Bob Marley Moonlight terrace restaurant cafe — Restaurant in Elephantine Island

A Laid-Back Stay with Incredible Hospitality Why did we book this place? Because we saw photos of people drinking beer on the terrace and looking happy—and that’s exactly what we did! 😄

Location & Setup Situated on Elephantine Island, just across from Aswan’s city center. The guesthouse is a 3-4 floor building, offering rooms with private bathrooms, but the bathrooms are separate from the rooms—each room has its own designated bathroom with a private key.

The Bob Marley Vibe – “This is Your Home” The moment we arrived, we were welcomed by Ali, who set the tone with his philosophy: “This is not a hotel; this is our home, and we are opening it to you. We are all just guests staying here for now, and I want this place to be your home too.” And honestly? It felt like home.

Our Room Spacious & clean—we stayed in a room with three single beds. Simple, tidy, and exactly what we needed.

Restaurant & Terrace – The Heart of the Guesthouse Delicious homemade food with a chill, relaxed atmosphere. The ultimate self-service beer experience—just grab one from the fridge, let the hosts know, and enjoy. The terrace views were breathtaking, especially at sunrise.

A Special Thanks to Ali & Mohamed We had issues with our bus ticket from Aswan to our next stop: We couldn’t access the ticket or communicate with the bus company. Mohamed went above and beyond—calling them multiple times to double-check everything. Even at the bus station, when more problems arose, we called Mohamed and he immediately handled it, making sure we got the best solution possible. (For the record, the bus service was horrible! 😅)

Final Thoughts Great people, great place, great food, and great views. If you’re looking for a laid-back stay with a warm, welcoming atmosphere, this is the place. Would I stay here again?...

We'd read the reviews about the food taking a while so we were prepared, but the 1.5 hour wait was more than we were expecting. And our pizza was forgotten so it came another 30 minutes after that. And then another 30 minutes to wait for the bill after asking for it...

But the slow slow timing wasn't the only thing. The beef tajine had such chewy meat (not at all tender) we didn't finish it, and the aubergine with bechamel tajine, which we'd ordered for a vegetarian, had small bits of meat in it, which really upset said vegetarian, and the vegetable tajine is the exact same vegetable side dish they serve everywhere except with fewer vegetables and more potatoes. The rice and bread are also the same as everywhere. There was nothing to set this place apart from anywhere else. The only things we enjoyed were the grilled meat and the mango juice.

To be fair, there was no running water on the island tonight, so maybe in normal times it's a bit more efficient? And the view is nice, they serve alcohol, and the waiter was juggling a lot at once. We still...

This place is a hidden gem! If you are sick of the tourist tout vibe- head to Bob Marley’s moonlight terrace. Take the South ferry to Elephantine island (5EGP), and it’s a 3 minute walk to the right once off the ferry. Perfect river views, nice ambience and beer!! You can hear the rush of Aswan across the river, at a nice distance to really wind down and escape it all. There’s WiFi- but it’s better to unplug and enjoy! The food was next level - we had the bbq chicken, shish tawook and a mixed veg tagine dish, plus the extras that come with the mains (bread, dip, salad and rice). More food than you could possibly eat, and pretty much the most delicious and reasonably priced food all trip!! Ali the owner is a delight, making sure you are well looked after- also giving tips if you ask, of where to go to get experiences/ trips you want- but not directly organizing and selling these himself- which we prefer. A real Goa style relaxation, meets Aswan on the river. We never imagined we could end up somewhere as cool as this in Aswan- we are so lucky we did....