Full-Day Diving Trip in Hurghada

This is our everyday Hurghada diving trip, and the simplest way to get two good Red Sea dives into your holiday. We collect you from your hotel, the boat heads out to the reefs chosen for the day's weather, and a professional guide or instructor leads both dives.

Everything you need is included: equipment, tanks and weights, lunch on board and soft drinks. Between dives there is a snorkeling stop, and depending on sea conditions the day can finish at Orange Bay or another island before we head back.

Certified divers join guided dives at their level. Beginners can dive subject to the dive center's requirements, and partners or kids who don't dive can come along to snorkel and relax on deck. For €60 per person, it's a full day at sea, not just two tanks.

Can beginners join a diving trip in Hurghada?

Yes, subject to the diving center's requirements. If you've never dived, tell us when you book so the team can plan an introductory dive with an instructor, close to you the whole time, in calm and shallow water.

As a reference, PADI's Discover Scuba Diving standard sets the minimum age at 10, requires no previous experience, and limits the open-water dive to 12 m. Before diving you fill in a short medical questionnaire. If you answer yes to any of its questions, you may need a doctor's sign-off before you can dive, so check it before you travel.

Non-divers in your group don't have to stay on deck: the snorkeling stop and island stop are part of the day for everyone, so a mixed group can share the same boat.

If you enjoy it and want to dive on your own with a buddy, the next step is the PADI Open Water course.

Which sites do Hurghada day boats dive?

Sites are chosen on the morning according to wind, current and the group's level, which is why no honest operator promises a fixed site. Popular day-boat reefs around Hurghada include the Giftun Islands, Abu Ramada and Gota Abu Ramada, El Fanadir, Carless Reef and Shaab El Erg.

Sheltered lagoons and plateaus at around 10–14 m suit beginners and relaxed second dives. Walls such as Small Giftun and exposed sites like Carless Reef are kept for calm days and experienced divers. Expect reef fish like anthias, parrotfish and butterflyfish, plus moray eels, lionfish and blue-spotted rays; turtles and dolphins are a bonus, never a promise.

Your guide plans each dive around the least experienced diver in the buddy team, so tell us honestly how many dives you've logged and when you last dived. If it's been a while, say so: a gentle first dive is easy to arrange.

See our guide to Hurghada's best dive sites for details on each.

What to wear: water temperature through the year

The sea off Hurghada averages around 22 °C in February–March and around 29 °C in August. In winter and spring most divers are happier in a 5 mm wetsuit and want a warm layer for the boat ride back. From June to October a 3 mm suit is usually enough.

Bring a hat and sunscreen even in winter: the sun on deck is strong. If you have your own mask or computer, you're welcome to bring them.

Visibility around Hurghada is commonly reported at 20–40 m, often best in spring and autumn. Winter brings more wind, which can mean a bumpier ride out and a switch to sheltered sites, but boats still go out year-round. If you're prone to seasickness, take your usual remedy before pickup and eat a light breakfast.

Short on gear? Everything is included in the €60, so you only need swimwear, a towel and the items on the packing list.