Hurghada & getting here
Hurghada is just over four hours from Central Europe, the water is warm enough for swimming all year round — and you don’t have to organise the trip to the dive centre yourself.
Four hours, one flight, no jet lag
Hurghada has an international airport with direct flights from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and many other European countries. The key point for families: the time difference is at most one hour — children arrive without jet lag and are ready for the course the next morning.
You don’t have to organise the journey yourself
On course days we pick you up at your hotel and bring you back in the evening. Within Hurghada the transfer is included in the course price — for all participants, there and back.
For areas further away there is a surcharge: Makadi Bay, Soma Bay, Sahl Hasheesh and El Gouna cost €20 per day per vehicle. Important: per vehicle, not per person — so for a family of four that is €20, not €80.
We let you know the pick-up time the evening before. It is usually between 7:00 and 7:45 am, because the boats leave at 8 am.
The vehicle usually stops at several hotels. Please be on time in the lobby — every delay pushes back the start for everyone in the vehicle.
Transfer at a glance
| Area | Surcharge |
|---|---|
| Hurghada (town, Sakkala, Dahar) | included |
| Hurghada (Village Road, Mamsha) | included |
| Makadi Bay | €20 / day |
| Soma Bay | €20 / day |
| Sahl Hasheesh | €20 / day |
| El Gouna | €20 / day |
Surcharge per day per vehicle, not per person. Staying somewhere else? Just ask — we will check whether we can pick you up.
The best time to come
You can dive in Hurghada all year round. But not every month is equally pleasant for children — children cool down faster in the water and cope less well with extreme heat on deck than adults.
March to May
Our recommendation for families. Pleasantly warm on land, water around 23–25 °C, few people on the reefs.
June to August
Water around 28–29 °C, wonderfully warm. On land, however, it gets very hot — shade on deck and plenty to drink are a must.
September to November
The second ideal time. The water is still warm from the summer, the air more pleasant. Popular — book courses earlier for this period.
December to February
Water around 22 °C. Perfectly fine for diving, but noticeably cooler for children — we then give out thicker wetsuits and shorten the dives.
What else you should know
Entry
A visa is required for Egypt, which is usually available on arrival; many package holidays already include it. Your passport must be valid for at least six months on entry — your child’s too. Check the current regulations with your country’s official travel advice before you travel.
Flying after diving
Important for holiday planning: there must be at least 18 to 24 hours between the last dive and your flight. So the last course day must not be your departure day. Better plan a buffer day.
Paying on site
At the dive centre you can pay in cash in euros or Egyptian pounds, or by card. There is no deposit via the website.
Insurance
Before you travel, check whether your travel health insurance covers diving — many policies don’t automatically. A separate diving accident insurance is inexpensive and recommended.
Where to find us
Funny Divers Diving Center
Sayed Korayem Street
84511 Hurghada, Egypt
Bubblemakers Hurghada is the children’s and family programme of the Funny Divers Diving Center. Registration, equipment and boat are the same — only the supervision is tailored to children.
A typical course day
Approximate times for a boat day on the Junior Open Water Diver. The Bubblemaker runs as a separate day trip: pick-up between 7:30 and 8:30 am, snorkel stop, 30 minutes of one-to-one diving and lunch on board.
When will you be here?
Tell us your travel dates and hotel — we will schedule the course days so there are buffer and beach days left.