Mahmya Island day trip from Hurghada is built around a long, unhurried day on the beach. After hotel pickup, you sail to Giftun Island, stopping to snorkel a coral reef on the way. At Mahmya you have several hours on white sand with sunbeds and shaded huts, and a buffet lunch at the island restaurant, before the boat returns you to Hurghada in the late afternoon.
Important information
- Not a separate island: Mahmya is a managed beach on Giftun Kebir, inside the Giftun Islands National Park.
- Swimming and snorkeling: You do not have to snorkel to enjoy the day. The reef stop is in open water, so non-swimmers should wear a life jacket and tell the guide.
- National park rules: Do not stand on or touch coral, feed fish or remove shells, sand or coral.
- Sea conditions: Boat trips depend on wind and sea conditions. The captain may change the reef stop or the schedule for safety.
- Sun exposure: Shade is available on the beach, but you will still spend several hours in strong sun. Use reef-safe sunscreen.
- Shared trip: You travel on a shared Mahmya boat with other travelers.
- Children: Children aged 0–3 travel free and children aged 4–11 pay half the adult price. Child-size life jackets are available.
What to bring?
- Swimwear and a towel
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- Hat and sunglasses
- A book or something to read on the beach
- A light cover-up or change of clothes for the return trip
- Cash for bar drinks, water sports, photos and tips
- Waterproof phone pouch or underwater camera
Who is this tour for?
This trip suits travelers in Hurghada who want a calm, comfortable day on a beach with facilities, rather than a busy boat program. It works well for couples, families with children and anyone who wants a proper lunch on shore and somewhere shaded to rest.
It is less suited to travelers who want several reef stops or a lot of time in the water. For them, the Giftun Island snorkeling trip or the Dolphin House trip is a better fit.
Trip info
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Hurghada free; Makadi and Sahl Hasheesh US$5 extra; Safaga, El Gouna and Soma Bay US$10 extra
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Buffet lunch with water and soft drinks at the island restaurant
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English-speaking snorkeling guide
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Shared full-day boat
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Sunbeds and shade included; bar drinks and water sports extra
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1
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99
Full tour overview
Mahmya is a beach on the southern shore of Giftun Kebir, the larger of the Giftun Islands off Hurghada. Despite its name, it is not a separate island, but a managed beach area inside the Giftun Islands National Park, with sunbeds, shaded huts, a restaurant and a bar set on soft white sand.
The day is designed for relaxing rather than rushing between stops. After hotel pickup, you transfer to the marina in Hurghada and board a shared Mahmya boat for the crossing of about 45 minutes to an hour. On the way, the boat stops at a coral reef for a guided snorkeling session, with equipment and life jackets provided.
Once you arrive at Mahmya, the rest of the day is yours. You can swim in the clear, shallow water, snorkel from the beach, read under a shaded hut or walk along the shore. Lunch is an open buffet at the island restaurant, served with water and soft drinks. Bar drinks and water sports are available at extra cost.
In the late afternoon, the boat takes you back to the marina, and you are driven to your hotel.
The trip suits travelers who want a full, comfortable beach day with proper facilities. If you prefer a shorter beach stop and lunch on the boat, the Orange Bay Island trip is a good alternative, and if reefs matter more than the beach, choose the Giftun Island snorkeling trip.
Tour highlights
- Spend several hours on Mahmya's white-sand beach on Giftun Island
- Relax on sunbeds and under shaded huts
- Snorkel a coral reef with a guide on the way to the island
- Enjoy an open buffet lunch at the island restaurant
- Swim in clear, shallow water inside the Giftun Islands National Park
- Travel with return hotel transfers from Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi Bay
