The Red Sea in September
August’s sea without August’s crowds or prices. One of the most underrated months on this coast.
Air, daytime
33–35°C
Air, night
23–25°C
Sea
around 29°C
September is the month regulars book. The water is still around 29°C, the air has come down a couple of degrees from the summer peak, and by mid-month the school-holiday crowds have gone home.
Diving is at its best: warm, clear, and the boats are no longer full. Visibility in the Red Sea is typically excellent at this time of year.
It is still hot — this is not a mild month — but it is the point on the curve where conditions and value cross in your favour.
Wind, crowds and prices
- Wind
- Easing from the summer peak but still reliable.
- Crowds
- Dropping sharply once European schools go back.
- Prices
- Falling through the month — the second half is notably better value.
Good for
- Diving and snorkelling
- Value in the second half
- Couples and anyone without school-age children
In the water
29°C and still no need for a suit. Visibility improves through the month as the summer plankton clears. This is the month divers who can travel outside school holidays tend to pick, and they are right to — warm water, settling wind, and the boats stop being full.
How long the days are
Just over twelve hours as the equinox approaches. Boat days shorten noticeably towards the end of the month, and the last dive of the day starts creeping earlier.
The catch
The first week or so is still peak. The difference between the 1st and the 20th of September, in both price and how busy the beach is, is larger than most people expect — if you can go late, go late.
Or the month either side
October is two degrees cooler in the air with the same warm sea and calmer conditions for boats, and it is arguably the best month of the year. August is the same holiday with more heat and more people. If you can move a September trip a fortnight later, do.
Typical Hurghada figures, rounded. Marsa Alam runs a couple of degrees warmer. Last reviewed 26 July 2026. Something off?