Giftun Island: Orange Bay, Paradise Island or Mahmya?
From €25 per person, transfer included
Giftun is the long, flat, ochre island you see on the horizon from Hurghada. Three of the Red Sea's most booked beaches are on it: Orange Bay, Paradise Island and Mahmya. You reach all three by boat on a day trip, snorkelling included. What separates them is the atmosphere, the price, and how much of the day you want to spend doing absolutely nothing with your feet in the water.
Where is Giftun Island?
Giftun lies east of Hurghada, roughly 15 km offshore, and it's actually two islands: Giftun Kebir, the big one with all three beaches, and Giftun Soraya, the small one divers know.
From the Marina or the town's other harbours, allow 30 minutes to an hour at sea, depending on the beach, the boat and the snorkelling stops on the way. From the deck, Giftun looks empty. Up close you find coves, wooden jetties, and water that goes milky turquoise the moment the seabed rises.
Giftun Island National Park
The islands and their reefs are a protected area with an entry fee, and the partner's trips already include it ("yacht + island entry" on the price list).
In practice, protected means a few habits. Look at the coral without touching it, leave shells and bits of reef where they are, don't feed the fish, and pack a reef-friendly sun cream. Those rules are why the water is still this clear.
Orange Bay vs Paradise vs Mahmya, side by side
| Orange Bay | Paradise Island | Mahmya | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel | The famous one, lively | Beach day, shallow lagoon | Quieter, wooden decking |
| Beach | White sand, jetties | Pale sand, you can stand far out | White sand, very clear water |
| Snorkelling | Reef stops on the crossing | Easy, straight from the shore | On the reserve's reefs |
| Food | Lunch and unlimited drinks on board | Same as Orange Bay | All-you-can-eat meal |
| From | €25 pp | €25 pp | €80 pp |
Partner prices, confirmed on WhatsApp.
Which Giftun beach suits you?
First time in the Red Sea and keen to get your face in the water: Orange Bay. A slow day, easy swimming, kids or nervous swimmers: Paradise Island. Been before, or want the most polished version: Mahmya, at the price that goes with it.
Staying a week? Do two. From a distance they look alike, up close they really don't. At Orange Bay, the crossing is half the point. At Paradise, the point is not moving from your sunbed.
Save Mahmya for a windless day if you can. The water gets even better when the surface is flat.
How to get to Giftun from the Marina
By boat only: the partner picks you up at your hotel, drives you to the harbour, and the boat leaves around 8am and comes back around 4pm on the Orange Bay and Paradise trips.
For a looser day, there's the Boxi water taxi: public yellow boats with an advertised fare of €25 including hotel pick-up and island entry, leaving at 9am, 11am or 1pm. No lunch or snorkelling stops on that one, it's the light version. We book it for you on WhatsApp.
Board with your swimmers already on, sun cream applied half an hour earlier, phone in a waterproof pouch. Prone to seasickness? Sit in the middle of the boat, on the lowest deck, and keep your eyes on the horizon.
Tell us which beach you fancy and on what date: we'll confirm the price and the pick-up time.