Hurghada: Private Speedboat to Magawish Island

Magawish Island gives you the Red Sea day many Hurghada visitors hope for: a fast boat ride, calm turquoise water, coral reefs, and several hours with sand under your feet. The private format keeps the outing more personal, while the 4 or 8-hour choice lets you match the trip to your schedule.

I like the easy hotel pickup and the helpful setup for snorkeling, including equipment, a life jacket, and a guide who can support nervous swimmers with a float. I also like the simple food and drinks provided, plus the option to add lunch, parasailing, or a massage. The main drawback is the pickup window, which can shift by 1 to 1.5 hours, and the short version may feel rushed if you want serious beach time.

Key points at a glance

• Fast ride to Magawish Island: Cross the Red Sea by private speedboat rather than spending the day on a large shared boat.
• Two useful time choices: Pick a 4-hour outing for a quick island escape or 8 hours for a slower day with more time to swim and rest.
• Beginner-friendly snorkeling: Equipment, a life jacket, and a snorkeling guide are included, with float support available for less confident swimmers.
• Food and drinks are covered: Water, soft drinks, snacks, and fruit are included. Lunch is available when you select that option.
• Optional extras add variety: Parasailing and massage can be added, giving you more than a standard swim-and-snorkel trip.
• Private hotel transport: Pickup and drop-off in Hurghada are included, though hotels outside the city require an added transfer fee.

Why Magawish works as a Red Sea escape

Magawish Island is less about sightseeing in the usual sense and more about a change of pace. You leave Hurghada’s roads and hotels behind, cross open water by speedboat, and spend your main hours swimming, snorkeling, and resting on a sandy beach.

That makes this a good choice if your idea of a great Egyptian excursion involves water rather than monuments. You will not be touring ancient sites or moving from one crowded attraction to another. The pleasure comes from having time to enjoy one setting without a packed schedule.

The water is described as clear and calm, and the snorkeling area is suitable for beginners as well as experienced swimmers. Conditions can still vary on any Red Sea outing, but the basic setup is reassuring: a life jacket, snorkeling gear, and a guide are part of the package.

The island visit also gives you a break from the boat. You can swim from shore, take photos, sit on the sand, or simply stop doing anything for a while. For many people, that unhurried island time will be more valuable than squeezing in another activity.

Hotel pickup and the ride from Hurghada

Your day starts with a private round-trip transfer from your Hurghada hotel. The van ride to the marina is listed at about 30 minutes, followed by the boat trip across the Red Sea.

The pickup point matters. You meet the driver at the main hotel gate on the road, not at the reception desk. Pickup times can vary by 1 to 1.5 hours because of your hotel location and traffic, so do not schedule this tour immediately before another fixed activity.

The exact pickup details are sent by email at 10:00 PM the evening before. Give the correct nationality, hotel name, and room number when booking, and check your email before bed. This small bit of planning can prevent a morning wait at the wrong entrance.

Pickup is included for Hurghada hotels. If you are staying in Makadi Bay, El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh, Soma Bay, or Safaga, transport is available as an optional add-on during checkout. The base price should not be treated as the full cost if your hotel is outside Hurghada.

Once you reach the marina, expect a short safety briefing before boarding. The speedboat is the star of the transfer. Compared with a large excursion boat, it offers a quicker, more direct feeling on the water and keeps the group private.

The speedboat crossing to Magawish Island

The boat ride is part of the experience, not just a way to get from point A to point B. You get open Red Sea views as Hurghada recedes and Magawish comes closer.

A speedboat also changes the rhythm of the day. You spend less time waiting around on a large vessel and more time moving toward the island. That is especially useful on the 4-hour option, where every hour matters.

The tradeoff is that a fast boat can feel more exposed to wind and spray than a larger craft. The supplied information does not specify boat size, shade, or seating arrangements, so ask the operator if those details matter to you. Anyone prone to motion sickness should also bring whatever personal remedy they normally use.

The private-group format is valuable for families, couples, and small groups who want a quieter outing. You are not locked into the social pace of a large boat full of strangers. Still, private does not mean completely custom in every detail. The core plan remains a speedboat trip, a snorkeling stop, and island time.

