Can you snorkel directly from the beach in Hurghada, or do you need a boat/pontoon trip?

In the evening it's better to swim out to the pontoon — with the lighting you can clearly spot lionfish, sea urchins, and stingrays, unlike during the day.

You don't necessarily need to swim out to the pontoons — during the day, snorkeling with a mask right from the shore is enough to see plenty of fish.

Keep the heat in mind — the water warms up later in the day, so many people only plan to swim in the afternoon rather than heading straight into the sea.

Some travelers use black silicone ear plugs while swimming in the sea to keep water out of their ears.