Discover Scuba Diving in Hurghada (No Certification Needed)

This is the trip for people who are curious about diving but not ready to commit to a certification course. You are not signing up to learn theory or sit an exam. An instructor takes you into the water, stays with you the whole time, and brings you back.

The Red Sea is unusually forgiving for a first dive. Visibility regularly runs past thirty meters, the water is warm enough that a thin wetsuit is plenty for most of the year, and the reefs start shallow - which means you see the interesting things without going deep.

How the day runs

Pickup is at around 9:00 from your hotel reception, and you are usually back by 3:30. On board, your instructor fits your equipment and walks you through the four things that actually matter: how to breathe, how to clear your mask, how to equalize your ears, and the hand signals you will use underwater. Then you get in.

You do two dives at two different sites, with a surface break between them. Lunch and drinks are served on the boat. You share the boat with certified divers doing their own thing, which sounds intimidating and is not - it means the crew are experienced with mixed groups and nobody is watching you.

Honest expectations

Not everyone takes to it, and there is no shame in that. Some people struggle to equalize, some do not like the mask. Your instructor will not push you. If you decide after five minutes that this is not for you, you surface, get back on the boat, and enjoy the snorkeling and the sunshine instead.

Good to know before you book

• No licence or experience is required. Basic comfort in water is enough - you do not need to be a strong swimmer.
• Do not dive within 24 hours of a flight. Plan this for the start of your stay, not the last day.
• Tell us in advance about asthma, heart conditions, recent surgery or pregnancy so we can advise you honestly.
• Transfers are included from hotels inside Hurghada; a $5 per person supplement applies from Makadi, Sahl Hasheesh, El Ahyaa, El Gouna and Soma Bay.
• Photography and video are not included.

$50 per person (regular price $65), including instructor, full equipment, two boat dives, lunch and hotel transfers.