Snorkeling in clear Red Sea water

Snorkeling is the main reason to book this excursion. The plan includes one snorkeling stop, along with equipment, a life jacket, and a snorkeling guide.

The coral reefs and colorful fish provide the underwater focus. The water is described as shallow and calm, which makes the stop accessible if you are new to snorkeling. You can watch from the surface without needing advanced swimming skills.

That said, you should still be comfortable entering the sea with assistance. A life jacket is included, and the guide can help. A useful detail from the experience is that less confident swimmers may be supported with a swimming ring, allowing them to see the reef without struggling to stay afloat.

You should bring your own towel and sunscreen. Apply sunscreen before boarding, then reapply after swimming, using a reef-conscious product when possible. The Red Sea sun can be strong even when the boat ride feels breezy.

The snorkeling stop is listed as one stop, but the overall itinerary includes swimming and snorkeling time near Hurghada as well as two hours at Magawish Island. The exact order may depend on the chosen duration and the day’s operation, so you should think of the schedule as a framework rather than a minute-by-minute promise.

One notable possibility is dolphin sightings. A dolphin was seen during one outing, but this is not a guaranteed part of the tour. Treat it as luck, not as something to book the trip around.

Two hours on Magawish Island

The island stay is where the excursion slows down. You have about two hours for swimming, snorkeling, beach time, and photos in the sand.

The beach is the main draw. Magawish is presented as a calm place to rest, with shallow water that suits a relaxed swim. You can alternate between the sea and the beach instead of spending the entire day in a boat seat.

I would use the island time in a simple way: swim first while you still have energy, snorkel with the guide, then leave room to dry off and sit on the sand. If lunch is included in your selected option, allow time to eat rather than trying to fit every activity into the final minutes.

The island is not a huge sightseeing site with a long list of things to see. Its appeal is the setting and the pause. If you need constant activities, two hours may feel limited. If you want a clean beach, clear water, and a place to slow down, it makes sense.

Bring cash for personal spending or optional extras, since cash is specifically listed among the recommended items. The base package includes water, soft drinks, snacks, and fruit, so you should not need to buy basic refreshments throughout the day.

Lunch, parasailing, and massage choices

Lunch is included only if you select that option. This is important when comparing the price of different booking choices. Do not assume the advertised rate automatically covers a meal.

The available food is described as solid rather than elaborate. A practical tip is to favor salads over pizza if both are offered. Food preferences can vary, but you should treat lunch as convenient fuel for a beach day, not as a major culinary reason to book.

Parasailing is another optional add-on. It suits you if you want a short burst of activity above the water after snorkeling and beach time. If your priority is quiet swimming, you can skip it and keep the day simple.

A massage is also available as an optional upgrade. The supplied information does not give its length, setting, or price, so check those details before paying. Ask exactly when it takes place, since a treatment could use time that you would otherwise spend on the island.

These extras can make the trip fit different personalities in one private group. One person can relax, another can snorkel, and another can choose parasailing, but availability and added costs should be confirmed at checkout.

How the 4-hour and 8-hour options differ

The shorter option is best when you want a Red Sea break without giving up most of your day. It can work well if you have dinner plans, a spa booking, or another Hurghada activity later.

The 8-hour option makes more sense if the island is the main event. You have more room for unhurried swimming, snorkeling, lunch, and beach time, with less pressure from the transfer schedule.

The listed route includes about 30 minutes by van each way, two hours of swimming and snorkeling in the Hurghada area, and about two hours on Magawish Island. Since the advertised duration is 4 to 8 hours, the shorter trip may use a tighter version of this program, while the longer choice allows more time around the water and island.

Check the starting time and final duration when you book. The activity page notes that availability controls the start times, and pickup itself can shift because of traffic. The longer option is not automatically better if you mainly want one swim and a few beach photos.

What the $88 price gives you

At $88 per person, this is not the cheapest way to spend time near Hurghada’s coast. It can still be good value if you use the private transport, speedboat, guide, equipment, refreshments, island access, and snorkeling stop.

