Egypt’s Red Sea by Boat: 5 Places You Shouldn’t Miss

Egypt’s Red Sea is best enjoyed from the water. From a boat’s deck you see reefs that go unnoticed from the shore, reach islands with no road, and, with a semi-submarine, you can even watch the coral without getting wet. But the coastline is long and the choices are many: Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Marsa Alam or Dahab? A sailing ship with lunch, a VIP cruise, or an hour and a half below the waterline?

This guide walks you through five places on the Egyptian Red Sea that are worth seeing from a boat and, for each one, what to know before you go and which trip fits you. The trips we link are run by Egypt Sunmarine Fleet, an independent local operator; we list them on this website with live availability and secure online payment.

1. The Giftun Islands, off Hurghada

Off Hurghada lie the Giftun Islands: Giftun Kebir, the big one, closest to the coast, and Giftun Soraya, the small one, further east. It is the classic boat-day destination from the city. The shallow lagoons around the island have coral heads and colourful fish, and because it is a protected area it pays to go with authorised operators and keep your hands off the coral.

The trips from Hurghada pair the island with different kinds of boat:

• A pirate-themed sailing ship: two masts, a big sun deck and two air-conditioned salons where the buffet is served. The day mixes time on the island, a snorkelling stop and lunch on board, about five and a half hours in all. The operator’s own listing calls it Orange Bay.
• An Elite VIP cruise: a four-floor boat with waiter service, unlimited hot and soft drinks, two guided snorkelling stops and, if you’re lucky, dolphins. Dolphins are never guaranteed.
• A Nefertari cruise: a floating replica of Queen Nefertari’s tomb, decorated in ancient Egyptian style, with an underwater viewing deck, snorkelling and a three-course meal.

What to know before you go

• Pick-up is at your hotel lobby or reception. After booking, the operator contacts you with the exact time; for the Nefertari cruise it is about 90 minutes before departure, on a shared bus.
• Adults from 12 (from 10 on the Nefertari). Snorkelling equipment is included on the pirate ship and the Elite VIP, but not on the Nefertari.
• On the pirate ship you are asked to bring a copy of your passport, plus a towel, swimwear and a little cash.
• All of them can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before.

2. Makadi Bay and Safaga: the reef without getting wet

South of Hurghada, around Makadi Bay and Safaga, the easiest way to see the reef is a Royal Seascope semi-submarine. You go down to an air-conditioned, glass-walled deck about three to four metres below the surface and watch corals and fish through large panoramic windows. It suits every age and is ideal if someone in your group doesn’t swim or you’re travelling with small children.

The Safaga and Makadi Bay trip lasts about two hours, with around 90 minutes of viewing, and runs twice a day (11:00 to 13:00 and 15:00 to 17:00). The Makadi Bay trip leaves from Xanadu Pier, includes a snorkelling stop with equipment, and hotel pick-up is optional. The Hurghada one adds a snorkelling stop too and includes the national park entry fees.

What to know before you go

• Transfers from Soma Bay and Safaga ($10 per person) and from Magic Life Kalawy ($15 more per person) are paid on arrival, as the operator states. From El Gouna and Soma Bay, the Hurghada semi-submarine charges €10 extra per person.
• The Hurghada trip is for guests staying in Hurghada; guests in Safaga or Makadi Bay can book that one or the Safaga and Makadi Bay trip.
• Adults from 12 (from 9 in Makadi Bay).

3. Ras Mohammed and White Island, from Sharm el-Sheikh

At the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, southwest of Sharm el-Sheikh, lies Ras Mohammed National Park. Egypt’s Environmental Affairs Agency set it up as a marine reserve in 1983 to protect its marine and terrestrial wildlife. It is one of the most picturesque places on the Red Sea and Sharm’s most popular day out: a boat day with several snorkelling stops over a reef full of life.

The other classic stop is White Island, a white sandbar surrounded by turquoise water where you can swim and snorkel. A typical day starts with about 90 minutes of sailing towards Ras Mohammed, then a first snorkelling stop of around 45 minutes, a second with a visit to White Island, lunch on board and a last stop at Brayka beach before heading back. A guide is with you throughout and, on some trips, you can add an introductory dive.

What to know before you go

• Hotel pick-up is roughly an hour before departure on several trips; the operator confirms the time after booking (sometimes on WhatsApp).
• Some fees are paid on the spot and are not in the online price: marina entry (€5 or €10 per person, depending on the trip), the national park and snorkelling-gear hire (€4 per piece), plus the optional introductory dive (€20). Each trip page says which applies.
• In Sharm, snorkelling gear is usually rented on board; the day sail has three options (without gear, with gear, or with an introductory dive).
• Adults from 11 or 12, depending on the trip.

4. Marsa Alam and Turtle Bay

Marsa Alam, about 270 kilometres south of Hurghada, is the quietest stretch of Egypt’s Red Sea coast. It has an international airport and the Port Ghalib marina, and the area is known for its reefs, its sea turtles and the dugongs of places such as Abu Dabbab and Wadi El Gemal National Park. Those animals can’t be guaranteed: it depends on the day and the spot.

The trips we offer here are short, comfortable cruises: the Pirates sailing boat to Turtle Bay (about four and a half hours), with three decks, a welcome juice, a buffet and unlimited cold drinks; the Nefertari cruise (also about four and a half hours), with a three-course seafood lunch or dinner; and a one-and-a-half-hour semi-submarine with around 60 minutes on the underwater deck.

What to know before you go

• Give your hotel, room number and a phone number when you book: the operator then confirms the pick-up time (about 90 minutes before departure on the Pirates boat).
• The Nefertari has vegan and gluten-free options and guides in up to eight languages; the Pirates boat guides speak Polish, Czech and English.
• Snorkelling equipment is not included on the sailing boat or the Nefertari.

5. Dahab and the Gulf of Aqaba

Dahab is a relaxed coastal town on the southeast coast of Sinai, about 80 kilometres from Sharm el-Sheikh, known for diving and windsurfing. Our offer here is the calmest of all: a guided semi-submarine tour of an hour and a half from Dahab Public Beach, with an air-conditioned, glass-walled deck and large windows onto the reef of the Gulf of Aqaba.

What to know before you go

• There is no hotel pick-up: the meeting point is Dahab Public Beach, so plan how you’ll get there.
• The tour is guided in English and German, and soft drinks are not included.
• If you are staying in Sharm and want more time in the water, the Ras Mohammed and White Island day is the alternative.

Before you travel to Egypt

• Entry: check the UK government’s Egypt travel advice (it was current on 28 October 2026) and the official visa portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg, which Spain’s foreign ministry also names. Conditions and fees change, so always check the official sources before you leave.
• Travel advice: it advises against all travel to the North Sinai Governorate. Other countries publish their own advice by area; Spain’s foreign ministry, for example, recommends reaching Sharm el-Sheikh by air.
• Safety at sea: official advisories from several countries mention accidents involving tourist and diving boats on the Red Sea and suggest asking about the boat’s condition, its safety equipment and its crew. For each trip, all we can tell you is what the operator’s trip page says; if you need more, ask us before booking.
• Insurance: travel with cover that includes medical assistance.

Know where you’re staying? Read the guide for your area: Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Marsa Alam or Dahab, or browse all experiences in Egypt.