Six ways onto the water
| Total time | Time at sea, each way | Time in the water | Group | Suits | Skip if | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big boat island cruise | 7–8.5 h | ≈ 45 min to Giftun | 2 snorkel stops of ≈ 45 min | Up to ≈ 30 per group | First-timers, families | You get seasick or bored on boats |
| Speedboat / sea taxi | ≈ 4 h (some full-day) | 15–20 min | Depends on the island; one listing has snorkeling only at Magawish | Small | Short on time | Back problems, babies |
| Luxury yacht | ≈ 8–8.5 h | ≈ 45 min | 2 stops, sometimes an intro dive | Smaller | Couples, special days | You only care about the reef |
| Private boat or speedboat | 2–8 h, you choose | Your choice | Your choice | Your group | Families, groups of friends | Solo travellers on a budget |
| Semi-submarine / glass-bottom | 2–3 h | Short | One snorkel stop, optional | Large | Non-swimmers, grandparents, small children | You will snorkel anyway |
| Dive trip (intro or certified) | Half or full day | Varies by site | 1–2 dives | Dive group | Curious non-divers, divers | Ear or lung problems (ask a doctor) |
The trip list on this page shows what is on sale now, with live prices. As a rule of thumb, a shared speedboat seat costs about the same as a big-boat day, a luxury yacht roughly twice that, and a private boat several times more.
Where the boats go, and what each spot is for
- The reefs around Big and Little Giftun are where most snorkel stops are. Calm, colourful, easy for beginners when the sea is flat.
- Abu Ramada, south of Giftun, is the reef divers nickname the Aquarium for the number of fish. Some Orange Bay boats use it as their second stop.
- Orange Bay is a beach, not a reef. Go for the shallow water and the swings. See Orange Bay.
- Mahmya and Paradise, on Giftun's southern tip, combine beach time with snorkeling; Mahmya runs its own trip to Sabina reef. See Mahmya and Paradise Island.
- Magawish is the short hop for speedboats, often paired with Orange Bay. Compare all of them on Hurghada islands.
- Dolphin House (Shaab El Erg), north of Hurghada, is a large horseshoe-shaped reef where wild dolphins are often seen resting. It is a longer run and depends on calm seas. See Dolphin House.
- Sharm El Naga, 45 km south, is snorkeling from the beach, no boat at all.
Dolphins: what a good boat does
Wild dolphins come to rest in sheltered reefs during the day. HEPCA, the Hurghada conservation group, runs a campaign that calls chasing, surrounding, touching and crowding them harassment, not interaction. A good crew keeps the boat at a distance, puts people in the water quietly and lets the dolphins decide. If your captain races after a pod or tells you to grab a fin, that is the operator to leave a review about. Captive dolphins at Dolphin World are a different subject; read our page on it before you book.
Wind, water temperature and cancellations
The sea is around 22–23 °C in January and February and around 28 °C in August. Spring and autumn give you warm water and less heat on deck. The north wind is the thing to watch: it makes speedboat rides rough and, when it is strong enough, the port authority closes the harbour and all boat trips are cancelled, sometimes with only a few hours' notice. Book a trip with free cancellation, and keep a spare day in your holiday for the sea.
If you get seasick, take a tablet before you leave the hotel (ask a pharmacist; Mahmya, for one, says plainly it does not hand out pills), stay in the middle of the boat and look at the horizon.
The safety question
Boats here vary. Before you board, check that there are life jackets for everyone and that the crew gives a briefing. Big boats should have toilets; ask if you are travelling with children.
On submarines: the Sindbad submarine, a real submarine that dives, sank while boarding in March 2025 and six people died; the company suspended all trips afterwards. Listings for a Sindbad submarine tour still appear. If you book one, confirm with the seller that it is actually running and ask what changed. The semi-submarines (Royal Seascope and others) stay on the surface, with a viewing deck below the waterline. Compare them on submarine and glass-bottom boats.
