Snorkeling in Hurghada for Beginners: A Boat Trip Guide

If you have never put on a mask and snorkel, a Red Sea boat trip is a friendly place to start. Snorkeling in Hurghada for beginners does not need any experience: you float on the surface, breathe through the tube and watch the reef below you. The only real requirement is that you are comfortable in the water with a life jacket.

This guide explains how a guided snorkeling stop works on our boat trips, what equipment is provided, a few simple habits that make the first try easier, and which trip suits a first-timer. All details come from our own trip pages. Programs can change with weather and sea conditions, and we confirm the final plan with you on WhatsApp when you book.

How a guided snorkeling stop works

On our island trips the boat stops at a coral reef and the crew explains where to swim before anyone enters the water. A snorkeling guide goes with the group, so you are not left to find your own way. You get in from the boat, put your face in the water and swim slowly along the reef, then climb back on board when the guide calls the group.

The Orange Bay Island and Hula Hula Island trips both run from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM with hotel pickup between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM. Orange Bay includes two guided snorkeling stops at coral reefs, and Hula Hula includes guided snorkeling stops near the island. Between the stops there is time for lunch and for relaxing on the beach.

Photo: Pascal van de Vendel on Unsplash

Gear and safety: what is provided

You do not need to buy or bring snorkeling equipment. On the trips below the price includes a mask, fins and a life jacket, plus a snorkeling guide. Professional guides keep an eye on everyone who is swimming, and on Orange Bay a rescue team also monitors the swimming.

• Snorkeling gear: mask, fins and life jacket
• A snorkeling guide with the group
• Guides and lifeguards watching the swimming (rescue monitoring on Orange Bay)
• Round-trip hotel transfers to the marina (transfers from Makadi, Sahl Hasheesh, El Gouna and Soma Bay are not included)
• Lunch and unlimited water, tea and coffee on the boat (Orange Bay and Hula Hula)

Simple tips for your first time

Most beginners worry about the same few things. A short briefing from the guide and a calm start solve almost all of them. Tell the guide that it is your first time, and keep the life jacket on if it makes you feel safer.

• Check the mask before you get in: it should seal on your face without pulling the strap tight
• Breathe slowly through your mouth and relax your legs; fins do the work
• Look down at the reef, but lift your head now and then to see where the boat and the group are
• Stay with the guide and the group, and swim back when you are called
• Do not touch or stand on the coral: it can hurt you and it damages the reef
• Apply sunscreen before you board and wear a light shirt if your back burns easily
• If you get seasick, ask a pharmacist before the trip what could help you

Which trip suits a first-timer?

If you want guided snorkeling plus a beach day, Orange Bay Island is the one most visitors ask about. It costs EUR 25 per person and includes two guided stops, a banana boat or quattro ride, buffet lunch and beach chairs. Hula Hula Island costs EUR 27 per person and combines guided snorkeling stops with sunbeds, umbrellas and beanbags on the beach.

Paradise Island costs EUR 50 per person and is a fuller day, because it adds water sports and a parasailing flight to the guided snorkeling. It suits groups who want more activity than a quiet swim, so we usually suggest it to people who already feel at ease on the boat.

What to bring

Pack light. The trip pages list the mandatory items, and a few extras make the day more comfortable on the open deck.

• Your ID or passport (or a photo of it on your phone)
• Swimwear, a towel and comfortable clothes
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
• A water bottle and a little cash for optional tips and extras