If you have dived in Hurghada before, please share your experiences: Dive spots you would recommend, which Dive Center you used, Fishes & Diving, Visibility, Currents, etc. Please post your comments in the section below, by doing so you will help fellow divers to plan their next trip
Hurghada is a practical base for a Red Sea diving holiday, with day boats, training centres and liveaboard departures. Its development from a fishing settlement into a busy resort coast means plenty of choice, but also a reason to check where your hotel, centre and departure marina actually are.
Photo: Tarek (gr33ndata) — P5250154, CC BY-ND 2.0.
The best plan depends on what you want underwater. Local coral reefs can suit training and photography; a northern wreck excursion involves different travel and experience requirements. A week on a liveaboard is a separate holiday format, not simply a longer version of a local day trip.
Hurghada underwater: November 2022
Martin Punz’s Hurghada Nov 2022 records a past diving holiday in the area. It gives an underwater impression rather than a current itinerary, hotel recommendation or promise of particular sightings. Confirm the sites and conditions for your own departure.
Film and preview: Martin Punz · Hurghada Nov 2022 on Vimeo.
In this page you will find more detailed information about scuba diving in Hurghada.
Table of contents
Best Dive Review
Local reefs, longer wreck trips and dive experience
CDWS describes Hurghada as predominantly boat diving. Gota Abu Ramada offers coral gardens, while Small Giftun and Umm Gamar have more demanding profiles. Wind can prevent access to exposed sites. Choose the actual dive with your guide rather than treating every reef near Hurghada as an easy beginner dive.
| Area or site | Why consider it? | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Gota Abu Ramada | Coral gardens and reef-fish photography. | A sheltered profile appropriate to the group, with space for training divers. |
| Fanadir | A local reef outing to compare with the island sites. | Entry, current and pickup arrangements on the selected section. |
| Small Giftun | Walls and larger reef scenery. | Depth and current; deeper or overhead features are not part of every recreational dive. |
| Umm Gamar / Carless Reef | Offshore reef formations. | Sea conditions, exposure and the planned route. |
| El Mina | A local wreck option. | Visibility, depth and whether it is an additional dive with a supplement. |
| Abu Nuhas | A northern wreck area, including Giannis D and Carnatic. | Longer travel, weather, site selection and experience requirements. |
| Rosalie Moller | A deeper wreck with substantial structure and fish life. | A specifically qualified, experienced group and appropriate depth planning. |
| Salem Express | A memorial wreck near Safaga. | Separate travel arrangements and respectful exterior diving; no penetration. |
Wrecks are not automatically suitable for inexperienced divers because part of the structure is shallow. Current, visibility, entanglement and overhead spaces change the demands. Stay within your training and do not enter a wreck without appropriate specialist qualification, equipment and planning.
For photographers, reef scenery and wreck structure offer different opportunities. Ask about group size and time at the subject. Busy moorings can affect the experience, so discuss scheduling without assuming a liveaboard guarantees an empty reef.
Hurghada local reef orientation map
CDWS reference positions show the spread of local reefs. These are not harbour locations, entry instructions or underwater navigation coordinates.
1. Umm Gamar · 2. Carless Reef · 3. Fanadir · 4. El Mina · 5. Small Giftun · 6. Gota Abu Ramada
Boat excursions from Hurghada: compare the routes
A local reef day covers a different area from a northern wreck excursion. This map uses Aquarius’s published Marriott Beach Resort departure area to illustrate three return-trip choices. Other centres use other marinas; confirm your own hotel pickup and boarding point.
Select one or several routes. Number 1/3 marks departure and return; number 2 locates a representative destination. Lines are schematic outward connections, not navigational tracks or fixed dive sequences. Reef sites, wreck selection and access depend on weather, permissions and the group. The boarding marker locates the resort area, not the exact jetty.
Southern reef day selected.
Excursion plans at a glance
Southern reef day
- Hotel pickup and boarding in the operator-confirmed departure area; Marriott is the reference used here.
- Gota Abu Ramada locates the southern reef choice. Its coral gardens offer a different profile from deeper walls; the actual two-dive programme is chosen locally.
- Return to the departure marina and hotel transfer as booked.
