If you have been to Hurghada before, please share your experiences, ideas and feedback (Hotel, Excursions, General Feeling,…) in the comments section below, by doing so you will help fellow travellers to plan their next trip
Hurghada combines a beach holiday with access to Red Sea day diving and liveaboard departures. It can also be one part of a wider Egypt trip with time in the Nile Valley. The key choice is your base: central Hurghada, a southern resort and an outlying bay can have very different transfer times and options after the boat returns.
For mixed groups, plan around both divers and non-divers. A suitable beach, a well-described snorkelling trip and a few evenings out may matter more than a long list of hotel facilities.
In this page you will find practical information to plan a scuba diving trip to Hurghada:
Table of contents
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.
Resorts are a major part of Hurghada’s accommodation, but you can also organise a trip independently. Compare central hotels, apartments and coastal resorts by the location and facilities you will actually use.
- Town or marina access: useful for restaurants and evenings out; check the boat pickup.
- A beach resort: useful for companions spending more time at the hotel. Confirm beach access, pools, meal plan and any activity charges.
- El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh or Makadi Bay: compare as separate bases, including airport and daily diving transfers.
An all-inclusive room does not automatically include scuba diving, snorkelling excursions or every drink. Compare dated quotes at the same occupancy and meal basis. Confirm cancellation terms and the cost of transport before choosing on headline price.
Photo: Marcus Meissner — Grand Resort Hotel Hurghada, Night view from our room, CC BY 2.0.
Activities and excursions in Hurghada
A priced outing for non-divers
Aquarius’s Hurghada snorkelling day lists €20 per adult and €15 for ages 6–12, checked 24 October 2026. It includes two snorkel stops, guide, gear, lifejacket, fees and taxes. Lunch is €9 extra. Transfers are included within Hurghada city and Sahl Hasheesh; El Gouna or Makadi transfers add €15 for up to three guests or €25 for four or more. Confirm the exact pickup and the overlapping published age-six boundary before booking.
This is a full-day boat trip, not a short beach visit. Ask about swimming ability, child supervision, weather changes and the total for everyone travelling. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed.
Culture without leaving Hurghada
Hurghada Museum offers an on-land introduction to Egyptian history. The Ministry lists foreign-adult entry at EGP300 and foreign-student entry at EGP150. Its published sessions are 10am–1pm and 5pm–11pm, with ticket sales closing one hour earlier; Ramadan hours differ. Recheck before visiting.
Luxor or Cairo can add temples, museums and archaeology to a Red Sea trip. Give these journeys enough time: an overnight extension can be more rewarding than a rushed excursion. Ask for the driving time, admissions, guide, meals and cancellation conditions in the quote.
Closer to the hotel, a beach afternoon or a meal by the marina is a simple alternative to another boat day. For wind sports or desert excursions, choose suitable instruction and an approved operator, with clear safety and access arrangements.
Best time to visit Hurghada
The desert climate brings hot summers and cooler winter evenings. Spring and autumn can suit a holiday that mixes water activities with sightseeing. Divers should consider water temperature and wind as well as the air forecast, and bring a warm layer for the boat.
Wind and sea conditions can alter excursions in any season. Keep a land-based alternative available and check the weather close to travel. If combining Hurghada with Luxor or Cairo, consider the heat and walking involved there as well as beach conditions.
Photo: Konstantin Zamkov — IMG_1095, CC BY 2.0.
Health and Safety
Review current Egypt travel advice and insurance for the full trip, including diving and evacuation where needed. Follow local beach closures, flags and boat briefings. Ask the operator about emergency oxygen, communications and the actual evacuation plan.
DAN’s guidance recommends at least 12 hours before flying after a single no-decompression dive or 18 hours after repetitive dives or multiple diving days for divers without symptoms. Longer intervals reduce risk, and decompression dives need longer planning. Check inland altitude exposure before a road excursion; do not fly with symptoms of a possible diving injury.
Seek individual travel-health advice for medication or vaccination questions, and plan sun and heat protection for sightseeing.
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.
Where is Hurghada located in the world?
Hurghada is on Egypt’s mainland Red Sea coast. Sharm el Sheikh is across the sea on the Sinai Peninsula, not a neighbouring town reached by a short road transfer. El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi Bay are distinct resort areas; check the exact hotel and harbour on your itinerary.
Hurghada regional map
Arrange the arrival transfer to your Hurghada hotel separately from the dive-day pickup. The resort reference below identifies one operator’s departure area; it is not the airport or the boarding point for every boat.
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.
Local reef reference source: CDWS Hurghada directory.
How to get to Hurghada?
Flights and airport transfers
Hurghada International Airport (HRG) is the natural arrival point to compare. The choice between a direct service and a connection depends on your dates, with dive-baggage costs worth including in the fare comparison. The onward journey depends on where along the coast you are staying, so give the hotel or transfer operator your terminal, flight number and exact destination when arranging pickup.
A Cairo connection can fit a wider Egypt journey, using an available domestic flight or a separately booked road service. For a coach, verify its current terminal, schedule, baggage allowance and final drop-off. Luxor is an inland road journey; allow for the complete transfer and any checks rather than treating the Nile Valley as just around the corner.
