Paradise Island Snorkeling Day Trip with Lunch Makadi Bay

Paradise Island

Paradise Island lies off the coast of Hurghada and lives up to its name: a long strip of soft white sand surrounded by shallow, crystal-clear water that shades from pale turquoise to deep blue over the reef. It is one of the most popular island day trips in the northern Red Sea, loved for its calm lagoon, where even cautious swimmers feel at ease.

On this trip you spend around three hours on the island, enough time to swim, sunbathe, walk along the shore and snorkel straight from the beach. The entry ticket to the island is included. Is Paradise Island worth visiting? If you want a classic Red Sea beach day with clear water and a relaxed pace, it is one of the best choices from Makadi Bay and Hurghada.

Snorkelling on the Coral Reef

Before or after the island stop, the yacht anchors at a coral reef where your guide leads a snorkelling session. Masks, snorkels and life jackets are provided, and the guide stays with the group, so beginners and children with an adult can join with confidence. The reefs here shelter hard and soft corals, giant clams, parrotfish, butterflyfish and shoals of colourful reef fish.

Visibility in this part of the Red Sea is often excellent, which is why snorkelling near Paradise Island is a highlight of many holidays in Makadi Bay. Spend as long as you like in the water, or relax on deck and watch the colours below from the boat. Reef-safe sun cream helps protect both your skin and the coral.

The Yacht Cruise from Hurghada

The yacht leaves from the marina in Hurghada, with a scenic cruise of about an hour to an hour and a half to the island. On board you have shaded seating and sunny decks, with views back to the coast and the mountains of the Eastern Desert. The crew serves a freshly prepared buffet lunch with soft drinks, and yacht guests enjoy a short relaxing massage during the day.

Choose the morning departure, with pickup between about 08:00 and 09:00 and return around 16:30, or the later departure at 11:30, which brings you back as the sun lowers in the sky. Both include the same island time, snorkelling and lunch, so pick the one that best suits your holiday rhythm.

Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh and Al Ahyaa Pickup

Makadi Bay is a resort coast of sandy beaches and fringing reefs about 30 kilometres south of Hurghada, with Sahl Hasheesh between the two and Al Ahyaa to the north of the city. The default option includes shared hotel pickup and drop-off across these three areas, with a transfer of about 25 to 30 minutes from Makadi Bay and Sahl Hasheesh to the marina.

That makes this one of the easiest Makadi Bay boat trips to organise: no taxis, no searching for the right pier, just a pickup at your hotel and a return in the afternoon. Our team confirms the exact pickup time on WhatsApp the day before, so you only need to be ready in the lobby with your swimwear.

Other Ways to Visit: Speedboat, Private and Without Transfers

If you are staying elsewhere, choose the yacht option with pickup from Hurghada hotels or from El Gouna, Soma Bay and Safaga, or the option without transfers if you prefer to meet the yacht directly at the marina. Guests short on time can take the four-hour speedboat version with about three hours on the island, snorkelling, beach time and a light lunch.

For families and small groups who want the island on their own schedule, the private speedboat is reserved for your group alone, with snorkelling, beach time and lunch included, and transfers can be added. Note that the speedboat options do not include the massage, which is offered on the yacht trips only.