay | Steigenberger ALDAU Beach, Steigenberger Aqua Magic, The Chedi, Kempinski, Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh | About 22 °C in February and March | About 29 °C in August | All year |
| Red Sea, Marsa Alam | Hilton Marsa Alam Nubian, Steigenberger Coraya Beach | About 23 °C in February | About 30 °C in August | All year |
| Sinai, Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab | Four Seasons, Rixos Premium Seagate, Rixos Adults Only, Retac Qunay | About 22 °C in winter | 28 to 29 °C in summer | All year |
| Mediterranean, Alexandria and north coast | Four Seasons Alexandria, Al Alamein Hotel | 17 to 18 °C in February and March | 27 to 28 °C in summer | June to October |
| Mediterranean, Tamuda Bay and Tangier | Banyan Tree, Sofitel Tamuda Bay, Idou Malabata | — | — | June to September |
| Atlantic, Agadir and Taghazout | Riu, Sofitel Agadir Thalassa, Fairmont Taghazout Bay, Paradis Plage | 16.5 to 16.6 °C in February | 20.5 to 20.6 °C in September | July to October, water above 19.5 °C in Agadir |
| Atlantic, Rabat, Oualidia, Essaouira | Conrad Rabat Arzana, La Sultana Oualidia, Riad EspritBleu | About 16 °C in Essaouira | About 19 °C in Essaouira | Summer, cool water |
| Dakhla lagoon | Palais Rhoul | 17.6 °C in January | 21.8 °C in September | Summer and autumn, wetsuit advised |

In winter, then, Dubai and the Red Sea have the warmest water, around 22 to 25 °C from December to March; in Dubai the air stays mild, with average highs of 24 to 31 °C from November to March. From June to September the Gulf goes above 32 °C and the air above 39 °C: beach time there is early morning or night. Muscat follows the same rhythm, with air at 25 to 27 °C from December to February. In summer the air there gets very hot, with an average August high of 37.5 °C in Hurghada: this is the season for Morocco's Atlantic, where Agadir's high stays around 27 °C in July and August thanks to the trade winds, and for the Mediterranean.

## Which beach for which stay

**A reef off the beach.** On the Red Sea, the beach is often the starting point for the coral. The adults-only Steigenberger Coraya Beach has an 800 m private beach with direct reef access. At the Hilton Marsa Alam Nubian, on Abu Dabbab Bay, you swim over seagrass beds visited by turtles and dugongs. At the Four Seasons in Sharm el-Sheikh, two jetties lead to the hotel's two reefs, along a kilometre of private beach. Jetties let you enter the water beyond the shallows, without walking on the coral. The [Diving](/en/themes/diving/) page presents the offshore sites.

**A sheltered sandy beach.** For easy swimming, Soma Bay and El Gouna have gentler beaches: 400 m of private beach below the Kempinski Soma Bay, a private sandy cove below The Chedi El Gouna. The Oberoi at Sahl Hasheesh, on its bay, adds a reef and a dive centre.

**The big Atlantic beach.** Agadir's seafront lines its hotels along the sand: the two Riu hotels, including the Riu Tikida Beach for guests aged 16 and over, and the Sofitel Agadir Thalassa, with a private beach on the Bay of Palms. Further north, Taghazout Bay has the Fairmont and the Riu Palace Tikida Taghazout, and Paradis Plage lies along a 5 km beach at Imi Ouaddar. Near Rabat, the Conrad Rabat Arzana overlooks Val d'Or beach in Harhoura. On this coast the swell delights surfers: see the [Surfing](/en/themes/surfing/) page.

**The lagoon.** Two lagoons change the idea of an Atlantic beach. In Oualidia, between El Jadida and Safi, La Sultana overlooks a lagoon separated from the ocean by a line of dunes: you can kayak and visit the oyster beds. In Dakhla, Palais Rhoul has its private beach on the lagoon, the flat water kitesurfers come for; the [Kitesurfing](/en/themes/kitesurfing/) page presents the spot.

