Orange Bay Island & Snorkeling, Hurghada

About this trip

Orange Bay sits 16 nautical miles north of Hurghada Marina, on the eastern flank of Giftun Island National Park. The boat ride takes about 90 minutes each way and passes two of the busiest reefs in the bay, both protected since 1995. Most groups stop at a snorkeling spot first, where the corals start in waist-deep water and the visibility regularly reaches 25 metres. The second stop is closer to the island and shallower, better for first-time snorkelers and kids. By midday you anchor at Orange Bay itself and walk into the water from a wooden jetty straight onto bone-white sand.

What the ninety minutes each way actually buys

Orange Bay is sixteen nautical miles north of Hurghada Marina, on the eastern flank of Giftun Island National Park. The crossing takes about ninety minutes and people occasionally ask why the boat does not go faster. The answer is that the route is the trip. You pass two of the busiest reefs in the bay, both protected since 1995, and the boat stops at them rather than sailing by. That protection is why there is anything to look at: three decades of no fishing and controlled anchoring is the difference between a living reef and a rubble field, and it shows the moment you put your face in. The island itself is the destination, but the two reef stops are where most of the marine life happens. Guests who treat the day as a beach transfer with a swim attached usually come back saying the reefs were the surprise.

The two reef stops are not the same

The first stop is the deeper one. Corals start in waist-deep water and the visibility regularly reaches twenty-five metres, which means you can see the reef structure below you long before you reach it. This is where the density is: parrotfish working the coral, sergeant majors in clouds, butterflyfish in pairs, and a moray tucked into a hole if you look properly rather than swimming over the top. The second stop is closer to the island and shallower, which makes it the better one for first-time snorkelers and children. It is also where hawksbill turtles show up on most days, feeding on the sponge growth. If you only have the energy for one proper swim, make it the first. If you are nervous in water, or have a child with you, the second is the one to save yourself for.

What the island is actually like

You anchor at Orange Bay around midday and walk in from a wooden jetty straight onto bone-white sand. The shallows are warm, clear and knee-deep for a long way out, which is why the photographs look the way they do. Be realistic about the crowd. This is the most popular island day in Hurghada and by late morning there are many boats in the bay. The sand is wide enough to absorb it, but if the picture in your head is an empty island, book the private speedboat instead and arrive at 09:30, or go to Magawish, which is genuinely quieter. There are loungers, bars and some shade on the island. Breakfast and a buffet lunch are served on board rather than ashore, so you are not tied to island prices for food.

The entrance fee, and why it is quoted separately

Orange Bay charges a per-person entrance fee that the island authority collects, not us. We list it as its own line at booking and in the total, rather than folding it into the headline price. That is a deliberate choice and it costs us on comparison shopping, because a competitor quoting one number always looks cheaper until you are standing at the jetty. We would rather the figure you agree to be the figure you pay. The practical point: budget for it per person, including children, and bring it into your comparison when you are looking at other operators. If another quote for the same island does not mention an entrance fee anywhere, that fee has not disappeared, it has just not been mentioned yet.

Trip highlights

• Two snorkeling stops at vibrant reefs
• 2 hours on the white-sand island of Orange Bay
• Breakfast and buffet lunch on board
• Hotel pickup & drop-off

What you will see underwater

The reef edge is dense with parrotfish, sergeant majors, butterflyfish, and the occasional moray. Hawksbill turtles show up on most days at the second reef. The island's shallows are full of needlefish and small barracuda. Bottlenose dolphins follow the boat on the way back if you leave Orange Bay between 14:00 and 15:00.

What's included

• Breakfast on board
• Hotel pickup & drop-off
• Snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, fins, vest)
• Buffet lunch on board
• Soft drinks, tea & water
• Certified captain & crew
• Underwater camera (extra)
• Tip for captain & crew (optional)

Daily itinerary

Approximate. Subject to weather and sea conditions.

1. 1
   Hotel pickup
2. 2
   Boarding
3. 3
   Arrive at the island
4. 4
   First reef snorkel
5. 5
   Beach time on the island
6. 6
   Buffet lunch
7. 7
   Second reef snorkel
8. 8
   Return cruise
9. 9
   Hotel drop-off

Trip-specific questions