Northern reef day
- Hotel pickup and boarding in the operator-confirmed departure area; Marriott is the reference used here.
- Carless Reef locates the northern reef choice. Exposed conditions can prevent access; confirm the dive profile and experience needed.
- Return to the departure marina and hotel transfer as booked.
Abu Nuhas wreck excursion
- Hotel pickup and boarding in the operator-confirmed departure area; Marriott is the reference used here.
- Abu Nuhas is a separately booked wreck excursion with a supplement. Confirm which wrecks are planned and the boarding instructions; a map reference is not a promise to dive every wreck.
- Return to the departure marina and hotel transfer as booked.
Salem Express requires a separate plan around Safaga. Confirm the road transfer and actual departure marina with the operator before booking; it is not shown as a standard local Hurghada boat loop.
Sources checked 25 October 2026: Aquarius departures and special excursions; weather-dependent site selection; CDWS positions for Hurghada reefs and Abu Nuhas; OpenStreetMap-based resort reference.
How to dive Hurghada?
Day boats: compare the complete price
Aquarius’s English Hurghada tariff, checked 24 October 2026, lists two guided boat dives at €50, including 12-litre tanks, weights, fees, taxes and city transfers. Add €22 for standard rental equipment and €9 for lunch: €81 total on that basis. A computer is separately listed at €9. Confirm the booking currency and final quote because language versions differ.
El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi transfers add €15 for up to three guests or €25 for four or more. Abu Nuhas adds €45 to the dive package; Salem Express adds €55. These are supplements, not complete trips. The operator requires a review after more than 12 months without diving.
When a liveaboard makes sense
A cruise can reduce repeated trips from a hotel to distant diving areas and give more time to a diving-focused group. Compare northern wreck itineraries with offshore or southern routes by the named departure, not by a general claim that all boats leave Hurghada. Port Ghalib and other ports serve different programmes.
I use LiveAboard.com to compare Red Sea departures. This is an affiliate link. Compare the cabin, flights, transfers, compulsory fees, equipment and number of diving days with a hotel-and-day-boat holiday; neither format is always cheaper.
Photo: Richard Peck — DSCF0593, CC BY 2.0.
Where to stay?
I usually use this website to book in advance my hotels in Hurghada as they usually have the lowest rates I find. I like it because it's free to cancel and change the dates.
Best time to dive in Hurghada
Diving operates year-round. PADI’s Egypt overview gives a broad water-temperature range of 21–28°C, useful as orientation rather than a forecast for a particular reef. Summer is warmer in the water and hot on land; winter requires more attention to exposure protection and wind between dives.
Spring and autumn can suit a mixed diving and sightseeing trip. For a busy holiday period, book the centre and accommodation ahead. If a particular wreck is the goal, leave several possible days for weather rather than relying on one fixed excursion.
Top liveaboards in Hurghada according to divers reviews
Dive courses
Hurghada offers entry-level training as well as continuing education. Compare the instructor’s language, group size, confined-water sessions and time for skills. A short try-dive is not an Open Water qualification.
Red Sea Diving’s Open Water offer lists €360 for three to four days, checked 24 October 2026. It includes eLearning, certification, standard equipment, training boat trips, lunch, park fees and Hurghada hotel transfer. Outlying resorts incur a transfer supplement. Confirm the medical screening, swimming requirements and any extra training costs before paying.
Bring your certification and recent logbook for guided dives. Tell the centre about a long break or limited boat experience so it can arrange a refresher and suitable first dive. Advanced training does not automatically qualify you for every wreck or overhead environment.
Scuba Diving conditions
Wind and boat access: exposed reefs and longer crossings may be unavailable even when a local site remains diveable. Keep a flexible plan and follow the captain and guide’s decisions.
Current and depth: conditions vary between reef gardens, walls and wrecks. Ask for the planned maximum depth, current, entry, exit and surface-marker procedure before choosing the trip. Do not rely on a general promise of gentle current.
Visibility and warmth: clear water is part of the attraction, but visibility varies with weather, particles and site. Choose a suit for recent water readings and repeated dives, and bring a warm layer for the boat.
Check oxygen, communications and emergency arrangements, and insurance for the intended activity. Leave suitable time before flying and discuss altitude exposure before an inland trip; the travel guide covers onward planning.
