Is snorkeling good in Egypt — are there fish and coral reefs near the shore?

A 3 mm neoprene wetsuit may help with longer reef-viewing swims: one report described the water as feeling cold during extended swims and found the wetsuit more comfortable. Temperature tolerance varies, and swimming without it was also possible.

During low tide the sea can be off-putting not just due to shallow water but also seaweed near the shore — even though the water is clear, this makes swimming less pleasant.

At the Palace hotel, entering from the shore the water is only knee-deep — not comfortable for an adult to swim directly from the beach.

In the mornings the sea level is higher — water reaches waist level, comfortable enough for swimming, warm and clean. For those who don't care about fish or the reef, this is enough.

At low tide the shore is exposed and the water is only ankle-deep — you can't swim from the beach, only from the pontoon. Without low tide you can splash around with water just below waist level. The reef itself is very good.

At Savoy, constant waves stir up sand from the bottom, making the water murky — this hampers snorkeling. On the upside, the fish there are noticeably larger than at neighboring hotels.

The reef here is small — after 2–3 dives there's not much left to see, especially if you've visited more impressive bays before. On the plus side, there's no current near the shore, so swimming is calm and easy. Fins make it comfortable.

The left side of the beach offers much better snorkeling: there's a reef, more fish, and the water is more colorful. The right/main swimming area has almost no fish — just 1-2, which disappoints those who come specifically for snorkeling.

Try snorkeling near the pier — the underwater scenery there tends to be more interesting than in the main swimming area.

Jellyfish appear from time to time but don't stay long — one day there were many, the next day almost none. It's a temporary phenomenon that clears up quickly.