Best snorkeling excursion in Hurghada — island trip or boat-only tour?

From messages by 3 participants in 2 sources · Last activity: 22 days ago

TL;DR

A boat-only snorkeling trip (no island stop) gives more time in the water. If you want an island, check photos/videos to pick the location, but snorkeling time is shorter there. For the best reef, try the Sharm El Naga excursion (a protected coral reserve).

What the community said

As an alternative to a large yacht, consider a two-hour trip on a small boat, typically around USD 35 per person. One reported outing had six passengers and two reef stops of roughly 15–20 minutes each; this format was preferred over a crowded yacht trip with lunch.

31 days ago about USD 35 per person, 2 hours

If snorkeling and diving are your main goal, consider the Sharm El Naga excursion — it's a protected coral reserve with good reefs. Note that island-based trips usually allocate limited time for snorkeling.

Sharm El Naga coral reserve

If you do want an island trip, compare locations using maps and photos/videos beforehand — options vary. The pontoon (floating platform for water entry) is usually stable when there's no low tide, and even older travelers manage it easily.

pontoon entry platform

Some tours skip the island entirely and focus purely on snorkeling and diving from the boat. The advantage: more actual time in the water compared to combined island tours.