**A city beach, in Dubai.** In Dubai the beach is at the foot of the city, and every large hotel has its own. Three districts share the coast. In [Jumeirah](/en/dubai/jumeirah/), the resorts are closest to the centre: the 270 m natural beach of the [Four Seasons](/en/hotels/four-seasons-jumeirah-beach/), the [Mandarin Oriental Jumeira](/en/hotels/mandarin-oriental-jumeira/) next to Jumeirah Mosque, the island of the [Bvlgari Resort](/en/hotels/bvlgari-resort-dubai/), then, in Umm Suqeim, the [Jumeirah Beach Hotel](/en/hotels/jumeirah-beach-hotel/), the [Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab](/en/hotels/jumeirah-marsa-al-arab/) and [Jumeirah Al Qasr](/en/hotels/jumeirah-al-qasr/), which shares a 2 km beach with Madinat Jumeirah. On [Palm Jumeirah](/en/dubai/palm-jumeirah/), each resort on the crescent has its own private beach, further from town: [Atlantis The Palm](/en/hotels/atlantis-the-palm/) and [Atlantis The Royal](/en/hotels/atlantis-the-royal/) with the water park, [One&Only The Palm](/en/hotels/one-and-only-the-palm/), the kilometre of sand at [Jumeirah Zabeel Saray](/en/hotels/jumeirah-zabeel-saray/), and the lagoons and overwater villas of [Anantara The Palm](/en/hotels/anantara-the-palm/), under renovation until spring 2027. At [Dubai Marina](/en/dubai/dubai-marina/), the [Ritz-Carlton](/en/hotels/ritz-carlton-dubai-jbr/) and [Address Beach Resort](/en/hotels/address-beach-resort/) open onto the public JBR beach and its promenade, [Banyan Tree](/en/hotels/banyan-tree-dubai/) has 500 m of private beach on Bluewaters Island, and the adults-only [The Residence](/en/hotels/residence-royal-mirage/) shares the One&Only Royal Mirage's kilometre of beach. Public beaches such as Kite Beach, facing the Burj Al Arab, are free; the [Dubai beaches](/en/guides/plages-dubai/) guide covers them.

**A beach below the mountains, in Muscat.** In Muscat, Oman's capital, the beach runs along a low-rise city backed by the Hajar mountains. On Shatti Al Qurum, the city beach, three large hotels stand side by side on the sand: the [Mandarin Oriental](/en/hotels/mandarin-oriental-muscat/), with a kids' club; the [W Muscat](/en/hotels/w-muscat/), next to the Royal Opera House, for those who want an evening out; and the [Grand Hyatt](/en/hotels/grand-hyatt-muscat/), the most affordable, from about €230 a night. A little further west, [The Chedi](/en/hotels/the-chedi-muscat/) fronts its private beach with water gardens. Towards the airport, in Al Mouj, the [Kempinski](/en/hotels/kempinski-hotel-muscat/) and the [St. Regis](/en/hotels/st-regis-al-mouj-muscat/) share the seafront with a golf course. To the south-east, the coves are more sheltered, between cliffs: [Jumeirah Muscat Bay](/en/hotels/jumeirah-muscat-bay/) in Bandar Jissah bay and, at Barr Al Jissah, the complex run by Hilton since January 2026, with the cove of [Al Husn](/en/hotels/al-husn-muscat/), for guests aged 16 and over, and the 500-plus metres of beach at the [DoubleTree Al Waha](/en/hotels/doubletree-muscat-al-waha/), the family choice. About an hour north-west, on the [Batinah](/en/oman/batinah/) coast, the [Barceló Mussanah](/en/hotels/barcelo-mussanah-resort/) adds a water park to its private beach, at around €120 a night. The [Muscat](/en/oman/muscat/) page describes the boat trips.

**Southern Oman's beaches, with a caveat.** The selection also includes beach hotels on the Arabian Sea, in Salalah and Mirbat, such as [Al Baleed Resort by Anantara](/en/hotels/al-baleed-anantara/), and in Musandam, [Six Senses Zighy Bay](/en/hotels/six-senses-zighy-bay/). Some foreign ministries advise against travel to the [Salalah](/en/oman/salalah/), Duqm and [Musandam](/en/oman/musandam/) areas: these pages are for information and give your country's advice, and the guide [Oman and the regional situation](/en/guides/situation-oman/) sets out the details.