Snorkelling in Hurghada
Non-divers can book dedicated snorkelling outings or join selected boats. Ask which shallow reef is planned, how supervision works and whether equipment, lifejackets, lunch, park fees and transfers are included. A diving itinerary is not automatically the best snorkelling itinerary.
The Hurghada travel guide compares a dated Aquarius snorkelling offer and land-based alternatives. Confirm child age rules and swimming ability directly. Use sun protection, avoid touching coral, follow any local closures and never chase dolphins or other wildlife.
Fishes and Coral
PADI highlights Hurghada’s reef fish and coral scenery, including lionfish, morays and parrotfish. Schools of fish, rays or turtles may add to a dive, but encounters are not guaranteed.
Wide reef views and wrecks are obvious photographic subjects, while slower observation can reveal smaller life too. Keep fins, gauges and cameras clear of the reef, leave animals where they are and give other divers space around a subject.
Diving Safety
If you are planning an upcoming dive trip or travelling to Hurghada, it is a really good idea to invest in travel insurance for scuba diving, because you never know what could happen and when you might need it (because accidents do happen!). I recommend this diving insurance as they offer worldwide coverage and focus on providing scuba divers a quality insurance and medical assistance service.
Hurghada diving questions
Is Hurghada suitable for a first diving course?
Yes, with a qualified instructor and suitable training sites. A local beginner programme is different from an advanced wreck excursion.
Are Abu Nuhas and Salem Express standard local dives?
Treat them as separately planned excursions. Check travel time, supplements, weather and requirements for the exact departure.
Does a two-dive price include all equipment?
Not always. In the cited example, standard rental gear, computer and lunch are separate additions.
Do all Red Sea liveaboards leave Hurghada?
No. Use the port and transfer instructions for the named departure.
Can my non-diving companion join?
Some boats accept snorkellers or passengers. Confirm the route, supervision, full price and age requirements.
Operator information checked 24 October 2026.
Photos Hurghada
Travel Guide
Now that you know all about the underwater world, you might want to start planning your scuba holiday! Check out our Hurghada Travel Review for information about how to get there, activities and excursions, where to stay, and more.
Diving Reviews for this region
Dive spots reviews in Hurghada
Liveaboard Reviews in Hurghada
MY Blue Horizon
Photos: Blue Horizon gallery supplied through LiveAboard.com.
Hammerhead I
Hammerhead I combines a 20-guest capacity with broad dining-room windows and open-air lounging spaces. Her ten en-suite cabins make this 32-metre Egyptian liveaboard worth considering if you prefer a smaller group than on the fleet’s larger Hammerhead
MV Seawolf Dominator
A shaded dive deck, room to relax outside and a choice of northern and southern programmes make Dominator an appealing base for a week devoted to diving. Choose the route first: a Tiran week and a marine-park week ask different things of a diver.
MV Blue Melody
Photos: Blue Melody gallery supplied through LiveAboard.com.
MV Dreams
Since 1989, Sea Serpent Fleet, a luxury-class motor yacht diving operation, has operated liveaboard safari vessels in the Egyptian Red Sea. Sister ship to MV Miss Nouran, MV Dreams is one of the prestigious fleet. Sea Serpent Fleet have a wealth of loc
MY Blue Planet 1
No future departure is currently verified for Blue Planet 1. Its appeal was a small-group week in the northern Red Sea, with eight cabins and plenty of outdoor seating between dives. Current operation and booking arrangements still need confirmation.
Emperor Asmaa
Emperor Asmaa is worth considering if you prefer a smaller group to the larger Red Sea yachts. Its current eighteen-guest configuration gives this thirty-metre boat a different feel from vessels carrying twenty-six or twenty-eight divers. The choice ra
Sea Serpent Contessa (Contessa Mia)
The boat previously reviewed here as MY Contessa Mia now sails as Sea Serpent Contessa. Its current configuration accommodates twenty-four guests in twelve en-suite cabins. Most of its published weeks begin and end in Hurghada, making it a practical bo
MY Excellence
Sea Serpent Excellence is the boat previously reviewed here as MY Excellence. Its current layout accommodates twenty-four guests in twelve en-suite cabins, with a large indoor salon, a shaded outdoor lounge and an open top deck. The 2020 redesign chang
Emperor Echo
Emperor Echo is no longer operating and is not a boat to book for a 2026 holiday. The yacht suffered irreversible hull damage at Fury Shoals on 28 October 2023; the operator reported that all guests and crew were evacuated unharmed. This profile preser
some god wrecks , i think they have better day trips in sharm ,
if you go with live aboard you go from heare.
