Giftun & Safaga Reference
Giftun and Safaga cruises cost €22–€68 plus €5 HEPCA fee across 0.8m–2.5m lagoons.
AI Visual
Island All-In Total (Incl. €5 HEPCA)
€108.00vs. €116.00
Orange Bay (0.8m, 2h) vs. Paradise (1.8m) · Charter €165 (break-even: 7).
€108.00
Primary Island
0.8m · 2.0h dwell
€116.00
Benchmark
1.8m · 2.0h dwell
€165.00
Private Boat
€145 + €20 HEPCA
+€57.00
Charter Delta
Break-even: 7 guests
Open selected island in the 4-Zone Hotel Transfer Surcharge Calculator →
Notice: This calculation engine models published statutory formulas and regulatory codes for informational and planning purposes only. It does not provide certified legal, medical, veterinary, tax, or engineering advice. For definitive rulings, consult an actively licensed professional in your jurisdiction.
Shoreline Mooring Archetypes
Rather than treating all Giftun boat trips as identical, select your mooring bay by shoreline wading depth, reef proximity, and daily vessel cap.
Giftun Private Speedboat Break-Even Formula (EUR):
AI Visual
Covers Orange Bay (0.8m), Hula Hula (1.2m), Bianca (1.3m), and Ozirea (1.4m). Features a 150-meter knee-deep limestone sand flat with zero wave break, two guided coral snorkeling stops, and 2.0 hours of beach lounge dwell.
AI Visual
Covers Paradise Island (1.8m), Eden Island VIP Lounge (1.5m), and Mahmya Eco-Resort Catamaran (2.5m, 4.5h dwell). Sheltered from northern swell with patch coral heads 25 meters off the beach for walk-in shore snorkeling.
AI Visual
Covers Utopia Island Safaga (1.6m depth, 8.0h total). Departs directly from Safaga Port, saving Soma Bay and Safaga resort guests 60 minutes of highway transit and avoiding the +€10/person Hurghada transfer surcharge.
Marine Park & Charter Telemetry
Key hydrographic and statutory benchmarks governing Red Sea island vessels departing Hurghada New Marina and Safaga Port.
€5.00
Mandatory HEPCA Marine Levy
Per paying guest (Law 102/1983)
6 Guests
Private Speedboat Break-Even
€175 charter vs €174 shared
0.8m–2.5m
Shoreline Wading Range
Orange Bay sandbar to Mahmya reef
45 Mins
New Marina Channel Crossing
11km across 40–60m channel
Big Giftun Island (El Giftun El Kebir) lies 11 kilometers east of Hurghada New Marina across a 40-to-60-meter deep channel. Prevailing north-northwest Red Sea winds (12–22 knots) create calm leeward lagoons along the western and southern bays:
Complete 8-Island Register
Every Giftun Island cruise includes hotel pickup in Central Hurghada, open-sea coral reef snorkeling stops (except direct shore-reef catamarans), and an onboard or island buffet lunch.
| Code | Island Excursion | Direct Adult | Child (50%) | Hotel Rep | HEPCA Fee | Island Dwell | Reef Stops | Lagoon Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISL-01 | Orange Bay Island & 2-Stop Giftun Coral Reef Snorkeling Cruise | €22.00 | €11.00 | €55.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 0.8m |
| ISL-02 | Paradise Island Giftun National Park Beach & Snorkeling Day Trip | €24.00 | €12.00 | €55.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 1.8m |
| ISL-03 | Hula Hula Island Caribbean-Style Beach Club & Reef Snorkeling | €23.00 | €11.50 | €50.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 1.2m |
| ISL-04 | Eden Island VIP Boutique Beach Lounge & Coral Reef Day Cruise | €35.00 | €17.50 | €75.00 | €5.00 | 2.5h | 1 stops | 1.5m |
| ISL-05 | Mahmya Island Eco-Beach Resort VIP Catamaran & Shore Snorkeling | €68.00 | €34.00 | €95.00 | €5.00 | 4.5h | 1 stops | 2.5m |
| ISL-06 | Bianca Island White-Sand Lagoon & Red Sea Snorkeling Boat Trip | €24.00 | €12.00 | €55.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 1.3m |
| ISL-07 | Utopia Island Safaga Sandbank, Glass-Bottom Boat & Coral Snorkeling | €28.00 | €14.00 | €60.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 1.6m |
| ISL-08 | Ozirea Island Boho Beach Club & Giftun Marine Reserve Cruise | €26.00 | €13.00 | €58.00 | €5.00 | 2.0h | 2 stops | 1.4m |
All 8 island excursions remit the mandatory €5.00 per paying guest HEPCA / Red Sea Marine Park mooring levy under Egyptian Law 102/1983.
Both Orange Bay (€22 direct + €5 HEPCA) and Paradise Island (€24 direct + €5 HEPCA) occupy protected shorelines on Big Giftun Island, 45 minutes by wooden motor yacht from Hurghada New Marina. Orange Bay sits on a sheltered western lagoon where turquoise water stays knee-deep (0.5m to 0.8m) for 150 meters offshore with overwater wooden swings, making it ideal for toddlers and non-swimmers. Paradise Island occupies the southern sandy bay with a steeper swimming drop-off (1.5m to 1.8m) and patch coral reefs within 25 meters of the beach.
Mahmya Island (€68 direct + €5 HEPCA) operates as a private low-density eco-resort on the southern tip of Big Giftun using dedicated sail/motor catamarans, limiting daily beach capacity, serving an upgraded beachfront buffet, and providing 4.5 hours of island dwell time with direct walk-in shore snorkeling over a protected coral garden—compared with 2.0 hours of island beach time on standard €22–€26 two-stop snorkeling boats.
A private 6-to-8 passenger Red Sea speedboat charter costs €145 base plus the mandatory €5.00 HEPCA marine park fee per paying guest. For a group of 6 adults, shared Paradise Island tickets cost €174 all-in (6 × €29), whereas a private speedboat charter costs €175 total (€145 + €30 HEPCA)—delivering private departure timing and crowd-free reef mooring for virtually the same outlay.
Holidaymakers staying at Soma Bay or Safaga resorts save 60 minutes of highway transfer time and avoid the +€10/person Hurghada marina surcharge by booking Utopia Island Safaga (€28 direct + €5 HEPCA), which departs directly from Safaga port to a natural shifting sandbank surrounded by unspoiled hard coral gardens.
Excursions Hurghada 2026 Statutory Tariff Summary: All 24 catalogued Red Sea island cruises (Orange Bay, Paradise Island, Mahmya, Eden, Hula Hula, Bianca, Utopia, Ozirea), submarines (Sindbad 22m, Royal Seascope 3.5m, Hurghada Grand Aquarium, Dolphin House), Eastern Desert ATV quad/buggy safaris, and Luxor/Cairo historical day tours enforce a 3-tier age pricing standard (Infants 0–2.99 yrs 0%, Children 3.00–11.99 yrs 50% base tariff, Adults 12+ yrs 100%), €5.00–€10.00 HEPCA marine park levies (Law 102/1983), and 4 hotel transfer zones (€0 Central, €5 Makadi/Sahl Hasheesh, €7.50 El Gouna, €10 Soma Bay/Safaga) at 1 EUR = 54.0 EGP.