1
Orange Bay (Giftun Island)
White-sand sandbar, two reef stops, the most photographed snorkel spot in the country.
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(1247 reviews) 10 trips Pay on arrival OK Airport: HRG
10
trips
5.0
Rating
40+
Reef & dive sites
360
Sunny days a year
21-29°C
Water temp
30 m+
Visibility
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
2
Mahmya Beach (Giftun)
Quieter than Orange Bay, restaurant on the beach, calmer water.
3
Dolphin House
Horseshoe lagoon home to a resident pod of around 250 bottlenose dolphins.
4
Hula Hula Sandbar
Tide-only sandbar 33 nautical miles north, only appears between 11:00 and 14:00.
5
Magawish Island
Family-friendly island 30 minutes from the marina, calm shallows.
6
Abu Ramada
Twin reef pinnacles south of Giftun, less crowded, deeper drop-offs.
Resort areas & pickup
Hurghada marina is the closest launch point to most of the Red Sea islands, including Giftun, Orange Bay and Dolphin House. Wherever you stay along this coast, hotel pickup is included and the boat still leaves from Hurghada.
Sahl Hasheesh
A self-contained bay just south of Hurghada with calm beaches and big resorts. Shortest transfer to the marina.
about 20-30 min to the marina
El Gouna
A lagoon resort town 25 km north, full of hotels and a marina of its own. Daily pickup to the Hurghada boats.
about 30-40 min to the marina
Makadi Bay
A quiet hotel bay 35 km south, popular with families who want a calm base. Daily pickup included.
about 35-45 min to the marina
Best time to visit
Best time: October to May · Avoid: Late December if north winds spike
Jan
22°
Feb
21°
Mar
22°
Apr
24°
May
26°
Jun
27°
Jul
28°
Aug
29°
Sep
28°
Oct
27°
Nov
25°
Dec
23°
Peak Good Cooler, quieter Sea °C
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 Dolphin House). Whale sharks are rare but appear at Abu Galawa (south Hurghada) between July and September. Manta rays are seen offshore in winter.
Full Red Sea marine life guideGetting 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.
All trips · Hurghada
10 trips available
Best sellerFamily-friendly
Save 14%5.00(312)
Orange Bay Island & Snorkeling, Hurghada
Sail to the Maldives of the Red Sea, pearl-white sand, turquoise water and three reef stops.
Boat trip8hUp to 40 guestsOnline payment only
From
€35€30
per adult
PrivateSpeedboat
Save 19%5.00(184)
Private Speedboat to Orange Bay, Hurghada
Private speedboat for up to 8 guests, only your group on board. Orange Bay in 35 minutes, 4 hours in total.
Private speedboat4hUp to 8 guestsOnline payment only
From
€160€130
per trip
DolphinsBest seller
Save 33%5.00(246)
Dolphin House, Swim with Wild Dolphins, Hurghada
A protected horseshoe lagoon home to a resident pod of bottlenose dolphins. Three snorkeling stops.
Boat trip8hUp to 35 guestsPay on arrival OK
From
€30€20
per adult
PrivateSpeedboat
Save 22%5.00(138)
Private Speedboat to Dolphin House, Hurghada
Private speedboat for up to 8 guests, only your group on board. Beat the crowd to Dolphin House in a 4-hour trip.
Private speedboat4hUp to 8 guestsOnline payment only
From
€160€125
per trip
DolphinsDiving
5.00(30)
Dolphin House Snorkeling & 1 Diving Stop, Hurghada
Full-day Red Sea trip that mixes one snorkeling stop, the Dolphin House area, and one beginner-friendly diving stop with scuba gear included.
Boat trip8hUp to 25 guestsPay on arrival OK
From
€35
per adult
PrivateSpeedboat
5.00(158)
Private Speedboat to Magawish Island, Hurghada
Private speedboat for up to 8 guests, only your group on board. Magawish in ~30 minutes from the marina. 4-hour trip. Optional BBQ lunch on the island as a paid extra.
Private speedboat4hUp to 8 guestsOnline payment only
From
€130
per trip
Private
5.00(64)
Private Boat to Orange Bay, Hurghada
Your own boat, your own schedule. Up to 12 friends or family, total privacy.
Private boat8hUp to 12 guestsPay on arrival OK
From
€550
per trip
PrivateDolphins
Save 8%5.00(47)
Private Boat to Dolphin House, Hurghada
A private dolphin day. Skip the crowds, take your time, choose your route.
Private boat8hUp to 12 guestsOnline payment only
From
€600€550
per trip
PrivateNew
Save 8%5.00(38)
Private Boat to Hula Hula Island, Hurghada
The white-sand sandbar of Hula Hula is the dream Instagram backdrop. Yours for a day.
Private boat8hUp to 12 guestsOnline payment only
From
€600€550
per trip
PrivateSpeedboat
Save 19%5.00(30)
Private Speedboat to Hula Hula, Hurghada
Private speedboat for up to 8 guests, only your group on board. Reach Hula Hula fast for a 4-hour trip with maximum sandbar time.
Private speedboat4hUp to 8 guestsOnline payment only
From
€160€130
per trip
Common questions
Is Hurghada good for snorkeling beginners?
Yes. The reefs inside Giftun National Park sit in calm, shallow water, and every boat carries a guide and spare gear, so first-timers and families are comfortable from the first stop.
Which snorkeling trip from Hurghada is best?
Orange Bay and Dolphin House are the two most booked. Orange Bay pairs a white-sand island with two reef stops, while Dolphin House gives you a chance to snorkel near a resident pod of wild dolphins.
Can you see dolphins snorkeling in Hurghada?
Often, yes. A resident pod of around 250 bottlenose dolphins lives at Dolphin House, and sightings on the dolphin trips are common, though never guaranteed with wild animals.
Can hotels in Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh or El Gouna still join?
Yes. We run hotel pickup from Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh, El Gouna and Makadi Bay. Hurghada marina is the closest launch point to most of the islands, so transfer times stay short.
