The same Hurghada reef looks like a completely different place after dark — parrotfish asleep in mucus cocoons, lionfish hunting instead of resting, Spanish dancers out in the open. It is one of the most requested experiences on this coast, so here is the straight answer about where to book it.

Where the PADI Night Diver specialty runs today

Right now, the certified PADI Night Diver specialty course runs in Marsa Alam: two days, from EUR 166, minimum age 12. It covers torch technique, light-signal communication and night navigation over two dedicated night dives, and the certification is valid worldwide afterwards, not just for our sites.

If you are based in Hurghada for your whole trip and specifically want the certification, the practical options are to add a short Marsa Alam leg to your itinerary, or to plan the specialty for a future trip. See our wider comparison in which base teaches which PADI specialty.

What about an uncertified night dive experience in Hurghada?

Availability for a guided night dive without the full certification depends on the individual dive centre and the season — it is not a fixed item in our online catalogue the way day trips are. If this is what you are after, tell us through the trip request form with your dates and we will check directly with our Hurghada partner centres rather than guess on your behalf.

What night diving actually involves

  • A dive torch each, plus a backup — provided by the centre on certified night dives.
  • A daylight check dive first, if it is your first time at the site, so the layout is familiar before the light disappears.
  • Hand and light signals replace some normal communication — covered in the specialty briefing.
  • The same reef, a different cast: nocturnal hunters (lionfish, octopus) are active; daytime fish are often found resting, motionless, in surprising places.

Do you need to be Advanced Open Water certified?

Open Water is the minimum for the specialty course itself, but many divers find the reduced visual reference of night diving easier to manage once they already have some open-water experience beyond their initial certification dives.

Plan the trip

If Marsa Alam is anywhere in your plans, book the Night Diver specialty directly. If you are Hurghada-only, ask us first — we would rather tell you honestly what is and is not available than let you book a hotel around an assumption.