Big Giftun

Overview

Big Giftun (Giftun Kebir) is the larger of Hurghada's two protected Giftun islands and one of the city's signature drop-off dives, just 45–70 minutes offshore. Its eastern side falls away in a dramatic, craggy wall that draws experienced divers, while the shallow reefs closer to the island offer some of the best snorkelling in the area — a single site that spans easy coral gardens and serious deep-water diving.

The Dive

Moorings sit on the south side of the island, over a coral plateau that runs from roughly 15m to 25m before transforming into a long shelf that feeds the main attraction: a sheer eastern wall. Although you can reach the plateau from the mooring, the natural choice is a drift — drop in beside the vertical wall and let the current carry you south. The wall is steep and deeply contoured, dropping well past recreational limits into the open blue, with a craggy profile hiding interesting caves and swim-throughs, some of them deep. Most of the diving is comfortably spent along the plateau and the upper wall in the 15–30m band, with the deeper structure narrating itself as the wall vanishes beneath you. Huge gorgonians fan out from the drop-off and the plateau holds a healthy coral garden. Giftun is sometimes exposed to wind and strong current, so the deep wall is a dive to treat with respect and to plan around the conditions.

Marine Life

The wall and its current attract good numbers of fish: barracuda, snapper, jackfish and tuna patrol the blue off the drop-off, while coral towers on the plateau swirl with anthias, silversides and butterflyfish. Napoleon wrasse and parrotfish are regulars on the reef — with luck the chunky bumphead parrotfish too — and the gorgonians and coral garden host the usual rich Red Sea reef community. The shallows near the island are a snorkeller's coral garden in their own right.

Good to Know

The plateau and shallows make Big Giftun accessible to most divers, but the eastern wall, with its depth, caves and current, is firmly an experienced dive — confident Advanced Open Water level is the realistic minimum for the deep drift. Visibility is typically very good, around 15–30m. It's an easy day-boat trip from Hurghada and one of the most reliably popular sites in the area, equally suited to a relaxed reef dive or a more adventurous wall drift. The islands sit within a protected national park, so the reefs are in good condition.