Giftun Island

The Giftun Islands are a small archipelago near one of Egypt's most beloved tourist destinations: Hurghada .

The area is particularly famous for the extraordinary development of coral formations and for the many dream islands that characterize this area. Just in front of Hurghada is the Giftun Islands National Park, as well as a series of desert-looking islands and islets full of sensational seabeds. It is no coincidence that this is a privileged destination, loved and chosen by many tourists from all over the world. The archipelago is truly enchanting. In addition to the island of Giftun and the small island of Giftun (small Giftun), the islands of Abu Ramada, Magawish and Abu Monkar are equally beautiful.

 Activities for Giftun Islands 2020

The nature of the islands

Giftun Islands are divided into two islets Giftun El Saghier (small) and Giftun El Khebier (large). Giftun Island is visible from Hurghada along its 45 km coastline, and represents a wonderful panorama, beautiful natural landscape. The Giftun Islands are part of the archipelago of islands which were declared a marine park in 1955. 

Snorkeling at the Giftun Islands

The Giftun islands are surrounded by numerous coral reefs populated by splendid fish of all kinds and offer as many as 14 diving spots, which are among other things considered among the most beautiful in Hurghada. The coral reefs of the Giftun Islands are ideal for deep sea diving in the Red Sea. The wide sandy beaches make this place an ideal seaside destination for all travelers.

Dive sites in Hurghada : Beaches and corals to discover on a trip to Hurghada in Giftun Island

These islands, among the closest to Hurghada, are part of a marine reserve and are surrounded by a series of spectacular reefs teeming with marine life, including Hamda, Banana Reef, Sha'ab Sabrina, Erg Somaya and Sha'ab Torfa. Their depth ranges from a minimum of 5 meters to a maximum of 100 meters. It is a site recommended for divers who already have experience, the level of these dives ranges from intermediate to advanced.

Giftun Big Island is one of the largest islands in the Red Sea as it is in fact the second largest island after Shedwan Island, a rocky island which is located just over 50 kilometers from Sharm El Sheikh, at the south of this hugely popular tourist destination on the Sinai Peninsula . Giftun is known for its coral reefs of rare beauty, the colorful fish that inhabit them, but also extraordinary bird species. The solid coral reefs it comprises are of over 190 types and account for about 80% of the biodiversity of the Red Sea's coral reefs. Furthermore, there are more than 794 species of coral reef fish that inhabit these seabeds.

This figure represents about 65% of fish biodiversity, a particularly important number. In Giftun Island there are two very rare types of birds, which are in danger of extinction. These birds are the Kittiwake and a specific type of eagles. A very rare species of turtles also lives on the beaches of Giftun Island. In recent years, the whale shark, one of the largest sharks in the world, has been sighted near the Giftun Islands. These islands are also characterized by rare geological compositions and the intensity of the rocks indicate that the Giftun Islands are more than 33 million years old. In short, an earthly paradise of biodiversity and nature awaits you in Giftun.

The tourist location of Giftun

Occupying a highly distinguished tourist and economic position, the Giftun Islands are one of the most important diving and naval activity locations. The Giftun Islands are surrounded by 14 of the best diving spots, out of 44 spots in all of Hurghada. This number represents about 31% of diving centers in Hurghada . Giftun Island attracts approximately 187,512 tourists annually, a very large number which accounts for approximately 12% of the visitors to the Red Sea Governorate. We remind you that the Giftun islands have been declared a protected area also due to their privileged position directly overlooking the beach of Hurghada, but above all for all the rarities they host, when you visit them you must take into account the extreme importance of preserving them.

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