Snorkeling Mahmya Island from Soma Bay: Sabina Reef & lunch

Boat ride out, mask and fins in hand, reef life at eye level

Snorkel Sabina Reef on a day trip from Soma Bay Marina with a NASCO Tours guide, boat transfers, full snorkeling gear and lunch included. The guide speaks English, French, German or Arabic. Pickup from your accommodation is included, and you return to Soma Bay by late afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Boat trip and snorkeling at Mahmya Island

• Transfer from pick-up to boat
• Boat ride to Mahmya Island
• Snorkelling at Sabina Reef with gear
• Enjoy lunch buffet or set menu
• Return boat journey to Soma Bay
• Arrive back at Soma Bay Marina

The Experience

You start with a pickup from your hotel and a transfer to Soma Bay Marina, then board for a one-hour boat ride to Mahmya Island. The boat carries you and a small group out to Sabina Reef, where the snorkeling happens. Mask, fins, snorkel and life jacket are all provided—you just show up with a swimsuit and sunscreen. The reef itself is the draw: you're in the water with the coral and the fish, not watching from a distance.

After the reef, the day includes lunch on the island with a choice between a buffet or a set menu; water and soft drinks come with it. You get time to rest between the snorkel and the return boat, which leaves in the late afternoon for another hour back to Soma Bay Marina. The whole day runs about seven hours from pickup to drop-off, so it fits into a free afternoon or a day when you're not traveling elsewhere.

An air-conditioned vehicle handles the land portion, and a live guide in your language stays with the group throughout. The operator notes this isn't recommended for people with cardiovascular concerns, but it's otherwise open to any fitness level.

What’s included

• Pickup from your hotel and return transfer.
• boat transfers from Soma Bay Marina.
• snorkeling gear (mask, fins, snorkel, life jacket).
• lunch with a choice of buffet or set menu.
• water and soft drinks during lunch.
• a live guide in English, French, German or Arabic.
• air-conditioned vehicle for land transport.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for heart conditions

Operated by NASCO Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guided snorkel day with meals and gear included; skip it if you plan to visit multiple reefs or need more than one site's worth of underwater time.

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Top questions

What's the snorkeling like at Sabina Reef?

Sabina Reef is a coral formation in the Red Sea where you enter the water with your gear and swim among the reef structure and fish. The operator provides all equipment and a guide who stays with the group.

How long is the boat ride from Soma Bay to Mahmya Island?

Each boat transfer lasts one hour—one hour out to the island and one hour back to Soma Bay Marina at the end of the day.

What are my lunch options?

You choose between a lunch buffet or a set menu on the island. Water and soft drinks are included; other beverages cost extra.

Does pickup from my hotel come with this?

Yes, pickup from your accommodation to Soma Bay Marina is included, and the driver returns you to your hotel after the boat returns.

What languages does the guide speak?

The guide is available in English, French, German or Arabic, and stays with your group for the full day.

How much of the day does this take?

The full experience runs about seven hours from hotel pickup to drop-off, including the two boat transfers, snorkeling time and lunch on the island.