Where to book excursions and boat trips in Hurghada at fair prices instead of through hotel travel agents?

One traveler booked a yacht rental through the Anex hotel agency for $700, but later found the same boat could be booked online for $280 all-inclusive — when the trip was cancelled due to illness, the hotel only reluctantly refunded 50%.

A paid city excursion offered by guides reportedly turns out to be just a tour around shops with inflated prices — travelers describe it as more of a sales trip than a real excursion.

Near Hotel Moreno there's a nice reef, and a diving boat called Mignon departs daily from their pier — last year it cost $20-25 per person for a full day, including food and 2 dives with instructors.

A boat trip with diving to Orange Bay island can be found online for $27 per person, versus $75-100 when offered by a guide; the island itself got poor reviews — overcrowded, poorly organized, overpriced, with only about an hour allowed there. Also, poolside touts at the hotel offer a 'VIP' boat (not yacht) excursion for $105 for 4 hours.

One boat trip option takes you to a nice beach from morning until about 4pm, with swimming and fish-watching, lunch included. Price is around $38 per person — look for one with a Russian-speaking guide.

A traveler who just checked into Seagull Beach Resort noted the hotel's excursion desk quotes inflated prices for Cairo, Luxor, diving and safari, plus massage — better to find real market prices separately before booking.

For a family snorkeling boat trip, it's better to find a group tour that includes hotel-to-marina transfer instead of hiring a private guide — it works out much cheaper.

A hotel guide from a major tour operator quoted $600 for a private boat excursion — travelers found this overpriced and looked for alternative operators with access to good reefs.

Reefs right by the hotel are described as poor for snorkeling — for better reefs, travelers suggest looking for boat trips departing closer to Hurghada Marina.

Guides also offered a free excursion along Hurghada's promenade and shops, where medicine is said to be cheaper and a customs receipt is provided — travelers were unsure whether the receipt is actually required.