**The Mediterranean in summer.** In Morocco, Tamuda Bay offers 15 kilometres of fine sand, according to the Moroccan National Tourist Office; the Banyan Tree puts its guests in villas with private pools, and the Sofitel keeps children aged 4 to 17 busy. In Tangier, the Idou Malabata faces the Strait of Gibraltar. In Egypt, the north coast, the Sahel, is the great summer holiday destination for Egyptians, especially in July and August: the Four Seasons in Alexandria is linked by a tunnel to its 500 m private beach, and the Al Alamein Hotel, opened in 1960, is on Sidi Abdel Rahman Bay.

## Before you swim

**Atlantic currents.** Most Moroccan beaches are unsupervised, drownings are frequent, and great caution is needed even on supervised beaches, because of tides and currents. Sabaro advises swimming in front of the hotel, where it indicates, and staying out on days with a swell.

**Coral.** In Egypt, taking or damaging coral is punishable. Clean any coral cut carefully, however small, as surface toxins can infect it. Water shoes protect your feet on reef beaches.

**Sharks.** The Red Sea is home to sharks; accidents are rare. Follow dive centres' instructions strictly.

**Dubai's rules.** Swimwear is worn only on the beach and by the pool, and topless sunbathing is banned. Rip currents can form on any beach: swim in supervised areas only, never under a red flag. Three public beaches in Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim are lit and supervised for night swimming. Photographing or sharing images of strikes, debris or the security situation is a criminal offence in the Emirates; for the regional situation, see the guide [Dubai and the regional situation](/en/guides/situation-regionale-dubai/).

**Wind.** It is frequent on the Atlantic. In Essaouira, whose beaches hold the Blue Flag bathing-water label, the sand blows in strong wind: the town suits board sports better than lazy days in the sun.

**Oman's rules.** Swimwear is for tourist beaches and pool areas only; elsewhere, shoulders and knees stay covered. Alcohol is served in licensed venues such as hotel bars and is banned in public, beaches included.

For a beach holiday with children, the [Family holidays](/en/themes/family/) page presents kids' clubs and water parks.

## Tunisia: the Mediterranean, from Tabarka to Djerba

In Tunisia, the sea is warm from June to October: in Gammarth it averages between 22.5 and 27°C over that period, and on Djerba it stays above 24°C. The selection's beach hotels are spread all along the coast.

**Gammarth, north of Tunis.** The [Four Seasons](/en/hotels/four-seasons-tunis/) has a 500-metre beach; the beach at [The Residence Tunis](/en/hotels/the-residence-tunis/) is open only from mid-May to mid-October. Carthage and Sidi Bou Said are close by ([the region](/en/tunisia/carthage-sidi-bou-said/)).

**[Hammamet](/en/tunisia/hammamet-cap-bon/) and the Sahel.** In Yasmine Hammamet, the [Hasdrubal Thalassa & Spa](/en/hotels/hasdrubal-thalassa-yasmine-hammamet/) has a private beach. In [Sousse](/en/tunisia/sousse/), the [Mövenpick](/en/hotels/movenpick-sousse/) sits on the sand of the corniche, 2 km from the centre, and the [Iberostar Selection Diar el Andalous](/en/hotels/iberostar-selection-diar-el-andalous/) faces the beach at Port El Kantaoui. In [Mahdia](/en/tunisia/mahdia-el-jem/), the [Iberostar Selection Royal El Mansour](/en/hotels/iberostar-selection-royal-el-mansour/) is on the beach, a few minutes' walk from the old town.

**[Djerba](/en/tunisia/djerba/).** The [Hasdrubal Prestige](/en/hotels/hasdrubal-prestige-djerba/) is on Sidi Mahrez beach; the all-inclusive [Iberostar Selection Eolia](/en/hotels/iberostar-selection-eolia-djerba/) faces Sidi Bakour beach; the [Radisson Blu Palace](/en/hotels/radisson-blu-palace-djerba/) is a short walk from the sandy beaches of the tourist zone.

