Hurghada : Sunset & Barbecue at Magawish Island By Speedboat

Magawish Island gives you a pleasant Red Sea escape in a short afternoon: a 20-minute speedboat ride, time in the water, then a barbecue under a shaded tent as the light softens over the coast. The private group format is the big draw, especially if you want your own boat experience rather than a crowded day cruise.

I like the simple three-hour plan, which packs in snorkeling without turning the whole day into a long sea excursion. I also like the practical inclusions: equipment, life jackets, water, soft drinks, seasonal fruit, island entry, and hotel transfers are all covered. The main consideration is pickup timing. Your hotel collection can shift by an hour or more, and the boat waits only five minutes at the agreed meeting point.

Key points at a glance

• A short 20-minute speedboat ride takes you from the harbor to Magawish Island.
• Forty-five minutes of snorkeling gives you time to see Red Sea coral and marine life without spending the entire day at sea.
• The private group setup suits couples or small parties who value space and a more personal pace.
• The beach barbecue includes soft drinks, water, fruit, and a shaded tent, useful in the strong Egyptian sun.
• Momo and Mahmoud are among the named guides and boat staff, with a friendly, easygoing style noted in the available feedback.
• The $371 price covers up to two people, making it $185.50 each when two people share the booking, before the €5 tourist tax per person.

A compact Red Sea afternoon with a private feel

This experience is designed for people who want several classic Hurghada activities in one tidy outing. You leave your hotel, ride to the harbor, cross to Magawish Island by speedboat, snorkel, eat on the beach, and return before the evening gets late.

That short format is useful if you are fitting the trip between other plans. You do not lose a full day to transfers or a long boat journey. At the same time, three hours leaves little room for delays, so punctuality matters from the start.

The private-group arrangement changes the mood. You are not signing up for a large shared boat with a fixed crowd. The supplied information describes the group as private, although pickup and harbor arrangements may still involve coordination with the local team. For a couple, this can feel like a special occasion. For a small family or group of friends, it gives you a more relaxed setting than a standard mass-market excursion.

The trip is run in English. Guides named in the available details include Momo, Mahmoud, and a captain also called Mahmoud. Their role is practical: safety instructions, boat handling, snorkeling help, and assistance with the barbecue.

From Hurghada hotel to the harbor

Your day begins with hotel pickup from Hurghada, Hurghada 1, or Hurghada 2. The van ride to the harbor takes about 25 minutes, though the actual pickup window can be wider than that. Hurghada hotels may have a collection time varying by roughly 60 minutes from the scheduled time. Hotels in Makadi, Sahl Hasheesh, El Gouna, Soma Bay, or Safaga can have a variation of about 90 minutes.

You receive the final pickup details by email or WhatsApp at 10:00 PM the night before. This is one of those small details that can make or break the morning. Check the message before going to bed, then be ready at the main entrance of the hotel by the road. The driver does not collect you from the reception area or an interior gate.

Look for the white or black bus with the GoShalabi logo. The vehicle can wait no more than five minutes, so this is not the time to linger over breakfast or search for a missing room key. You need to provide your nationality, hotel name, address, room number, and a passport copy as part of the booking and pickup process.

Long-distance pickup from Makadi, El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh, Safaga, and the Soma Bay area is available as a paid add-on. If you have not selected it, you may need to pay at the harbor. The extra pickup fee is not included in the listed $371 price.

The 20-minute speedboat ride to Magawish

Once you reach the harbor, the team gives you the schedule and basic safety instructions before departure. A life jacket is included, and you should expect the speedboat ride to be an active part of the experience rather than a slow sightseeing cruise.

The crossing to Magawish Island takes about 20 minutes. That is long enough to enjoy the open water and views of the coast, but short enough that you are not stuck on a boat for hours. If you like the feel of a fast transfer and want to reach the island quickly, this is a strong point.

Bring a light jacket, particularly if you are sensitive to wind on the return ride. The supplied advice also recommends carrying cash. You are responsible for your personal belongings, and the company does not cover lost or damaged items, so keep phones, wallets, and cameras secure.

The boat ride may be less comfortable for people with back problems. Pregnant women are not considered suitable for this activity, and the provider also lists the trip as unsuitable for people with back problems. That is worth taking seriously because speedboat travel can be bumpy even on a short crossing.

Snorkeling around Magawish Island

The snorkeling stop lasts about 45 minutes. That is enough time to enter the water, look around the reef area, and get a good taste of Red Sea marine life without requiring advanced snorkeling skills.

You receive snorkeling equipment and a life jacket. The activity is presented as suitable for first-time snorkelers as well as people with more experience, with the guides available to assist. Still, you should be comfortable in the water before booking. No separate lesson or one-to-one swimming instruction is listed.

The appeal here is the contrast between the dry island and the underwater world. From the boat, you see clear water and the surrounding coast. In the water, you get the chance to look at coral and fish in their natural setting. The trip does not promise a particular species or a guaranteed marine sighting, so set your expectations at a good reef stop rather than a wildlife expedition.

A towel is not included in the stated package, so bring your own. This is especially important if you plan to sit on the beach or take the boat back in wet swimwear. You may also want to protect your phone and other valuables, since personal belongings remain your responsibility.

A barbecue beside the beach

After snorkeling, you have about 45 minutes for lunch. The itinerary describes a beachside barbecue, with the guides helping prepare the food. Water, soft drinks, and seasonal fruit are included, along with a shaded tent.

The meal is one of the more distinctive parts of the trip. You are not eating in a restaurant or returning to Hurghada for lunch. You are sitting on Magawish Island with the sea nearby, which gives the food a strong sense of place. The available feedback specifically praises the generous amount of food and its taste, so this should not be treated as a token snack between water activities.

