How to get a good spot on a public beach in Hurghada in the morning (avoiding crowds)?

By 9:30am there are no free spots left, but you can leave your things in the shade and go swimming anyway. On this particular day the sea was rough and murky with trash floating and fewer fish than usual. Sunglasses tied to a pontoon post got stolen while the owner was swimming — don't leave valuables unattended even if tied down.

To claim a sunbed, you need to be ready to queue at the entrance. Bring a scarf or towel to tie to the sunbed or railing to mark it as taken. Set your alarm for 5am to beat the main crowd of tourists to the beach.

Even with careful sunscreen application, you can still get sunburned — time flies unnoticed while snorkeling among colorful fish and coral reefs, so people often lose track of how many hours they've spent in the sun.