**[Tabarka](/en/tunisia/tabarka/).** On the north-west coast, [La Cigale](/en/hotels/la-cigale-tabarka/) has a sandy beach fringed by pine woods, about 2 hr 45 min by road from Tunis-Carthage airport.

## Turkey: the Aegean and the Lycian coast

In Turkey, the sea is warm enough for swimming from June to October. In Bodrum, it goes from about 23 °C in June to 26 °C in August; in Kaş, on the Lycian coast, it is above 24 °C from June to October and nears 29 °C in August. Most beach hotels open from April or May to October.

**The [Bodrum](/en/turkey/bodrum/) peninsula.** Each bay has its hotels: the [Mandarin Oriental](/en/hotels/mandarin-oriental-bodrum/) on Cennet Koyu bay, [Maçakızı](/en/hotels/macakizi/) and [Kuum](/en/hotels/kuum-hotel-spa/) in Türkbükü, [Susona](/en/hotels/susona-bodrum/) in Torba, [The Bodrum EDITION](/en/hotels/bodrum-edition/) on Dirmil Bay, [Flamm](/en/hotels/flamm-bodrum/) on the Gölköy seafront, [METT](/en/hotels/mett-bodrum/) in a cove facing the castle. Further north, [Six Senses Kaplankaya](/en/hotels/six-senses-kaplankaya/) has its private beaches.

**The Lycian coast.** At the head of the Gulf of [Göcek](/en/turkey/gocek-dalyan/), the [D-Resort](/en/hotels/d-resort-gocek/) has a private beach with two jetties; between Fethiye and Göcek, the [Yonca Lodge](/en/hotels/yonca-lodge/) has its own, in an orchard by the sea. In [Kalkan](/en/turkey/kalkan-kas/), the [Hotel Villa Mahal](/en/hotels/hotel-villa-mahal/) has a beach club, 650 m from the harbour by water taxi. In [Çıralı](/en/turkey/olympos-cirali/), on a long beach where loggerhead turtles nest, the [Olympos Lodge](/en/hotels/olympos-lodge/) and the [Arcadia](/en/hotels/arcadia-hotel/) are right by the sand.

**Near İzmir and Istanbul.** [Hiddenbay Teos](/en/hotels/hiddenbay-teos/), in Sığacık, south of [Urla](/en/turkey/izmir-urla/), has a private jetty. On the [Princes' Islands](/en/turkey/princes-islands/), the Sea of Marmara reaches 21 °C in June and 24 °C in July and August; the [Princes' Palace](/en/hotels/princes-palace/) has its own private beach.

## Frequently asked questions

### How warm is the Red Sea?

It is coolest in February and March, around 22 °C in Hurghada and 23 °C in Marsa Alam, and warmest in August, around 29 to 30 °C.

### Where can I swim in winter?

On the Red Sea: Hurghada, Soma Bay, El Gouna, Marsa Alam, Sharm el-Sheikh or Dahab; or in Dubai, where the sea is 22 °C in January and the air 24 °C. Morocco's Atlantic is then between 16 and 18 °C.

### How warm is the sea in Dubai?

From 22 °C in January and February to 33 °C in July and August. From October to April the water stays between 22 and 31 °C and the air is mild; in summer the sea no longer cools you down.

### How warm is the sea in Muscat?

About 23.5 °C in February, the coolest month, and 31.5 °C in June. From October to April, the season for European visitors, it stays between 23.5 and 30 °C.

### Beach with a reef?

In Marsa Alam, the Steigenberger Coraya Beach gives direct reef access from its 800 m private beach; in Sharm el-Sheikh, two jetties lead to the Four Seasons' reefs.

### Do I need a wetsuit in the Atlantic?

For surfing and kitesurfing, yes, all year: the water ranges from 16.5 to 20.6 °C in Taghazout. For a summer swim in Agadir, from July to October, the water is above 19.5 °C.

### How warm is the sea in Tunisia?

From June to October the sea is warm: on average between 22.5 and 27°C in Gammarth, and above 24°C on Djerba.

### How warm is the sea in Turkey?

From June to October, the sea is warm: in Bodrum, about 23 °C in June and 26 °C in August; in Kaş, above 24 °C, and nearly 29 °C in August.