5 min read
If you have never breathed underwater before, Hurghada is about as friendly as diving gets. The water is warm, the reefs are shallow, and it all happens in a small group with a private instructor who does this every day.
This guide walks you through what makes Hurghada beginner-friendly, what your first dive actually feels like, and how to choose between a try dive and a full course.
Is Hurghada good for beginners?
Hurghada is one of the best places in the world to start diving. The Red Sea here is warm all year (21 to 29 C), calm and clear, with shallow coral reefs full of life a short boat ride from shore. No experience is needed to try, and your instructor stays next to you the whole time.
Why Hurghada is easy for beginners
Three things make a place good for new divers: warm water, calm conditions and shallow reefs. Hurghada has all three. The Red Sea sits between 21 C in winter and 29 C in summer, so you are never cold, and most sites start at 5 metres, close to the surface and the light.
Visibility is usually 15 to 30 metres, so you see the reef, the fish and your guide clearly. Add almost no current on the beginner sites and you have relaxed, low-stress diving.
Do you need to know how to swim?
For a try dive (Discover Scuba) you do not need to be a strong swimmer. You need to be comfortable in water and healthy. Your instructor controls your depth and stays within arm reach the whole dive.
For a full PADI Open Water course you do need basic swimming ability, because part of the course is a short swim and a float. Tell us honestly how you feel in water and we match the right start for you.
Try dive or full course?
A try dive is a single guided dive with no theory and no exam, just to see if you love it. It is the cheapest way to breathe underwater, and most people are grinning by the end.
A PADI Open Water course is 3 to 4 days and gives you a licence to dive anywhere in the world to 18 metres. If you already know you want to keep diving, start with the course, it is better value than several try dives.
What your first dive actually feels like
You start in shallow water, kneeling on sand, learning to breathe through the regulator and clear your mask. It feels strange for about two minutes, then it clicks. When your instructor sees you are calm, you drift out over the reef.
Most first dives last 30 to 40 minutes at 5 to 12 metres. You will probably see clownfish, a turtle, and clouds of orange anthias over the coral. You do not swim hard, you just float and look.
What to bring
Bring a swimsuit, a towel and your certification card if you already have one. We provide all the gear, tanks and weights. Do not dive on a heavy meal or a hangover, and never dive and fly within 18 to 24 hours.
If you wear glasses, we can fit a prescription mask on request. Just tell us before the day.
Ready to try your first dive?
No experience needed. A private instructor, a shallow reef and about two hours in the water. You only pay on the day.
See first-time diving