Kitesurfing Ras Sudr — Matarma Bay

Wind & Conditions

Most popular Ras Sudr launch at Matarma Bay; NW cross-onshore from the right; mix of flat water and reef waves; crowded midday — evening sessions recommended; all levels; 2.5 hours from Cairo. [iksurfmag-ras-sudr]

About Ras Sudr — Matarma Bay

Matarma Bay sits on the Gulf of Suez side of the Sinai Peninsula — the most-used kite launch in the Ras Sudr area and the one you'll see referenced most when riders talk about this stretch of Egypt's Red Sea coast. Getting here from Cairo takes around two and a half hours, which makes it the most accessible proper kite destination for anyone based in the capital. The approach is straightforward desert driving; you'll know you're close when the Gulf of Suez opens up and the Sinai mountains frame the horizon behind you. The launch faces into a northwest cross-onshore wind arriving from the right. That angle keeps things manageable: the usable wind arc runs from due south through west and northwest to just short of due north (180°–359°), a wide range of workable directions. Cross-onshore from the right means you stay upwind of the beach naturally — a more comfortable dynamic than a straight onshore, and one that lets you work up and down the bay without constantly having to track back against your drift. Water character in Matarma Bay is a mix of flat sections and reef waves, which is part of why it tends to work across ability levels. The flatter zones give newer riders room to build board time without getting punished by constant chop or surge, while the reef sections offer something for riders who want to shape turns or work on wave timing. You can find your corner of the bay depending on what you're working on that session. Timing is genuinely worth thinking about here. Midday gets crowded — sessions stack up when conditions are at their most predictable, and more kites in the air means less room to work. Evening sessions are the better call: the wind typically holds through the afternoon, the crowd thins significantly, and the light across the water is easier on the eyes. Arriving mid-afternoon to be in the water by late afternoon gives you a noticeably different experience than a midday scramble. No facilities are listed at this launch, so treat it as a self-sufficient trip. Sort your gear before you reach the beach, bring water and food from Ras Sudr town, and pack serious sun protection — the Sinai sun is intense and shade at the launch is not guaranteed. Two and a half hours from Cairo means the logistics are worth planning the night before rather than figuring out on the road.

Best Season

Check the Breeza app for the current rideable window at Ras Sudr — Matarma Bay.

World Ranking

Not globally ranked, but a kitesurf destination — a local favourite worth a check when the wind lines up.

Location

Ras Sudr — Matarma Bay, South Sinai Governorate, Egypt, Egypt

Lat: 29.4352, Lon: 32.7819