Marsa Mubarak Snorkeling Trip from Hurghada

Marsa Mubarak is a wide, shallow bay south of Hurghada in the Marsa Alam region, and it is a different kind of snorkeling from the island trips. The floor here is seagrass rather than coral, and that meadow is a feeding ground - which is why green turtles are seen here far more reliably than almost anywhere else on this coast.

It is a long day. The drive south is the price of getting somewhere that most Hurghada day-trippers never reach, and the bay is quieter for it.

What you will actually see

Seagrass beds with turtles grazing on them, and reef sections at the edges of the bay with the usual Red Sea cast - butterflyfish, parrotfish, wrasse, the occasional ray moving across the sand. Turtles here are wild and unfenced, so sightings are likely but never guaranteed. When one does surface for air a few meters from you, it is worth the drive on its own.

How the day runs

Pickup is from your hotel in an air-conditioned private vehicle, and the day runs about 8 hours in total. Snorkeling equipment, a life jacket and a guide in the water are all included, and a buffet lunch is served on board between sessions.

Please give the turtles room

Do not chase, touch or block a turtle, and never get between one and the surface - they have to breathe. Stay a few meters back, keep your fins still, and they will usually carry on feeding as if you were not there. That is the whole trick.

Good to know before you book

• Expect an early start and a long drive each way. Bring something to do in the vehicle.
• 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.
• A rash vest or long-sleeved swim top is strongly recommended - you will spend a long time face down under a strong sun.

$95 per person (regular price $110), including guide, snorkeling equipment, life jacket, lunch and transfers.