Beginner's Guide to Diving Hurghada in 2026
Everything a first-time diver needs to know about getting certified in the Egyptian Red Sea — from cost to course choice to what to expect on day one.
Why Hurghada?
If you've decided 2026 is the year you finally learn to scuba dive, you've picked a great moment to do it — and you should seriously consider Hurghada. There are very few places in the world that combine warm water, easy reefs, year-round access, very low cost, and the kind of marine life that turns first-timers into divers for life. The Caribbean is more famous, Southeast Asia is cheaper for some things, but the Red Sea consistently ranks in the global top 5 dive destinations and is the most beginner-friendly of the lot.
What you need before you book
- Basic swimming ability (200 m unaided)
- Reasonable health — a one-page medical questionnaire
- 3-4 days set aside for the course
- A passport with 6 months remaining
- Around €400-500 budget for the course itself
What the Open Water course actually involves
Eight or so hours of theory (which you do online before you arrive), three confined-water sessions where you practise the skills in shallow protected water, and four open-water training dives over two days. By the end you're a certified diver who can dive to 18 metres anywhere in the world for the rest of your life.