Giftun Islands

Also known as Big Giftun and Small Giftun

Hurghada’s house reefs: a cluster of sheltered sites in a protected area, where most of the coast’s divers make their first Red Sea dive.

Depth

5–30m across a range of sites

Access

Short boat trip from Hurghada marina, typically 45 minutes

Best season

Year-round — the sheltered sites work when offshore trips are cancelled

Level

Beginner

Conditions

• Generally sheltered with mild current, which is why it carries the training traffic
• A wide spread of sites, from shallow gardens to drop-offs, so the level depends on which one
• Inside a protected area — entry fees apply and mooring is regulated

What you are likely to see

• Dense hard and soft coral gardens
• Anthias, butterflyfish, parrotfish in numbers
• Turtles and the occasional reef shark on the outer sites
• Dolphins in the surrounding water, sometimes on the crossing

What to watch out for

• Mahmya beach on Big Giftun is a busy day-trip destination and the diving is better away from it. If you want reef rather than crowds, ask for the outer sites.
• It is a protected area for a reason. Standing on coral to adjust a fin is the most common damage divers do here.

This is planning information, not a dive briefing or a substitute for one. Conditions change; your guide on the day is the authority. Diving emergency numbers and the coast’s recompression chambers are on our emergency contacts page.