We hebben op vakantie in Hurghada gesnorkeld en gedoken. We zijn onervaren met duiken, maar konden op 1 dag twee duiken maken tot 12 mtr met een ervaren instructeur. We hebben een boottocht gemaakt om snorkelend naar dolfijnen te kijken en hebben het geluk gehad om een school met 12 dolfijnen te treffen en vervolgens in het Deplhin House (gebied ten noorden van Hurghada) ruim 3 kwartier met 2 dolfijnen te “spelen”. Wat een geweldige ervaring. Zeker een aanrader. We hebben geboekt vanaf hotel Arabelle Resort waar de boot ligt die ons daar heen bracht. De 2 duiken hebben we via een “achterdeur” weten te regelen.
Recently did a technical diving liveaboard Safari a tour of wrecks and sights between 60-100 metres. A whole new world I never knew existed around Hurghada and the northern Red Sea area. Went on the British owned Deep Dark safari boat which was great, it was a whole week of technical dives, even had a diver lift. Food was also top notch. Hurghada has so much to offer, most divers on,y get to see the half of it. Will definitely be returning to Hurghada!
Dear, how can i sign up my liveaboard unto your website
Thanks,
Maha
Can you recommend any day trip companies? And day trip spots?
i have been dive in hurghada with dive red sea diving center and it was really amazing and all the group was helpful and very great team contact them if you are in hurgahda
hi we are two novice diver, wanting to do liveboard, is it safe? any other recommendations?
Got my Open Water course, instructor Ahmed! Very professional and fun! The most beautiful sea and best staff! I’ll definitely come back soon!
Hello
Been diving a lot in Hurghada, at least 80-100 dives. Great dive spots, good visibility, many different colorful fish, good dive centers. Recomand Aquarius at Marriott Hotel.
Temp 22-29 celcius.
I was here in 2018, October. The Red Sea is some of the best diving i have seen ever. I have been in all bodies of water and the Red Sea in anything but RED! bring your RED filter though… you will be amazed!
Diving here is EXTREMELY CHEAP!!! 2 dives, rental equipment, huge lunch on a lovely boat (more luxury than what I am used to in the US on a day dive boat), hotel drop off/pick up for $30 US. This was in May 2018. I got lucky with the dive master who made sure I was having a great time, especially since I was traveling solo. Egypt is hurting for tourists, especially in the Red Sea area, so prices are amazing. The dive spots are good to great especially with it being not far from shore. I wanted to do a live aboard for the outer reef that takes a few hours to get to but found out they have long 7-11 day trips mostly and I didn’t have the time. I saw some critters that day that I’ve never seen before so I was happy. Again, the price is fantastic!
Dear all ,
kindly advise us the price for diving course in hurghada
thanks & regards
shimaa
The price for is around 325 euros, and you can find cheaper but make sure that it is a certified instructor, not someone doing the course without license.
Hurghada is one of the best diving zones ever! The colors underwater as well as the impeccable weather makes it the perfect destination for all diving enthusiasts!
Also, if you want to really see spots that are not very much frequented, try Dive Hurghada LINK REMOVED
Its an Illegal Diving Center!
I have been diving with diving center Dive More , owned by 2 brothers Hossam and Tamer. Very skilled and professional diving center with great,friendly and organized crew.Equipment is good and new.Diving spots were beautiful.We went diving every day and every day we went on different diving spots. I highly recommend Dive More( you can find them at the Three Corners Sunny Beach resort in Hurghada)
I’ve been diving with the Dive More center. It’s a highly professional and well-organized diving center with a skilled, friendly crew. The equipment is modern and well-maintained, and the dive sites were absolutely stunning. We went out diving every day, exploring a new and different spot each time.
You can contact them at divemooregroup.com