Giftun Islands
Two islands in the Red Sea off Hurghada, Giftun Kebir closer to shore and Giftun Soraya further out. Day boats come for white sand beaches and the reefs around them.
- Where
- Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt
- Grade
- Local gem
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site
- Coordinates
- 27.2021, 33.9502
Get the Giftun Islands stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Giftun Islands. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Red Sea volume with your photos and a note.
Near Giftun Islands
Ras Muhammad National Park 68 km
A national park at the southern tip of the Sinai, where the Gulf of Suez meets the Gulf of Aqaba. Its coral reefs drop steeply into deep water, and it is one of the best known diving and snorkelling places in the Red Sea.
Naama Bay 86 km
A natural sandy bay in Sharm El Sheikh and the main hub of the resort, its promenade lined with cafes, restaurants, hotels and bazaars. The calm water is good for swimming, and dive boats leave from here for the reefs.
Mount Sinai 149 km
A granite peak in the south of the Sinai Peninsula, held by many to be where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Pilgrims and walkers climb it in the dark by camel path or stone steps to watch the sun rise over the mountains.
Saint Catherine's Monastery 151 km
A walled monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai, built between 548 and 565 and the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery in the world. It guards an ancient library and icons, and a bush said to be the burning bush of Moses.
Blue Hole 163 km
A sinkhole in the reef a few kilometres north of Dahab, on the Gulf of Aqaba, close enough to the shore to swim to. Its rim of coral is full of fish for snorkellers, while the centre drops away into deep blue.
Dendera Temple 173 km
One of the best preserved temple complexes in Egypt, centred on the great temple of the goddess Hathor, south-east of Dendera. Its ceilings are painted with sky goddesses and stars, and stairways lead up to chapels on the roof.
Karnak Temple 209 km
A vast complex of temples, pylons and chapels built over some two thousand years, from the Middle Kingdom to the Ptolemies, and centred on the god Amun. Its Great Hypostyle Hall is a forest of 134 giant columns carved from top to bottom.
Temple of Hatshepsut 211 km
The mortuary temple of the woman pharaoh Hatshepsut, three broad terraces rising out of the desert floor into the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari. Its long colonnades and clean lines make it look surprisingly modern for a building some 3,500 years old.
More hidden gems in Red Sea
Questions
Where is Giftun Islands?
Giftun Islands is in Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Ras Muhammad National Park (68 km), Naama Bay (86 km), Mount Sinai (149 km).
How do I get the Giftun Islands stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Giftun Islands and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Red Sea volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Giftun Islands before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Red Sea volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.