Hurghada: Orange Island Boat Trip with Snorkel & Parasailing
Two reef stops, a beach you can wade into, and a parasailing flight to finish. A full day on the Red Sea from Hurghada, with the national-park fee and buffet lunch already in the price.
Overview
You did not fly to the Red Sea to look at it from a sun lounger. This is the day you get in — twice over open reef, and once into the air above it.
The moment you put your face in the water, the engine noise stops. What is left is your own breathing and a coral wall dropping away beneath you, busy with fish that have no particular interest in you. An hour goes by in what feels like ten minutes. Between the two reef stops there is Orange Island itself — ninety minutes of shallow, startlingly clear water and sand you can stand in knee-deep a long way out — and a buffet laid out on deck while the boat repositions.
Then the harness goes on, and the day resolves itself. From the end of the line you finally see the shape of what you spent the morning inside: where the shallows stop and the reef wall begins, why the water changes colour, how small the boat looks against all of it. Giftun is a protected marine park, not just a beach, and the entrance fee built into your ticket is part of what pays for keeping it one — most boats out here collect that fee from you on the day.
You will come home sunburnt in one specific stripe, with salt in your hair and photographs that do not quite carry it. Cancellation is free up to twelve hours before, and you can reserve now and pay later — but that is the least interesting thing about the day. What you actually take back is the few seconds after the line goes tight, when the deck drops away and you stop thinking about anything at all.
Highlights
- Two separate snorkelling stops on open reef, not one crowded anchorage
- A parasailing flight over the Red Sea included in the price, not sold to you on the beach
- Ninety minutes on Orange Island, where the water stays shallow a long way out
- Giftun Islands National Park entrance fee already covered by your ticket
- Buffet lunch, seasonal fruit and unlimited soft drinks served on deck
- Hotel pickup both ways, all snorkelling gear, and free cancellation up to 12 hours before
Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Hurghada
- Air-conditioned transfers to and from the marina
- Giftun Islands National Park entrance fee
- One parasailing flight per person
- Two guided snorkelling stops with a professional instructor
- Snorkelling equipment (mask, fins and life vest)
- Buffet lunch served on board
- Seasonal fruit
- Mineral water and unlimited soft drinks
Not included
- Pick-up and drop-off from Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh and El Gouna (available as a paid add-on)
- Pick-up and drop-off from Safaga and Soma Bay (available as a paid add-on)
- Introductory scuba dive (included in the Snorkel, Parasailing & Intro Dive option, or available as a paid add-on)
- Spa and massage sessions at Soul Spa Wellness Club (available as paid add-ons)
- Onboard photos and videos
- Gratuities and personal expenses
Good to know
- Child price: ages 4-11 · Infants under 4
- Not available to children under 10
- Not available during pregnancy
- Not available above 100 kg (220 lbs)
- Swimwear and a towel
- Sunscreen and a sun hat
- Sunglasses
- Comfortable shoes
- A camera
- Pickup starts at 08:30 and your exact time is confirmed after booking.
- Parasailing can be called off on windy days or in bad weather; the rest of the day runs as planned.
- Children aged 4 to 11 pay the child rate. Infants under 4 travel free.
- The introductory dive is for ages 10 and over. Younger children can still join the trip on the standard option.
- Free cancellation up to 12 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later.