Your first scuba dive in Hurghada: how the day goes

If you have never dived, the intro dive day is a sensible way to find out if you like it. It takes about eight hours, includes two guided dives and all equipment, and needs no license. An instructor stays at your side throughout, and you never go deeper than 12 meters. The minimum age is 10.

It is not a certification course, so you will not leave with a card, and you will dive only with the instructor beside you. What you do get is a real taste of breathing underwater on a Red Sea reef, with enough teaching to feel confident and a day on a boat that also works if you decide diving is not for you.

The morning: paperwork and briefing

A driver collects you from your hotel at 08:00 in Hurghada, El Gouna, Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh or Soma Bay and takes you to the dive center. At about 08:30 you fill in the paperwork, including a medical self-declaration, and are fitted with equipment. Wetsuit sizes are chosen now, so tell the staff if you feel the cold.

At 09:15 you board the dive boat and sail to the first reef. At about 10:15 comes the briefing: how to breathe through the regulator, how to equalize the pressure in your ears, and the hand signals used underwater. Ask anything you like. Instructors would much rather answer a question on deck than fix a worry underwater.

The first dive

The first dive starts at around 10:45 and goes to about 6 meters. One instructor looks after at most two guests, so you are close enough to touch. You descend slowly along a line or the reef, pausing to clear your ears, and swim at an easy pace. The first minutes feel odd, because breathing underwater goes against instinct, but most people settle quickly.

Expect to see small reef fish, coral heads and perhaps larger species depending on the site. Do not touch the coral or the marine life, and keep your hands close to your body. Your instructor will check your air and how you feel at regular intervals, and ends the dive at once if anything is wrong.

Lunch and the second dive

Back on board you eat lunch at about 12:30, with soft drinks and water included. Snorkeling is possible between dives for those who want to stay in the water. The second dive at 13:45 is at another reef and goes to no more than 12 meters. By now you know how your ears behave and how to control your breathing, so many guests find it easier.

The boat heads back at about 15:30 and a transfer returns you to your hotel, usually in time for a late afternoon swim or a shower before dinner. Underwater photos and video are not included, so if you want pictures, ask the staff what options exist before you leave the dock. Most people are pleasantly tired by evening.

What it feels like

Most first-timers say the strangest part is hearing your own breathing, slow and loud, in a world that is otherwise silent. Your body floats once you add a little air to your vest, and the instructor controls that for you at first. Pressure on your ears builds as you go down, much like a flight descending, and you relieve it by pinching your nose and gently blowing.

Cold can matter too. The Red Sea is warm in summer and cooler in winter, when the water is about 21 to 23 degrees Celsius, so a full wetsuit is normal in the colder months. You may feel tired after two dives, and hungry. Drink water between dives, because breathing compressed air and sun on deck both dry you out.

Health, safety and who should think twice

• Asthma, ear or sinus trouble, heart or lung conditions, diabetes and pregnancy are all reasons to speak to a doctor first.
• Do not dive if you have a cold or blocked nose on the day; you will not be able to equalize.
• Do not drink alcohol the night before.
• Wait at least 24 hours after diving before flying.
• The minimum age is 10, and younger children cannot join.

Dive insurance is not included, so check that your travel policy covers diving. This is a shared trip, so ages 10 and 11 pay half the adult price and guests aged 12 and over pay the adult price. You can book online up to 48 hours before departure; the trip page shows the current price.