Giftun Islands - Hurghada

Giftun Islands

The Giftun Islands are one of the youngest Egyptian parks in the Red Sea and Hurghada’s most popular boat excursions with prime swaths of white sand to soak up the rays and snorkelling opportunities galore on offer. For those who aren’t scuba diving enthusiasts, the easily accessed coral reefs surrounding the island shore are an excellent taster of the Red Sea’s beauty.

Snorkelling or even just paddling close to shore, you can spot plenty of fish life flitting through the clear water. Those not interested in underwater exploits can simply claim a palm-frond shelter on the beach, sit back, and enjoy the sun.

This site is rather a huge archipelago consisting of two large islands (Big Giftun and Small Giftun) and also a great variety of smaller islands and reefs. The place attracts divers by marvelous dive sites such as Giftun Soraya, Erg Somaya and Turtle Bay.

Giftun Soraya is one of the most popular dive sites at the north of the Red Sea. It is a steep wall going to 100m/328ft depth, situated at the south of Small Giftun island. Vertical and horizontal drifts along the coral wall will hardly leave anyone indifferent. However, novices are forbidden to dive here because of strong currents.

  Erg Somaya, located at the eastern part of Small Giftun island, is an ideal place for drift diving for experienced divers. The northern current helps divers to move along the coral pillars, pass through the caves and swim above the overhangs.

Turtle Bay is a small lagoon with a coral sandy bottom, situated at the north-western part of Big Giftun island. It is popular because of the large green turtles that may be occasionally met there.

Location: the west of the Red Sea, Makadi Bay

What to see: large Gorgonarias, hard corals, red corals, yellow Acropora, wire corals, fire corals, brain corals, green turtles, barracudas, Mulluses, Morays, Crocodile fish, Scorpionfish, Sniper fish, Napoleon fish, large spotted rays.

Depth: 5-40m/16-131ft

Currents: 1-2 knots

Visibility: 10-30m/32-98ft

Season for diving: All the year long.

The average temperature in January is 22C/76F, in June 28C/82F.