Paradise Island Hurghada: Snorkeling & Beach Day Trip

The Paradise Island Hurghada trip is a balanced Red Sea day: real time in the water over coral, then real time on the sand. You sail from Hurghada Marina, stop at a reef to snorkel with a guide, and then head to Paradise Island for free time on the beach.

"Paradise Island" is the name the Hurghada boats use for a beach stop in the Giftun islands – the protected island group just off the coast. Expect pale sand, very clear water and a sociable beach atmosphere rather than a deserted island.

You don't need any snorkeling experience. Equipment is provided, and the guide explains how to use it and stays near beginners. After the beach, lunch is freshly prepared on board, and the day's water activities depend on the boat's program.

It's a good fit for couples, families and friends who want snorkeling and beach time in equal measure. If you'd rather spend the whole day in the water, see our Hurghada Snorkeling Trip.

Where is Paradise Island Hurghada?

Search online and you'll find Paradise Island placed in three or four different spots – so here's the straight answer. Paradise Island is not an official island name on the map. It's the name Hurghada tour boats use for a beach stop in the Giftun islands, the protected island group facing Hurghada. Visitor reports and local operators place it on Big Giftun, the same island as Orange Bay.

So when you compare trips, think of Paradise Island, Orange Bay and Mahmya as different beaches within the same national park, each run in its own style, rather than islands far apart from each other.

Giftun is protected, which shapes the day: there are no hotels, no overnight stays and the beaches are cleared by sunset. The reefs around it are among the richest near Hurghada, which is why the snorkel stop comes first.

Visitors describe the Paradise Island beach as a lively, set-up day beach – umbrellas, a bar and photo spots such as swings in the shallow water. Anything bought on the island is a personal expense.

Exact beaches and snorkel spots can shift with the sea and the daily boat schedule, which is normal for all Giftun trips.

Paradise Island or Orange Bay?

It's one of the most-searched questions about Hurghada boat trips, and the honest answer is that both are good – they just suit slightly different moods.

• Choose Paradise Island if you want a fun, sociable beach with a little more going on, and a day that mixes snorkel stops with plenty of island time.
• Choose Orange Bay if your picture of the perfect day is wide, shallow turquoise water where you can wade far out – great for small children and photos.
• Choose Giftun Island if you want the national park itself to be the focus, with snorkeling and a quieter island feel.

All three cost €45 per person with Divers Trips and include hotel pickup, gear, a guide, lunch and soft drinks. None of them is "better" for everyone; it's about whether you'll spend your free time swimming, wading or lying on the sand.

If snorkeling matters more than beach time, skip the islands and take our snorkel-focused day with two sea stops. Want the island without the crowd? A private speedboat lets you set the timing. Compare every trip on the snorkeling & island trips page.