Paradise Island or Orange Bay? How to Choose Your Hurghada Island Trip

Paradise Island or Orange Bay? It's the question almost everyone asks before booking a boat trip in Hurghada. Both are beaches in the Giftun islands, a protected marine park just off the coast. Hula Hula is a third island beach in the same area, often called "New Paradise". This guide compares the three so you can pick the right day for your group, whether that means small children, non-swimmers, a honeymoon or a phone full of photos.

The short answer

If you only read one part, read this:

- Orange Bay is the classic postcard beach: white sand, turquoise water and the rocky hills of Giftun Island behind you. A great first island trip. - Paradise Island is the easiest, most relaxed day: calm, shallow water near the shore, lunch before the beach and the famous PARADISE sign for your photo. - Hula Hula is the beach with hammocks and hanging wicker chairs. Pick it if lounging and photos matter as much as swimming.

• •If snorkeling is your main goal, any of the three is a good choice: each trip has two snorkeling stops at reefs in the same protected area.

The rest of this article explains the differences, so you can be sure.

What all three island trips have in common

Our three island trips follow the same idea, so you are not choosing between a good day and a bad one. On each of them:

- We pick you up at your hotel in Hurghada in the morning and take you to the marina. - The boat stops twice at a reef for snorkeling, with a guide in the water to help. - You spend about two hours on the island beach. - Lunch is served on the boat, with soft drinks and water during the day.

• •The island entrance fee is included.

The day ends with drop-off at your hotel in the late afternoon. Exact times and what's included are on each tour page. Because the reefs are in the same national park, the fish and coral you see on the snorkeling stops are much the same on all three trips. For what lives on these reefs and how to snorkel for the first time, read our snorkeling in Hurghada guide and our article on choosing a snorkeling tour in Hurghada.

So the real differences are two things: the beach where you spend those two hours, and the order of your day.

Orange Bay: the classic postcard beach

Orange Bay is the beach most people picture when they think of the Red Sea. The sand is fine and white, and the water changes from pale turquoise in the shallows to deep blue further out. Behind the beach rise the bare, rocky hills of Giftun Island, which makes for very striking photos. The beach is set up with wooden umbrellas, sun loungers, bean bags and shaded cabanas, so it feels a bit like a beach club in the middle of the sea.

On the Orange Bay sea trip the island comes in the late morning, after the first snorkeling stop. The second snorkeling stop and lunch on the boat follow in the afternoon.

Choose Orange Bay if it's your first island trip, you want the classic Red Sea beach photo, or your group mostly wants to swim and lie on the sand. Our Orange Bay guide has more about the island itself.

Paradise Island: the easy, relaxed day

Paradise Island is the gentle option. The water near the shore is calm, clear and shallow, so you can wade in slowly and children can splash around close to the beach. Traditional palm-thatch umbrellas, sun loungers, bean bags and cabanas stand right on the sand. And of course there is the big PARADISE sign that everyone wants a photo with.

The Paradise Island sea trip is graded easy and suits all ages and swimming levels. Its day runs a little differently: after the first snorkeling stop, lunch is served on the boat, and then you spend the early afternoon on the island before the second snorkeling stop. If you get hungry early or travel with children who need a proper meal before a long beach session, this order is a real plus.

Choose Paradise Island if you travel with small children or non-swimmers, want the most relaxed day, or prefer to eat before the beach. Our Paradise Island guide tells you more about the island.

Hula Hula: hammocks, wicker chairs and photos

Hula Hula is the most "designed" of the three beaches. Hammocks hang between wooden posts, egg-shaped wicker chairs swing right on the sand, and there are palm-thatch umbrellas and shaded cabanas looking over the turquoise water. The big HULA HULA BEACH ISLAND sign is the photo spot here.

The Hula Hula Giftun Island sea trip follows the same plan as Orange Bay: first snorkeling stop, about two hours on the island, second snorkeling stop, then lunch on the boat.

Choose Hula Hula if you are a couple or a group of friends, love photos, or simply want to swing in a hammock with the sea in front of you. One practical note: if you are staying outside Hurghada (for example in El Gouna, Makadi, Sahl Hasheesh, Soma Bay or Safaga), check the tour page for how transfers from your area work.

Which island for which traveller?

Still not sure? Find your group below.

Travelling with small children

Go for Paradise Island. Calm, shallow water near the shore, an easy-graded day and lunch before the beach make it the most relaxed choice for families. Orange Bay is a good second choice. Tell us the ages of the children when you book.

Non-swimmers or nervous in the water

Paradise Island again, for the gentle shallow water. On the Paradise Island and Orange Bay trips a life jacket is part of the snorkeling equipment, so you float on the surface while you look down at the reef, and a guide helps the group in the water. You can also simply stay on the beach and paddle in the shallows.

Couples, honeymooners and friends

Hula Hula for the hammocks and photos, or Orange Bay for the classic white-sand beach with the island hills behind it.

Snorkeling is the main reason you're going

Any of the three. Each trip has two snorkeling stops in the same protected area. Choose by the beach you like most, or by the day that fits your plans.

Short on holiday days

If you only have time for one sea trip, Orange Bay is the safe choice: it's the classic Red Sea beach most people picture when they book Hurghada.

Can you see two islands in one day?

Each of our island trips goes to one island beach, so you choose one per day. If you can't decide, book two sea days during your holiday, for example Orange Bay early in the week and Paradise Island or Hula Hula a few days later. If you want a different kind of day on the water, the Dolphin House trip goes to a reef where wild dolphins often rest. They are wild animals, so sightings are never guaranteed.

Tips for a good island day

- Wear your swimwear under your clothes so you're ready at the first stop. - Bring a towel, sunscreen (reef-safe if you can), sunglasses and a hat. A T-shirt or rash vest protects your back while snorkeling. - Bring a little cash for extras that aren't included, such as photos from the boat photographer. - Don't touch or stand on the coral, and leave shells and coral where they are. The park is protected for a reason. - If you get seasick, eat a light breakfast and take a tablet before the boat leaves.

• •From December to March, bring a light jumper for the boat ride back. The sea breeze feels cool in the late afternoon.

When is the best time for an island trip?

The island trips run all year, and the Red Sea is warm enough to swim in every month. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant time for most people, with warm water and comfortable air temperatures. Summer is the hottest and busiest season, so shade and sunscreen matter most then. In winter the water is cooler and many people like a short wetsuit for snorkeling, but sunny, calm days are still lovely on the beach. For a month-by-month view, see our best time to go to Hurghada guide.

Ready to choose your island?

A simple rule to finish: Orange Bay for the classic beach, Paradise Island for the easiest family day, Hula Hula for hammocks and photos. Open the Orange Bay sea trip, the Paradise Island sea trip or the Hula Hula Giftun Island sea trip to see the live price, the plan of the day and what's included. Still can't decide? Send us a message on WhatsApp with the buttons on this page, tell us who's travelling, and our team at Hurghada Safari will help you pick the right island.