DEPTH: 0.8M // DWELL: 2.0H DIRECT: €22 + €5 HEPCA
Orange Bay Island & 2-Stop Giftun Coral Reef Snorkeling Cruise
Shallow turquoise sandbar (knee-deep for 150m), iconic overwater wooden swings & beanbag lounges
SILO 01 // GIFTUN NATIONAL PARK & SAFAGA SANDBANK HYDROGRAPHY
Hurghada Island Boat Trips: 8-Island Lagoon Depth, Reef & Tariff Matrix
Giftun and Safaga island day cruises cost €22 to €68 per adult plus the mandatory €5 HEPCA marine park levy, with shoreline wading depths ranging from 0.8m knee-deep sandbars at Orange Bay to 2.5m shore-reef drop-offs at Mahmya.
DWG-02 // 8-Island Lagoon Bathymetry, Dwell Time & Private Speedboat Break-Even Comparator
Selected Island All-In Group Total (Includes €5/guest HEPCA Levy)
€108.00vs. €116.00 benchmark
Orange Bay saves €8.00 vs. Paradise Island for 4 adults; shared day-cruiser saves €57.00 vs. private speedboat charter (€165.00).
€108.00
Primary Island All-In
0.8m Sandbar · 2.0h dwell
€116.00
Benchmark Island All-In
1.8m Swim Bay · 2.0h dwell
€165.00
Private Speedboat Total
€145 base + €20 HEPCA
+€57.00
Charter vs. Shared Delta
Shared boat cheaper for 4
Notice: This calculation engine models published statutory formulas and regulatory codes for informational and planning purposes only. It does not provide certified legal, medical, veterinary, tax, or engineering advice. For definitive rulings, consult an actively licensed professional in your jurisdiction.
Complete 8-Island Register // Giftun & Safaga Moorings
Side-by-Side Comparison of All 8 Hurghada Island Excursions
Every Giftun Island cruise includes hotel pickup in Central Hurghada, open-sea coral reef snorkeling stops (except direct shore-reef catamarans), and an onboard or island buffet lunch.
| Code | Island Excursion | Direct Adult | Child (50%) | Hotel Rep | HEPCA Fee | Island Dwell | Reef Stops | Lagoon Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISL-01 | Orange Bay Island & 2-Stop Giftun Coral Reef Snorkeling Cruise | €22.00 | €11.00 | €55.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 0.8m |
| ISL-02 | Paradise Island Giftun National Park Beach & Snorkeling Day Trip | €24.00 | €12.00 | €55.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 1.8m |
| ISL-03 | Hula Hula Island Caribbean-Style Beach Club & Reef Snorkeling | €23.00 | €11.50 | €50.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 1.2m |
| ISL-04 | Eden Island VIP Boutique Beach Lounge & Coral Reef Day Cruise | €35.00 | €17.50 | €75.00 | €5.00 | 2.5h | 1 stops | 1.5m |
| ISL-05 | Mahmya Island Eco-Beach Resort VIP Catamaran & Shore Snorkeling | €68.00 | €34.00 | €95.00 | €5.00 | 4.5h | 1 stops | 2.5m |
| ISL-06 | Bianca Island White-Sand Lagoon & Red Sea Snorkeling Boat Trip | €24.00 | €12.00 | €55.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 1.3m |
| ISL-07 | Utopia Island Safaga Sandbank, Glass-Bottom Boat & Coral Snorkeling | €28.00 | €14.00 | €60.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 1.6m |
| ISL-08 | Ozirea Island Boho Beach Club & Giftun Marine Reserve Cruise | €26.00 | €13.00 | €58.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 1.4m |
All 8 island excursions remit the mandatory €5.00 per paying guest HEPCA / Red Sea Marine Park mooring levy under Egyptian Law 102/1983.
