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IslandsOrange Bay · Private boat

Private boat to Orange Bay, Hurghada: speedboats, yachts and what the price covers

A private boat to Orange Bay is a whole speedboat for your group, from about $170–240 per boat on GetYourGuide, for 4–6 hours on your own timing. For a family of four it can cost less per head than VIP yacht seats — if you check what the price covers.

Where on the coast

Orange Bay

20 min by speedboat · 45 min by yacht

Where
Orange Bay, west shore of Giftun Kebir, about 8 km from Hurghada Marina
Crossing
About 20 min by speedboat
Private speedboat
From about $170–240 per boat on GetYourGuide
Headout "private"
Priced per person, not per boat
Private yacht
From about $130 to $1,350 per boat
Usual length
4–6 hours
Ask before paying
Guests per price, park fee, coast-guard fee, transfer zone

Updated 20 October 2026Facts checked against official sourcesContains affiliate links

Private Orange Bay boat: what you can book

8 options · Prices checked on 20 October 2026

Boat

Platform

See all trips on GetYourGuide →Also on Headout →

An Orange Bay private boat trip means hiring a speedboat or yacht with its crew for your group alone, rather than buying seats on a shared yacht. You choose when to leave, how long to stay and which reef to snorkel, and you can be on the sand before the crowds arrive. Most private Orange Bay listings on GetYourGuide are priced for the whole boat, which is why they look expensive next to $26 shared yachts.

Where is Orange Bay?

Orange Bay is a sandy beach about halfway down the west shore of Giftun Kebir, the big island facing Hurghada. It is often sold as "Orange Island", but it is a beach on Giftun, not an island of its own. Straight-line it is about 8 km from Hurghada Marina, the closest of the Giftun beaches — about 20 minutes by speedboat and 30–45 minutes by yacht. Paradise and Mahmya lie on the south tip of the same island.

Hurghada Marina1Abu Minqar2Orange Bay3Magawish4Giftun Kebir5
  1. 1Hurghada MarinaMarinaMap ↗
  2. 2Abu MinqarIsland · 15 min by speedboat · 20 min by yachtMap ↗
  3. 3Orange BayBeach · 20 min by speedboat · 45 min by yachtMap ↗
  4. 4MagawishIsland · 20 min by speedboat · 45 min by yachtMap ↗
  5. 5Giftun KebirIsland · 20 min by speedboat · 45 min by yachtMap ↗
Circles: islands and beaches; diamonds: reefs; squares: marinas; round squares: towns and resorts. Coral pink: reefs. · © OpenStreetMap contributors

Orange Bay private boat prices: per boat or per person?

Read the price twice. On GetYourGuide, a private speedboat to Orange Bay is listed from about $170 to $240, and that is the price for the boat, not for each guest. On Headout, "private" speedboats are priced per person: the Headout Orange Bay and Magawish private speedboat (Private Speedboat to Orange Bay & Magawish Island With Snorkeling, Lunch & Transfers) is from $76 a head, and some of Headout's private boats exclude "National Park fees and VAT" of €10 per person and outer-resort transfers, both paid in cash.

That difference decides the maths for a family. Four people on a GetYourGuide boat at from $197 pay about $49 each if the price covers four; four seats on a luxury yacht cost from $53 each. Four people on the Headout per-person option pay from about $300 together. The catch is the group size: the listing price is the cheapest option, so check how many guests it covers.

What a day on the water costs, by type of boat

Typical prices on the platforms, checked on 20 October 2026; private boats are priced per boat.

Direct prices give a useful benchmark:

  • Always Hurghada: private 4-hour speedboat from €160 per boat, up to 6 guests.
  • GoShalabi: its Orange Bay and Magawish speedboat and its Giftun and Orange Bay speedboat are both $200 on its own site; its page does not make clear how many guests that covers.
  • Egypt Divers: private boat full day (6–7 hours) €600 for up to 9 people, €650 for 10–19, €800 for 20–30, with lunch, guide and gear; €5 coast-guard fee per person extra.
  • Private yachts: Egypt Sun Marine lists a private yacht at $425; Royal Cruise Hurghada's private yacht day is $1,350.

For the whole price ladder across shared and private boats, see Hurghada boat trip prices and private boats from Hurghada.

