The islands side by side
Distances are straight lines from Hurghada Marina, measured on the map; boat times are what operators publish.
| Where | From Hurghada | Beach or reef | Good for | Trips that go | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Bay (Big Giftun) | South-west side of Big Giftun, facing town | ≈ 8 km; ≈ 45 min big boat, 15–20 min speedboat | Wide shallow sandy bay, reefs nearby by boat | Small children, photos, first trip | Big boats, speedboats, yachts, private boats |
| Paradise (Big Giftun) | Southern tip | ≈ 12 km; ≈ 1.5 h by yacht on one operator's timetable | Beach with lunch on the sand; reef stop on the way | A slower beach day | Yacht and speedboat trips sold as "Paradise Island" |
| Eden (Big Giftun) | Southern tip, between Paradise and Mahmya | ≈ 12 km | Beach club | Beach day away from Orange Bay | A smaller number of boats |
| Mahmya (Big Giftun) | Southern tip, east end | ≈ 12 km; ≈ 1 h direct on Mahmya's boat | Soft sand, coral off the beach, Sabina reef trip | Quiet, rules-based beach day | Mahmya's own boats from its marina; some platforms |
| Little Giftun | East of Big Giftun | ≈ 13 km | Reef, used for snorkel stops | Snorkeling | Snorkel boats, dive boats |
| Magawish | Off the coast south of the hotel strip | ≈ 8 km; about 20 min by speedboat | Sandy beach, two-reef snorkel trips | Short hops, half days | Speedboat sea taxis, yachts, Orange Bay combos |
| Hula Hula | Operators place it in the Giftun area; position not published | — | Beach plus two snorkel stops | Same day as Paradise, different beach | Yacht and speedboat trips |
| Utopia / Bianca | Off the Soma Bay coast | ≈ 50 km south by road, then by boat from Soma Bay | Beach with all-inclusive lunch, glass-bottom ride | Families who want a kids' club | Cruise from Amarina Soma Bay Marina |
| Sharm El Naga | Mainland bay between Makadi and Safaga | ≈ 45 km south by road | House reef from the beach | Snorkeling without a boat | Bus day trips with lunch |
Big Giftun: one island, four beaches
Giftun is the island most trips are built around. It is a protected area. In 2004 HEPCA, the Hurghada conservation group, led the campaign that stopped a large resort project on it, and HEPCA describes it as the main green turtle nesting ground in the region. The beach clubs are concessions on its coast.
Orange Bay gets the most boats and the most photos. The southern tip is a separate world: Paradise, Eden and Mahmya sit side by side within a few hundred metres, and boats sometimes use the names loosely. If a listing matters to you, look for the beach name in the itinerary, not just the title. Little Giftun, further east, is mostly a snorkel stop.
Magawish and the "2 islands" trips
Magawish lies off the coast south of the hotel strip, about 8 km from the marina. Speedboat taxis run there and to Orange Bay with 15–20 minute crossings, and many sell a split day: a few hours at Orange Bay, a few at Magawish. On one speedboat listing, snorkeling is included at Magawish but not at Orange Bay, which tells you where the coral is.
Yachts also combine the two. One "2 islands" yacht trip lists one hour at Orange Bay and one hour at Magawish, plus snorkeling and lunch on board. On any combo, check the time per island before you count islands.
Hula Hula and the naming problem
Hula Hula is sold by the same operators who sell Paradise, with nearly identical timetables: morning yacht, sunset yacht, speedboat. Some programs call it Giftun, and one dive centre calls it "Hula Hula (Paradise) Island". None of the operators publishes exactly where it is. If the beach itself matters, ask the seller which beach the boat lands at.
The far south: Utopia and Sharm El Naga
Both start with a drive south, so they suit people staying in Makadi, Soma Bay or Safaga better than town hotels.
Utopia, also sold as Bianca Island, is reached from Amarina Soma Bay Marina. The trip is built for families: a glass-bottom ride, one snorkel stop, an all-inclusive buffet and open bar on the island, a kids' club and beach volleyball.
Sharm El Naga is a bay, not an island. Buses take you about 45 km south; you snorkel with a guide straight from the beach, where the reef starts a few metres out. Operators sell it as a turtle spot and say green turtles graze on the seagrass in the bay. With no boat involved, it is the obvious choice for people who get seasick.
Picking one
First trip, small children: Orange Bay. A beach day with fixed rules and a reef: Mahmya. Two islands in half a day: a Magawish speedboat. Seasick or staying south: Sharm El Naga. Kids' club and all-inclusive: Utopia.
