Semi-submarine, glass-bottom boat or snorkeling: seeing Hurghada's reefs without diving

A semi-submarine stays on the surface; its observation cabin sits below the waterline. Egypt Sunmarine describes Royal Seascope as a semi-submarine with an underwater glassed cabin and advertises an observation deck about 3 m below sea level. Cabin depth, stairs, access to the deck and trip length depend on the vessel: confirm them with the operator.

A glass-bottom boat has a transparent section below the waterline, so you look down at the reef from inside the boat. You stay dry, and the view is clearer than looking over the side, because you are not looking through the moving water surface. Wikivoyage's Hurghada guide lists glass-bottom boat trips among things to do.

Sindbad operated real tourist submarines in Hurghada. One sank on 27 March 2025; contemporary reporting recorded six Russian tourists killed. The operator's website still advertises dives to 25 m and displays a booking link, but that page does not establish a current sailing schedule or official authorisation to resume. We could not verify current operating status from a dated operator or authority announcement. Confirm the exact vessel and its current operating status directly before booking.

Snorkeling puts you in the water with the fish, so you see much more than through a window. If you are not a strong swimmer, read best snorkeling in Hurghada, which covers beginners and non-swimmers, and snorkeling safety tips for first-timers.

Our snorkeling trip stops twice on the reefs of Giftun and Abu Ramada, with mask, fins and lunch included; no experience is needed, only being comfortable in the water. The Orange Bay trip adds beach time on Giftun island. If you want to go one step further, a try dive with an instructor needs no certification. We don't run semi-submarine or glass-bottom boat trips ourselves.