The Bihar Edit
May 2026 · 5 min read
The Bihar edit: what to pack for a boat day around Gouna
It's early. The marina is quiet in the way it only is before ten — a few engines running, someone loading a cooler, the water still flat. This is the part of the day most people don't photograph but always remember. The before.
A boat day around Gouna sounds simple until you've had a bad one. Too much sun, wrong snacks, a speaker that died by two, no hoodie when the wind picked up on the way back. The water is forgiving. The preparation doesn't have to be.
This is the list we put together — not the obvious one, but the one that actually makes the difference between a good day and the kind you talk about for weeks.
The list
01Sunscreen — more than you think, reef-safe
The Red Sea sun reflects off the water and hits you from every direction at once. You'll think you've applied enough and you haven't. Bring a full bottle, minimum SPF 50, and one that's reef-safe — the coral here is worth protecting. Reapply after every time you're in the water, not just once in the morning.
02A Bluetooth speaker — fully charged, waterproof if possible
The boat is the venue and music is what holds the day together. Don't rely on anyone else to bring one and don't bring one with 40% battery. A waterproof speaker means it survives splashes, anchor drops, and the general chaos of a boat. Make a playlist before you leave — there is no good signal in the middle of the Red Sea.
03A dry bag — non-negotiable
Your phone, your keys, your cash, your cards. Everything that can't get wet goes in the dry bag before the boat leaves the marina — not when you're already on the water. A five-litre bag is enough for most days. Get one with a proper roll-top seal, not just a zip.
04Snacks — the right ones
Nachos, chips, anything salty and sturdy. Avoid anything that melts, anything in chocolate, anything that needs refrigeration. You're eating with wet hands on a moving boat — think accordingly. Grapes, cherry tomatoes, and good bread also hold up well and make the cooler feel more intentional than just chips.
05Drinks — cold, more than enough
The cooler is the most important piece of equipment on the boat. Fill it the night before so everything is properly cold by morning, not just cool. Water is the priority — the heat and the salt air dehydrate you faster than you expect. Everything else is secondary but equally welcome.
06Polarised sunglasses
Regular sunglasses help. Polarised ones change the experience entirely — you can actually see into the water, the colour becomes something different, and the glare that gives you a headache by three in the afternoon disappears. Worth the upgrade if you spend time on the water regularly.
07A snorkeling mask — your own
The visibility around Gouna's sandbanks and outer spots is extraordinary — clear enough that you don't need to dive to see what's underneath. A basic mask is enough. Bring your own rather than borrowing one from the boat — fit matters more than people realise, and a poorly fitting mask ruins the experience.
08A hoodie — always
This is the one people always leave behind and always regret. The ride back to the marina in the late afternoon — wet from the water, wind picking up, sun lower — is cold in a way that sneaks up on you. A light hoodie over your swim shorts is the difference between a perfect ending and a miserable forty minutes. Bring it every time without exception.
"The water is forgiving. The preparation doesn't have to be."
What to wear
Everything above fits in a bag. What you wear is simpler — a swim short that works in the water, dries fast, and doesn't look like it gave up by the time you're back at the marina. Bihar's swim shorts are mid-length, above the knee, with an inner mesh that stays comfortable from early morning to well after sunset.
The prints hold up in the light out here — bold enough to be the outfit on the boat, considered enough to carry into the evening with a white tee or something thrown over the top.
Bihar swim shorts — quick-dry, inner mesh, bold prints made for the Red Sea.
Shop now →
Something is coming
The piece that takes you from the boat to wherever the evening goes — without going home first. Light, considered, and built for exactly this kind of day. More soon.
Boat rentals are available from the marina. Bayoud is fifteen minutes out. Tawila is further and worth the extra time. Leave early, stay late, bring the hoodie.
