Your partner dives, you don't: how non-divers enjoy Hurghada's boat days

Yes. On our guided 2-dive day trip a partner, friend or family member who doesn't dive comes on the same boat as a snorkeler for €35, the same price as our snorkeling trip. You spend the whole day together: the same pickup, the same boat, the same lunch.

What the €35 covers:

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from Hurghada, El Gouna, Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh, Soma Bay or Safaga
• Snorkeling at both dive stops
• Mask and fins (or bring your own if you prefer)
• Lunch and soft drinks on board
• The whole day on deck with your group

You don't need any experience, just be comfortable in the water. The diver pays the day-trip price (€50 at the moment, normally €60); our guides speak English, Arabic and Czech.

You snorkel the reef top at each stop while the divers are down, then everyone has lunch on deck together. Each dive takes about an hour, so you have time in the water and time to rest on board. This is how the day runs:

Times can shift a little with the wind, the sea and the sites chosen that morning. The sites are picked for the divers, from reefs and coral gardens to walls and wrecks, so the snorkel is at the shallow top of the reef. It's a long day of about 8.5 hours hotel to hotel; bring a book and plan on a lot of sun (see the tips below). If you'd rather spend the whole day snorkeling, the trips below are planned around snorkelers.

Three trips are made for non-divers: a snorkeling day at €35, an Orange Bay beach day at €40 and a private dolphin speedboat at €200 for up to 6 people. Here they are next to joining the dive boat:

The snorkeling trip stops at the reefs that are calmest that morning, often a shallow coral garden for the second stop. Orange Bay is a white-sand beach on Giftun island with shallow water, so non-swimmers can simply paddle and relax. The dolphins are wild: we often see them but can't promise them, and we never chase, touch or feed them (read the code of conduct). For a full comparison of the island trips, see Orange Bay, Paradise Island, Mahmya or Giftun; all prices are on our price list.

They can do a Discover Scuba Diving try dive from €45, one-to-one with their own instructor, on the same boat day as the diver. No certificate or experience is needed, and the price includes everything: instructor, full gear, tanks and weights, and hotel pickup.

• By boat: about 8 hours on our daily boat, with the try dive at a sheltered reef and lunch on deck. You're on board with your partner, though not on the same dive.
• From the beach: about 1–2 hours, in water you can stand up in at first. Good for a nervous first-timer, or if you'd rather keep the rest of the day free.
• Who can join: usually from age 10, with a parent or guardian signing for under-18s. Everyone fills in a medical questionnaire, and some answers need a doctor's sign-off first (see the medical questionnaire explained).

If the try dive goes well, the next step is the Open Water course, from €365 (SSI and SDI) or €395 (PADI), all included. Then you can dive together on the next holiday. More detail: what happens on your first try dive and try dive, Scuba Diver or Open Water.

Protect yourself from the sun, sit where the boat moves least, and drink plenty. A snorkeler floats face down at the surface for a long time, and the sun on the water is strong.

• Sunscreen: the NHS advises at least SPF 30 with 4-star UVA protection, reapplied every 2 hours and straight after you've been in the water, even if it says water resistant. Water reflects UV, and the cool water can make you think you're not burning. Choose a reef-friendly one (what the science says).
• Cover up: a long-sleeved top (a rash vest works in the water too), a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. Use the shade on deck around the middle of the day; the NHS advises shade between 11am and 3pm.
• Seasickness: sit in the middle of the boat, look at the horizon, get fresh air, and avoid a heavy meal or alcohol before you sail, as the NHS recommends. A pharmacist can suggest tablets or patches; take them before you board. More in seasickness on dive boats.
• Drink: soft drinks are included on board; drink more in the heat and go easy on alcohol, which the NHS lists as a heat-exhaustion risk.
• Children: take extra care with their skin; the NHS advises keeping babies under 6 months out of direct sunlight.

What to bring: swimwear, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and, in winter, a warm layer for the morning ride (see water and weather month by month). If you're nervous in the water, read snorkeling tips for first-timers.

Book the 2-dive day trip and add the number of snorkelers in the booking form. A person on our team confirms the date and pickup time on WhatsApp or email.

• Payment: cash on the day, nothing in advance and no deposit.
• Cancellation: free up to 24 hours before.
• Gear for the diver: a full set is €10 a day if they don't bring their own.
• Several days: multi-day dive packages take up to 10% off the diver's price (see the price list). On the days the diver dives, the non-diver can come along, or book one of the boat trips instead.

A good week for a couple often mixes the three: a few dive days with the partner snorkeling, one Orange Bay or snorkeling day together, and a dolphin speedboat on a rest day.