Private speedboats to Orange Bay compared

Private Orange Bay boats

1

Best all-rounder

Giftun reefs, Orange Bay and lunch in 4–6 hours; a trip with the same title is on GoShalabi's own site.

2

Orange Bay plus Magawish

GoShalabi's trip: about an hour on Orange Bay, two 20-minute snorkel stops and about an hour on Magawish with lunch.

3

Shortest and simplest

Four hours to Orange Bay and the "White Island" sandbank; the listing does not name the boat company.

Prices next to these cards are per boat. GoShalabi's Orange Bay and Magawish listing (Hurghada: Orange Bay & Magawish Island Speedboat with Fruits) offers private or shared options, and the price shown is the cheapest. It is from $240 on GetYourGuide against $200 on GoShalabi's own site, so it pays to compare. GoShalabi's page lists the €5 nature-reserve fee as both included and excluded — confirm which.

"White Island" on these trips is a sandbank a few minutes from the Giftun reef stops, also sold as "Nemo Beach" — not the famous White Island at Ras Mohammed near Sharm. The Makadi and Safaga versions of the Giftun speedboat (Makadi: Giftun Island Speedboat Cruise to Orange Bay & Fruit, Safaga: Giftun Island Speedboat Cruise to Orange Bay W Fruit) are the same Hurghada trip with a longer pick-up. More on the island-hopping operator in the GoShalabi review.

The private-boat day, on your own timing

The whole point of a private boat is timing. Orange Bay fills from about 11:00, when the morning yachts land after their two reef stops — about 2,000 visitors a day, its PR manager said in 2022. A private boat can land first and leave as the wave arrives. Zanetta, for example, lists private-boat departures at 09:30, 10:30 or 11:30; ask for the earliest. A good plan to ask your captain for:

A private speedboat morning to Orange Bay

  1. Agree the pick-up time and routeAsk for an early start and which reefs you will snorkel

  2. Hotel to Hurghada MarinaBring passports or clear copies: names go on the coast-guard list

  3. Across to GiftunCalmer in the morning; the wind builds in the afternoon

  4. Snorkel a Giftun reef before the yachtsGear and lifejackets are usually on board — ask about child sizes

  5. Land at Orange BayPick your shade before the crowds come

  6. The big yachts arriveTime to move on: a second reef, Magawish or the Abu Minqar sandbank

  7. Back at the marina after 4–6 hoursThe return leg runs with the swell

Abu Minqar, Orange Bay and Magawish are the classic short private stops. Abu Minqar is the mangrove island closest to the marina; boats stop at its sandbank, and no activities are allowed on the island itself. Magawish is a separate real island off south Hurghada, not part of Giftun — anemonefish and blue-spotted stingrays over a sandy seabed of about 10 m. See Magawish and Hula Hula.

What a private boat price covers — and what it doesn't

Ask these before you pay, and get the answers in writing:

Booking a private boat to Orange Bay

  1. How many guests does the price cover, and what does each extra person cost?
  2. Is the park fee included? The official fee is USD 5 per foreign visitor, children under 7 free; sellers usually ask about €5 in cash (https://www.eeaa.gov.eg/Topics/85/36/66/Details).
  3. Is there a coast-guard fee? Some operators add about €5 per person.
  4. Which hotels are inside the free pick-up zone? Outer resorts usually pay extra.
  5. Is lunch included, or only fruit and soft drinks?
  6. Is the seller a member of Egypt's Chamber of Diving and Water Sports (https://www.cdws.travel/members/water-sports-centers)?
Fees and tickets
WhatPriceNotes
Giftun / Northern Islands protectorate — foreign visitorUSD 5Fee in force (Ministerial Decree 204 of 2019). Children under 7 free; doubles if the visit runs past sunset. Boats often collect it or include it. eeaa.gov.eg ↗
Giftun / Northern Islands protectorate — Egyptian visitorEGP 25Fee in force for Egyptian citizens; children under 7 free. eeaa.gov.eg ↗
Northern Islands — new foreign rate (Decree 360 of 2025)USD 10Decreed but not yet charged: activation postponed for the Northern Islands; in June 2026 the protectorates postponed it by another six months. Charged in EGP at the central-bank rate once in force. eeaa.gov.eg ↗

Checked on 20 October 2026. Many boat trips include the island or park fee, many don't: read the listing.