DEPTH: 1.8M // DWELL: 2.0H DIRECT: €24 + €5 HEPCA
Paradise Island Giftun National Park Beach & Snorkeling Day Trip
Open powder-white sandy beach on Big Giftun south shore with shaded palm pergolas and direct swimming drop-off
DEPTH: 1.2M // DWELL: 2.0H DIRECT: €23 + €5 HEPCA
Hula Hula Island Caribbean-Style Beach Club & Reef Snorkeling
Tiki-themed Giftun island beach club with panoramic photo spots, folklore music show & shallow lagoon
DEPTH: 1.5M // DWELL: 2.5H DIRECT: €35 + €5 HEPCA
Eden Island VIP Boutique Beach Lounge & Coral Reef Day Cruise
Low-density luxury island club with padded sunbeds, island restaurant buffet & quiet swimming cove
DEPTH: 2.5M // DWELL: 4.5H DIRECT: €68 + €5 HEPCA
Mahmya Island Eco-Beach Resort VIP Catamaran & Shore Snorkeling
Exclusive eco-protected south Giftun bay with direct shore coral garden and gourmet beachfront buffet
DEPTH: 1.3M // DWELL: 2.0H DIRECT: €24 + €5 HEPCA
Bianca Island White-Sand Lagoon & Red Sea Snorkeling Boat Trip
White-washed Mediterranean aesthetic on Giftun with cabanas, water sports banana/sofa ride & reef stops
DEPTH: 1.6M // DWELL: 2.0H DIRECT: €28 + €5 HEPCA
Utopia Island Safaga Sandbank, Glass-Bottom Boat & Coral Snorkeling
Natural shifting sandbank off Soma Bay/Safaga with pristine unspoiled hard corals and glass-bottom viewing
DEPTH: 1.4M // DWELL: 2.0H DIRECT: €26 + €5 HEPCA
Ozirea Island Boho Beach Club & Giftun Marine Reserve Cruise
Bohemian macrame beach lounges, foam party deck & shallow crystal-clear Giftun lagoon
Layer 3 // Giftun Marine Protectorate & Mooring Guidelines
HEPCA Coral Mooring Buoys, Toddler Lagoon Selection & Frequently Asked Questions
Big Giftun Shoreline Bathymetry & Wind Exposure
Big Giftun Island (El Giftun El Kebir) lies 11 kilometers east of Hurghada New Marina across a 40-to-60-meter deep channel. Prevailing north-northwest Red Sea winds (12–22 knots) create calm leeward lagoons along the western and southern bays:
- Western Shallow Sandbar (Orange Bay, Hula Hula, Bianca, Ozirea): Features a 150m wide limestone sand flat with 0.5m–1.4m water depth and zero wave break, ideal for families with young children (3–11 yrs).
- Southern Leeward Bays (Paradise Island, Eden Island, Mahmya): Protected from northern swell by the island's central limestone ridge, offering 1.5m–2.5m swimming depth and immediate patch coral heads within 20m–40m of the shore.
- Southern Safaga Sandbank (Utopia Island): A natural tidal sandbar off Soma Bay and Safaga with glass-bottom boat coral viewing and uncrowded hard-coral walls.
What is the difference between Orange Bay and Paradise Island in Hurghada?
Both Orange Bay (€22 direct + €5 HEPCA) and Paradise Island (€24 direct + €5 HEPCA) occupy protected shorelines on Big Giftun Island, 45 minutes by wooden motor yacht from Hurghada New Marina. Orange Bay sits on a sheltered western lagoon where turquoise water stays knee-deep (0.5m to 0.8m) for 150 meters offshore with overwater wooden swings, making it ideal for toddlers and non-swimmers. Paradise Island occupies the southern sandy bay with a steeper swimming drop-off (1.5m to 1.8m) and patch coral reefs within 25 meters of the beach.
Why does Mahmya Island cost €68 compared with €22–€26 for other Giftun Island boat trips?
Mahmya Island (€68 direct + €5 HEPCA) operates as a private low-density eco-resort on the southern tip of Big Giftun using dedicated sail/motor catamarans, limiting daily beach capacity, serving an upgraded beachfront buffet, and providing 4.5 hours of island dwell time with direct walk-in shore snorkeling over a protected coral garden—compared with 2.0 hours of island beach time on standard €22–€26 two-stop snorkeling boats.
When does chartering a private speedboat to Giftun Island cost less than buying shared boat tickets?
A private 6-to-8 passenger Red Sea speedboat charter costs €145 base plus the mandatory €5.00 HEPCA marine park fee per paying guest. For a group of 6 adults, shared Paradise Island tickets cost €174 all-in (6 × €29), whereas a private speedboat charter costs €175 total (€145 + €30 HEPCA)—delivering private departure timing and crowd-free reef mooring for virtually the same outlay.
Which island excursion is best if we are staying in Soma Bay or Safaga?
Holidaymakers staying at Soma Bay or Safaga resorts save 60 minutes of highway transfer time and avoid the +€10/person Hurghada marina surcharge by booking Utopia Island Safaga (€28 direct + €5 HEPCA), which departs directly from Safaga port to a natural shifting sandbank surrounded by unspoiled hard coral gardens.