The 45-minute lunch period is fairly brisk. You have time to eat and relax, but not an entire afternoon for a long beach picnic. If your ideal island visit involves hours of reading, swimming, and wandering, this tour may feel too compressed. If you want a well-organized outing with lunch built in, the timing makes sense.

The shaded tent matters. Red Sea sun can be intense, and a place to get out of direct heat makes the stop more comfortable. You should still bring suitable sun protection, though the listed packing advice specifically highlights a towel, jacket, and cash.

Sunset light and quiet island time

The excursion is scheduled from about 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. This timing is intended to catch the softer light of late afternoon and the sunset atmosphere around the island. Exact sunset conditions vary by season, so you should not assume the sun will set at the same point in the program throughout the year.

The island portion gives you a pause between the speedboat and the return transfer. After snorkeling and lunch, you can sit under the tent, take in the sea views, and enjoy a quieter setting than central Hurghada. The available feedback describes the island time as relaxed and peaceful, with guides who were friendly without being pushy.

That balance is important. Some boat excursions fill every minute with announcements, optional sales, or a long list of activities. This one leaves room to simply sit and look around. You should not expect a large entertainment program or a long guided island walk. The attraction is the setting, the water, and the unhurried break before the ride back.

The trip has received a 4.5 rating from five available reviews, with especially strong praise for the guides, food, comfort, and sunset setting. The small number of ratings means I would treat that score as encouraging rather than definitive. Still, the positive comments are specific: Momo is praised as a good captain, and Mahmoud and another Mahmoud are described as friendly and helpful.

What the $371 price really covers

At $371 per group of up to two, the cost works out to $185.50 per person if two people book together. That is not a budget boat trip, but the comparison is more favorable when you count what is included.

The price covers:

• Hotel pickup and return transfer
• Round-trip speedboat transport
• Magawish Island entry
• Snorkeling
• Snorkeling equipment
• Barbecue lunch
• Water and soft drinks
• Seasonal fruit
• Shaded tent
• Life jacket
• An English-speaking guide
• A private group arrangement

You also avoid separate planning for a taxi, harbor transport, boat ticket, snorkeling gear, and lunch. For a couple marking a special day, the privacy and compact schedule may justify the cost. For a solo visitor, the group price is much harder to defend unless another person joins the booking.

There is one required extra: a €5 tourist tax per person, payable on the day. Long-distance hotel pickup is also extra if you are staying outside the main Hurghada area. Check that cost before booking, since the transfer can affect the overall value more than the base price suggests.

The option to reserve now and pay later gives you some flexibility. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund. The extended-area pickup rules are stricter, with no cancellation after 6:00 PM on the day before the trip.

Who will enjoy this trip most

I would recommend this outing to couples, close friends, and small families who want a private Red Sea experience without giving up a full day. It suits you if you want snorkeling, a scenic boat ride, and an outdoor meal in one package.

It is also a good choice if you prefer a clear schedule. You know roughly how long the van ride, boat crossing, snorkeling session, and lunch will take. The plan does not demand advanced planning once your hotel details and pickup have been confirmed.

You may want another option if you have back problems, are pregnant, dislike speedboats, or need a flexible start time. The pickup window can shift, and the five-minute waiting limit means you must be ready at the correct entrance. The three-hour schedule is efficient, but it is not designed for a long, slow island stay.

I would also think carefully about your snorkeling expectations. The trip includes 45 minutes in the water, not a full-day reef program. It gives you a useful taste of the Red Sea rather than an extensive series of reef stops.

Practical details to sort out before you go

At booking, provide your correct nationality, hotel name, address, and room number. Keep an eye out for the pickup message at 10:00 PM the night before, and confirm the meeting point carefully.

Bring a towel, jacket, and cash. Your own swimwear and sun protection are sensible additions, though only the first three items are specifically listed as required. Pets are not allowed.

The pickup point is the hotel’s main entrance beside the road. Be ready there on time and look for the GoShalabi vehicle. Because the driver can wait only five minutes, a delayed arrival may mean missing the transfer.

The activity is offered in English and includes an express security check. Hotel return transfer is included for the standard Hurghada pickup areas, with the same general need to wait at the agreed drop-off point.

Should you book the Magawish Island speedboat?

Book it if you want a private, compact Red Sea outing with snorkeling and a proper barbecue rather than a basic boat transfer. The short crossing, included gear, shaded lunch area, and friendly named guides make the experience easy to manage, and the sunset timing gives it a pleasant finish.

Think twice if $371 feels high for a three-hour activity, if you need exact pickup times, or if you want a long beach stay. For two people who value privacy and convenience, the price is easier to justify. For one person, or for anyone focused mainly on snorkeling, a less expensive shared boat may offer better value.

FAQ

How long does the Magawish Island tour last?

The activity lasts about three hours, with the planned schedule running from approximately 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

How long is the speedboat ride to Magawish Island?

The boat ride from the harbor to Magawish Island takes about 20 minutes.

How much time is available for snorkeling?

The snorkeling session lasts approximately 45 minutes.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A beachside barbecue is included, along with soft drinks, water, and seasonal fruit. A shaded tent is also provided.

Is hotel pickup included?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for the stated Hurghada pickup areas. Pickup from Makadi, El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh, Safaga, and Soma Bay requires a paid add-on unless arranged separately.

What should I bring?

Bring a towel, jacket, and cash. You should also keep personal belongings secure because the company is not responsible for lost or damaged items.

Is the activity suitable for everyone?

The experience is not suitable for pregnant women or people with back problems. Pets are not allowed. It is conducted in English and includes a life jacket and snorkeling equipment.