Planning a Giftun Island boat day
Giftun Island trips combine the sea crossing from Hurghada with time at an island beach, often alongside guided snorkeling. Look at the balance between the crossing, water activities and time ashore. A named beach concession describes the beach service in the programme; it should not be read as a separate island or a pass to explore every part of the protected island landscape.
Big Giftun is part of the Red Sea island setting covered by EEAA protection guidance. Mahmya is a beach on Big Giftun, and Orange Bay is on Giftun. Paradise Island is another beach and excursion brand. Keep geography and product names separate when comparing days out: the place of landing and the beach service matter more than the number of island names in an excursion title.
Our picks: island trips
Each boat trip includes time at an island beach and lunch. Guided snorkeling is included on the selected excursion with a snorkeling guide.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Island beach and snorkeling stops
- Two snorkeling stops
- Orange bay entry fees
- Lunch buffet
Spend two hours at Orange Bay. Without a transfer, meet at the designated hotel; pickup from outer zones has an extra fee.
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Boat trip to an island beach
- Snorkeling equipment and Snorkeling guide
- Delicious lunch buffet
- Life Jacket
The trip includes two hours on Orange Island and drinks on board.
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Orange Bay boat trip and reef stops
- 2 guided snorkeling sessions
- Open buffet lunch
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Two hours of free time are included at Orange Bay. Parasailing is optional.
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Compare island beach time with guided snorkeling, lunch and the transfer arrangements of each outing.
Permitted landing and the protected area
An EEAA leaflet archived in 2022 restricts island landings to the southeastern part of Big Giftun approved for tourism projects and prohibits open fires. Treat an organised beach stop as access to its designated area, rather than an invitation to land elsewhere. Follow the crew's landing instructions and remain within the visitor areas used by your programme.
Use the island visit for the beach experience you have selected, without adding an independent overnight plan or an unarranged landing. Your boat programme, beach admission and reserve arrangements are separate pieces of the outing. For a day that stays closer to the city coast, the Hurghada beaches guide provides a different starting point. Public management of a mainland beach should not be confused with free admission.
Beach concessions and included services
The selected island programme with two snorkeling stops includes equipment, a lunch buffet, drinks, two hours of free beach time and Orange Bay entry. It also lists a special guide for non-swimmers. Private transfer, private boat and parasailing depend on the option selected. Its outside pickup zones, including Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh, El Gouna, Soma Bay and Safaga, carry an extra zone charge.
An eight-hour programme with two guided snorkeling sessions includes full equipment, a life jacket, two hours at the beach, lunch and drinks, plus hotel pickup and return by air-conditioned vehicle. Parasailing is optional. Another eight-hour boat programme includes guided snorkeling with equipment, a life jacket, buffet lunch, drinks, two hours at the beach and hotel transfer. Match those inclusions to the selected service instead of transferring one concession's facilities to every island outing.
Fees, reef rules and choosing your day
Look separately at beach entry, reserve charges and transfer charges in your booking terms. An included beach entry is a specific product benefit; use the fee conditions of the actual outing for the rest of your plan. Keep spending ashore distinct from meals and drinks served aboard. This is particularly useful when comparing a beach-led programme with a cruise whose main attraction is time on the boat.
At the reef, HEPCA asks visitors not to touch coral, stand on it or hit it with fins. Leave coral and shells in place and take rubbish away. CDWS guidance calls for a briefing at the start of the outing and before snorkeling. A guide and equipment help organise the activity, while your own movements still matter for protecting the reef. See snorkeling from Hurghada for a water-focused comparison, or boat trips for vessel styles and sunset outings. Choose the island day when time ashore is an essential part of what you want.
Frequently asked questions
Is Orange Bay a separate island?
Orange Bay is a beach concession on Giftun. Mahmya is on Big Giftun. Use those names to identify the beach experience in the programme rather than counting them as separate islands.
How long is the beach stop?
The selected programmes list two hours at the beach. That is one part of the outing, alongside the boat journey and snorkeling; it is not the total duration of the day.
Are all fees included?
The island programme with the buffet explicitly includes Orange Bay entry. Read reserve fees and transfers separately for your chosen option, especially if your accommodation is in an outside pickup zone.