Diving and Snorkeling in Hurghada, Egypt

Hurghada is Egypt’s largest and most established Red Sea dive base. The number of PADI-accredited centres, the infrastructure for day boats and liveaboards, and the range of sites accessible from here make it a functional and well-resourced diving destination. Its limitations are worth understanding: the inshore reef has suffered from overdevelopment, and for experienced divers, the best sites require either a long boat trip or a liveaboard to reach.

Giftun Islands

The Giftun Islands national marine reserve, 7km offshore, is the main snorkeling destination from Hurghada and an accessible scuba site for day boats. The reef condition here is measurably better than the shallow inshore reef closer to the resorts, which has been damaged by decades of anchor drops and intensive boat traffic. A day trip from the Marina costs EGP 400–800 per person including equipment, with stops for snorkeling over the reef and a beach break on the island.

Scuba divers access the Small Giftun reef wall — a straightforward dive within Open Water certification limits, with reasonable fish life and coral coverage.

Shaab Abu Nuhas — Wreck Diving

Shaab Abu Nuhas is a shallow reef platform 50km northeast of Hurghada that has claimed four significant wrecks. The most historically notable is the Carnatic, a British passenger and cargo steamship that sank in 1869 and lies in 25m of water, largely intact. The Chrisoula K (1981) is visually striking — its cargo of ceramic floor tiles is still stacked in the hold. The Giannis D (1983) is the most popular, accessible from 6m to 27m.

Most day boats reach Abu Nuhas in approximately 90 minutes. Liveaboards include it as a standard stop. This is where Hurghada’s dive scene is at its most distinctive — the wreck concentration at a single site is unusual anywhere in the world.

Day Boat Dive Sites

Erg Somaya is a pinnacle site northeast of Hurghada with reasonable soft coral and varied fish life. The Brothers Islands (two small islands 70km offshore) are considered among the best dive sites in the Red Sea — strong currents, large pelagics including oceanic whitetip sharks, and excellent soft coral on the walls. Brothers is typically reached by liveaboard rather than day boat.

Liveaboard Diving

Liveaboards operating from Hurghada reach destinations that day boats cannot: the Brothers Islands, Daedalus Reef, and Elphinstone Reef (near Marsa Alam, famous for hammerhead sightings in season). Week-long liveaboards are the way to access the best diving from this base. Multiple operators run liveaboards from Hurghada year-round, with October–April being peak season for the southern Red Sea routes. Prices start at approximately $700–1,000 USD per person for a week including all dives and meals.

PADI Courses and Try Dives

The water conditions in Hurghada suit learning — warm (22–24°C in winter, 26–28°C in summer), generally calm, and with good visibility. An Open Water certification course takes three to four days and costs approximately $300–400 USD at most centres. Advanced Open Water and Rescue Diver courses are also widely available.

Try dives — a single supervised dive with a divemaster, without requiring certification — are a good option for those who want the experience without committing to a full course. One to two hours of pool orientation followed by a shallow sea dive, costing approximately $50–80.

Snorkeling Without Diving

For non-divers, a glass-bottom boat tour from the Marina gives a view of the reef without getting wet. The Giftun Islands day trip with snorkeling equipment included is the better option for those comfortable in the water — visibility from the surface over the offshore reef is good, and the fish life is visible without needing to descend.

For the full picture of activities from Hurghada and our Red Sea diving overview, see also our Hurghada city guide.