Can you snorkel from the beach in Hurghada hotels, or are the lagoons too shallow to see reefs, fish, and turtles?

One visitor describes an unfenced swimming zone cleared to sand on both sides of the stairs near a pier. Depth depends on tide, with chest-deep water at maximum. The pier itself is about 970 meters long, taking 7-10 minutes to walk briskly, or about 15 minutes at a slower pace with a child. There is a reef at the end of the pier.

Another traveler confirms the lagoon water is knee-deep, and even after wading out about 30 meters from shore, there's still no real depth.

A recent report says the lagoon area is only ankle-deep for an adult at low tide and reaches about knee depth at high tide. That is generally too shallow for proper swimming or shore snorkeling.

If you enter the water near the left side of the beach toward Fort Arabesque rather than the middle of the lagoon, normal swimming depth reportedly starts after about 10 steps. This section is better for getting into deeper water than the very shallow lagoon zones.

There are also negative reports about swimming conditions: in late May, travelers noticed an oily film on the water surface, and one swimmer came back smelling of diesel after going into deeper water. So even where the water is deeper, water quality may affect the experience.