The price is easier to justify for a small private group that would rather avoid a large shared excursion. It also includes hotel pickup and drop-off within Hurghada, which saves you from arranging a separate taxi to the marina.

You should compare the final price, not just the headline rate. Lunch, parasailing, massage, and pickup from nearby resort areas may cost extra. If your group wants several add-ons, the total can rise quickly.

The included equipment and guide also matter. Buying or renting snorkeling gear, finding your own boat, arranging island access, and organizing transfers would take time and create more points of failure. Here, the basic pieces are handled together.

Who should book this private boat trip

I would recommend it to couples, families, and small groups who want a private Red Sea day with simple logistics. It is also a sensible option for first-time snorkelers because the guide, flotation equipment, and life jacket are included.

The trip suits you if you value:

• A fast transfer instead of a large shared boat
• Beach time mixed with snorkeling
• A flexible 4 or 8-hour schedule
• Hotel pickup in Hurghada
• Optional activities for different interests
• A private group rather than a public tour

It may not suit you if you want a full-day sailing trip, several reef stops, or a highly detailed marine tour. The plan centers on one main snorkeling stop and one island visit. It also may disappoint if you expect a completely fixed pickup time or a large menu of included activities.

The experience is wheelchair accessible, and the listed guide languages are Arabic and English. Pets are not allowed.

Practical tips for a smoother day

Keep the morning flexible because pickup may be delayed by up to 1 to 1.5 hours. Wait at the hotel’s main roadside gate, not inside reception, and check the email sent the evening before.

Wear swim-friendly clothing and bring a towel, sunscreen, and cash. Water, soft drinks, fruit, and snacks are included, but personal purchases and optional activities may not be.

If you are not a confident swimmer, tell the snorkeling guide before entering the water. Use the life jacket or float support, stay close to the guide, and do not feel pressured to swim farther than you like.

If you select lunch, confirm that choice during booking. If you plan to add parasailing or a massage, check the final price and timing so the extras do not cut into the island time you really want.

The tour has a 4.8 rating from 19 verified bookings, with especially strong praise for the snorkeling, cheerful boat crew, island calm, and staff attentiveness. One particularly serious situation also showed the value of responsive local help: after a passenger injured an ankle, the company owner Mohammed assisted with transport, hospital communication, translation, and the return journey. That does not change the need for normal travel insurance, but it is a useful sign that the operator can respond when plans go wrong.

Should you book it?

Book this trip if you want an easy, private route from Hurghada to clear water and a sandy island, with enough support for a first snorkeling attempt. The 8-hour choice offers the better value when you want a relaxed beach day, while the 4-hour plan fits a tighter schedule.

I would skip it if your main goal is a long reef safari with many snorkeling locations or a fully fixed timetable. For everyone else, the combination of speedboat travel, guided snorkeling, island time, refreshments, and optional extras makes this a strong Hurghada water excursion, provided you check the add-on costs and allow for a loose pickup window.

FAQ

Where does the tour take place?

The tour starts in Hurghada, in Egypt’s Red Sea Governorate, and travels by speedboat to Magawish Island.

How long does the experience last?

You can choose a 4-hour or 8-hour option. Check availability for the start times and the exact schedule offered on your chosen date.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Private round-trip pickup and drop-off are included from hotels in Hurghada.

Where do I meet the pickup vehicle?

Pickup is from the main hotel gate on the road, not from the reception area.

Can pickup times change?

Yes. Pickup may vary by up to 1 to 1.5 hours depending on your hotel location and traffic.

When will I receive pickup details?

Pickup information is sent by email at 10:00 PM on the evening before the trip.

What languages are available?

The live tour guide service is available in Arabic and English.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. Snorkeling equipment, a life jacket, and a snorkeling guide are included.

Is lunch included?

Lunch is included only if you select the lunch option. Water, soft drinks, snacks, and fruit are included in the standard package.

Can I add parasailing or a massage?

Yes. Parasailing and massage are available as optional upgrades. Check the additional price and availability when booking.