A rise of the park fee to USD 10 has been decreed but postponed, with no new start date published. Tipping the crew is customary and modest — small Egyptian-pound notes at the end of the day.

Private sunset trips to Giftun

Private sunset cruises exist (Hurghada: Private Sunset Cruise to Giftun Island with Fruits, 4 hours, per boat), but the listing goes to "Orange Bay or Magawish or the Abu Minqar sandbank", so confirm the destination. Boats must be back in port before dark, so sunset trips are timed to return. The Giftun park fee doubles if you stay after sunset — ask whether that applies to your trip. The half-day and sunset trips page has the sunset times by month.

Speedboat or yacht for a private trip?

Private speedboat

  • About 20 minutes to Giftun, so more time ashore
  • Cheapest way to have a boat to yourselves
  • Easy to beat the 11:00 crowd at Orange Bay

Watch out for

  • Slams in chop; sellers flag speedboats as not suitable for back problems or pregnancy
  • Less shade and fewer comforts than a yacht
  • A strong north wind can make the crossing rough or cancel it

A private yacht is the answer for older travellers, young children and anyone who wants shade, a toilet and a proper lunch on board, at a much higher price per boat. When the wind is strong the Red Sea Ports Authority closes Hurghada port and no boat sails, usually for one to three days, so book early in the holiday. If you would rather share, compare the Orange Bay speedboat seats and the Orange Bay yacht days.

Spot fileOrange Bay
Type
Sandy beach concession on the west shore of Giftun Kebir facing Hurghada; sold as "Orange Island" but not an island
Depth
Shallow sandy lagoon off the beach; the coral is on reefs one boat stop away
Conditions
Sheltered west side; sand stirs up and the water turns milky on windy afternoons
What you see
Little coral off the sand itself; reef stops on the way give corals and reef fish
Getting there
20 min by speedboat · 45 min by yacht
Entry
Boats land at the Orange Bay dock or anchor off; wade or use the ladder
Facilities
Umbrellas, bean bags, cabanas, bar, buffet restaurant, toilets; busiest from late morning
Fee
Park fee USD 5 (often in the price); some listings also exclude an Orange Bay entry charge — read "not included"
Best for
A beach-and-snorkel day with the shortest crossing to Giftun; families and first-timers
Protection
Inside the Northern Islands protectorate; the beach was taken to court in 2022 for building outside its plot

Source: nominatim.openstreetmap.org ↗

See all trips on GetYourGuide →Also on Headout →Prices checked on 20 October 2026

Private trip to Orange Bay: FAQ

How much is a private boat to Orange Bay in Hurghada?

A private speedboat costs from about $170–240 per boat on GetYourGuide for 4–6 hours. Headout's private speedboats are priced per person, from about $76 each. Private yachts cost more, from about $130 up to $1,350 per boat.

Where is Orange Bay?

On the west shore of Giftun Kebir, the island facing Hurghada, about 8 km from Hurghada Marina — about 20 minutes by speedboat. It is a beach, not a separate island.

Is a private tour to Orange Bay worth it?

For four or more people, often yes: a per-boat price can come out below the cost of luxury yacht seats, and you choose your own timing. For a couple, a shared trip is usually better value.

Can we choose where the private boat goes?

Usually, within what the captain allows on the day. Orange Bay, Magawish and the Abu Minqar sandbank are the usual short stops; agree the route when you book, and expect the captain to swap exposed stops in a strong wind.

Are park fees included in a private Orange Bay trip?

It varies. Ask about the USD 5 park fee (sellers usually ask about €5 in cash) and any coast-guard fee of about €5 per person before you pay.

Start with the Orange Bay guide for the beach itself, its facilities and the crowds.

Keep exploring

IslandsGiftun Islandfrom $26 IslandsOrange Bayfrom $26 IslandsOrange Bay by speedboatfrom $27 IslandsOrange Bay by yachtfrom $29 IslandsParadise Islandfrom $32 IslandsMahmyafrom $105 IslandsHula Hula & Magawishfrom $24 IslandsUtopia (Bianca) Islandfrom $44