Connections to a boat or Sinai
For liveaboards, use the port and check-in instructions for the named departure, and leave margin for delays. A hotel pickup is not necessarily included in the boat price.
For a Sharm–Hurghada ferry connection, obtain confirmation of a current sailing for your date before booking onward travel. Compare available flight or road connections if no sailing is confirmed.
Do I need a visa for Hurghada?
Check entry requirements for your nationality. The official Egyptian e-Visa portal lists a single-entry tourist e-Visa at US$30 and multiple-entry at US$65, checked 24 October 2026. It requires an eligible passport valid for at least six months from arrival and supporting travel/accommodation details.
Hurghada is on the mainland: a Sinai-only permission does not cover this stay. Confirm whether you need a visa before departure or qualify for an arrival procedure, and check the permitted stay for the visa actually issued.
Getting Around
Hurghada extends along a long stretch of coast. Use a prearranged pickup or taxi for trips between your hotel, the marina and town, and agree the fare and return arrangements before travelling. Check whether your dive centre’s free-transfer area includes your accommodation.
Local minibuses may suit travellers who know the route and stop they need. For a first visit or an early boat departure, a clear hotel pickup can be simpler. Ask your accommodation for a current fare estimate before setting out.
Hurghada travel questions
Is every Hurghada hotel near the same harbour?
No. Confirm the hotel, departure marina and pickup arrangements; the wider resort coast is spread out.
Can non-divers join a boat day?
Operators offer specific snorkelling trips. Check supervision, gear, meals, transfers and the complete price.
Does a Sinai-only entry stamp cover Hurghada?
No. Hurghada is on mainland Egypt, so check the correct visa for your nationality and route.
Can I take a ferry to Sharm?
Only use a ferry plan if an operator confirms a current sailing for your travel date.
Is Luxor a quick local excursion?
It is a substantial inland journey. Compare the full travel day with an overnight extension and consider altitude exposure after diving.
Travel and operator information checked 24 October 2026.
Hurghada Photos
Scuba diving
You will find all information about sea life, best time to visit, top dive spots, etc. in our review: Hurghada Diving
Diving Reviews for this region
Hurghada
Hurghada combines day-boat reefs, beginner training and longer wreck excursions. Match the site, transfer and dive profile to your experience.
Liveaboard Reviews in Hurghada
MY Blue Horizon
A roomy deck, wreck-filled mornings and plenty of stories from the people who have sailed here. Our review comparison brings booking-platform feedback, a diving club’s trip report and editorial perspectives together, alongside the cabins and routes wor
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
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
Blue Melody suits divers who enjoy the rhythm of a shared diving holiday: breakfast after the first dive, a long conversation over lunch, then time outside before the next briefing. The outdoor bistro and shaded seating are part of the attraction, with
MV Dreams
No dated departure was available online for the earlier MV Dreams when checked on 5 November 2026. This 28-metre, sixteen-guest boat is distinct from Serena Dreams. Its smaller scale was an alternative to the larger Red Sea safari boats; this page pres
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
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
We can only recommend everyone to do PRIVATE TRIPS WITHOUT MASSENTOURISM, everything that is offered by the hotels and on the street is really pure rip-off, one is asked again to the cash and nobody understands our language, in the end the alleged bargain at the favorable price becomes twice as expensive and one had a crappy day to express it in good German!
After this experience we have found on the Internet the provider AT-Touren – Erleben den Ägypten, clearly the price is higher than on the road and in the hotels, but the trips just PRIVATE and WITHOUT MASSENTOURISM, we thought what soll´s let us try – we have not regretted it and therefore want our experience with other parts – Once AT-Touren – Everytime again AT-Touren
Our day with AT-Touren
Super tour away from Mass tourism. A look behind the scenes of a place that is actually only known as a bathing resort. At no time was there anything like boredom. A tour packed with information. Questions were answered to our complete satisfaction. To mention the individual stations would take too long. El Gouna was also visited. At the end we went together for a delicious dinner.
Super organized! Timo and Mohammed are a great team, always in a good mood and very friendly. One feels directly as friends.
Since we were more than completely satisfied, we decided to book the next excursion the next day.
We then made the trip with Timo and Mohammed to the Griftun Island with snorkeling stop. We were picked up in the morning and taken to the boat. Before we started we had a rich breakfast and what we didn’t think of at all – tablets against sea evil.
There were two snorkeling stops and a stop at the island. We felt in good hands the whole day, also the crew was super nice and took care of everything and us. It was a successful and relaxed day for us! When we come back, the next trip is coming!
We can only say TOP ORGANISATION and TOP TEAM and we always paid more than 150% attention to safety!
THEREFORE WE CAN ONLY RECOMMEND ALL HOLIDAYMAKERS IN EGYPT – HOLIDAY IS ONLY ONCE A YEAR AND ENJOYS THE DAYS AND MAKES PRIVATE TRIPS AND DOES NOT SAVE AT THE WRONG END IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!
Here is the link to AT-Touren
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And here’s to their Facebook page which provides many photos and videos:
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i have been there for the first time really i recommend Shehab boat and diving center we went with them diving in different places all with those amazing corals and amazing pictures we took it was a well spent holiday and very nice stuff supported us