Eden Island Hurghada

The basics

Eden Island is only accessible by sea and the vast majority of travelers visit on organized boat excursions from Hurghada, either as full-day or half-day tours. Most trips sail from Hurghada Marina and include convenient round-trip transfers from hotels in the resort or local tourist hotspots, like Soma Bay or El Gouna.

Options include full-day group deluxe cruises that provide several hours at the beach to relax, swim, and snorkel, or private speedboat trips that whisk visitors to the island in their own skippered crafts. Most excursions incorporate an on-board lunch, watersports like banana boats, and snorkel stops—some at reefs frequented by wild dolphins—along the way. Variations include cruise-and-desert packages, which combine all-terrain vehicle (ATV) desert safaris with an Eden Island sojourn.

Things to know before you go

• Eden Island is perfect for snorkeling, sailing, sunbathing, and watersports enthusiasts.

• The beach boasts an open-sided buffet restaurant, bar, shaded terraces, and souvenir market.

• Amenities include beach umbrellas, sun mattresses, watersports, and restrooms.

• Bring a swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, shades, and sunhat.

• Visitors pay an entry fee to the beach.

How to get there

Eden Island fringes the southernmost tip of Big Giftun, about 10.4 miles (16.7 kilometers) offshore from Hurghada. Only accessible by sea, visitors can reach the sands on private or shared-group boat excursions that leave from Hurghada Marina. Most include optional door-to-door transfers from hotels in Hurghada or neighboring resorts.

When to get there

Eden Island is busiest during Hurghada’s spring and fall seasons, from March-May and September-October, when the weather is warm but milder than in summer. During these months—but also from June through August—the sands can get crowded with numerous tourist boats visiting the beach. For quieter times, consider the cusp of these seasons—say May, June, October, or November—when boat trips still run daily, but you’ll avoid peak crowds and the year’s highest and lowest temperatures.

Snorkel hotspots near Eden Island

While there are many fabulous snorkeling spots on route to Eden Island, it’s also worth considering planning a trip to snorkel at Abu Ramada. The ‘Gota’ section of this oval-shaped reef is dubbed ‘The Aquarium’ for its super-bright corals and incredibly rich marine life, which includes butterflyfish, sweetlips, glassfish, and more. It can make for an often-spectacular snorkeling session.