Snorkeling in Hurghada

From the sandy shallows of Orange Bay to the curious bottlenose dolphins of Dolphin House, Hurghada is where most snorkelers fall in love with the Red Sea.

5.00(1217 reviews) 9 trips Pay on arrival OK Airport: HRG

Turquoise water

20m+ underwater visibility year-round.

Sunny weather

300+ sunny days a year.

Variety of sites

Reefs, islands, dolphin lagoons.

Overview

Hurghada is the busiest snorkeling base in Egypt, an old fishing village turned into a 100-kilometre coastal strip of resorts. The marina sends out 200 day boats every morning. The advantages: cheap and frequent flights from Europe, English-speaking dive shops on every corner, year-round sun, and the densest cluster of reefs in the country reachable in under 90 minutes by boat. Beginners and families anchor here for a reason, the water inside Giftun National Park is calm, shallow on the entry side, and rich with the same coral species you would see in Sharm or Marsa Alam at half the travel cost.

Best snorkeling spots

Orange Bay (Giftun Island)

White-sand sandbar, two reef stops, the most photographed snorkel spot in the country.

Mahmya Beach (Giftun)

Quieter than Orange Bay, restaurant on the beach, calmer water.

Shaab El Erg / Dolphin House

Horseshoe lagoon home to a resident pod of around 250 bottlenose dolphins.

Hula Hula Sandbar

Tide-only sandbar 33 nautical miles north, only appears between 11:00 and 14:00.

Magawish Island

Family-friendly island 30 minutes from the marina, calm shallows.

Abu Ramada

Twin reef pinnacles south of Giftun, less crowded, deeper drop-offs.

Marine life

Resident species: 1,200 fish species recorded in the Red Sea overall, around 800 of those visit reefs near Hurghada. Common encounters include parrotfish, butterflyfish, lionfish, moray eels, hawksbill turtles, and bottlenose dolphins (the resident pod lives at Shaab El Erg / Dolphin House). Whale sharks are rare but appear at Abu Galawa (south Hurghada) between July and September. Manta rays are seen offshore at Erg Somaya in winter.

Full Red Sea marine life guide

Weather

Best time: October to May
Avoid: Late December if north winds spike
Water temp: 22°C in February, 28°C in August

Getting there

Hurghada International Airport (HRG) sits 5 km south of the marina. Most resort hotels are a 10 to 25 minute drive from the marina, our pickup driver will collect you between 07:00 and 08:00 depending on the trip. From Cairo, the drive is 6 hours, the bus is 8.