Is it safe to swim at Hurghada hotel beaches when the red flag is up, and can you leave your belongings on a sunbed while in the water?

At Sunny Beach, a red flag meant guests were not allowed out to the reef. Zahabia was mentioned as a calmer alternative accessible with a day pass from Sunny: the sea there stayed quieter even in windy conditions. A lionfish was seen under the pier, so swimmers should take care around sheltered structures.

At the described section, the entry is gently sloping and sandy, but the water reaches neck depth within a few metres. People who are not confident swimmers should avoid going far out, particularly in strong waves.

At one hotel beach, guests are not allowed to walk along the shore to the end of the pontoon; lifeguards turn them back. At high tide, shore entry is only thigh-deep, so swimming is done from the pontoon. Life jackets are not free and reportedly cost about US$5 to rent; strong currents have at times required lifeguards to help swimmers get out.

It is considered safe to walk only about 3 metres out from shore, as the reef begins beyond that point. Surgeonfish may be present and sea urchins can be under the rocks, so guests are advised not to continue on foot.

For children in wavy conditions, a life jacket or arm floaties and close adult supervision are recommended: swimming too far out can make the return to shore difficult. In one recent stay, the red flag was up for most of the first week, with yellow-flag conditions only in the second week.

Larger items like clothes, masks, and a phone in a bag on a sunbed were untouched over 11 days, but small items accidentally left behind (sunglasses, a cap) vanished for good: beach staff direct you to reception to check for lost items, but recovery is hit-or-miss since not everything gets turned in.

At one hotel the red flag never went up during the whole trip, sunbeds were plentiful (mostly used around the pool), and belongings left unattended at both pool and beach sunbeds were never stolen. There were no currents, but swimming past the buoys is not allowed - only swimming along the shore is permitted.

Some experienced travelers suggest not being afraid of waves but swimming out beyond the buoys and along them - they find it calmer and more comfortable there than near the shore.

At the Old Palace hotel beach, avoid leaving belongings unattended on a sunbed: in May, beach towels were taken from guests who went to lunch, along with items left there. The towels were recovered after security was called.

Water shoes are more comfortable at Aladdin Beach, where the shoreline has a mix of sand and coral.

Even when the red flag is up almost constantly, lifeguards actively monitor swimmers - they keep whistling to stop people from going too far, and on rougher days extra lifeguards are added to the beach.

The sea bottom near the entry point is usually fine, so swimming without water shoes is possible, but in crowded water reef/swim shoes are recommended to avoid accidentally stepping on other swimmers.

When the red flag is up at some Hurghada hotel beaches, swimming may be limited to shallow water only: guests are typically allowed in only where the water is around waist-deep, and access from the pontoon can be closed until at least midday.

Even with a red flag posted, the sea may still be swimmable: when the waves ease off, guests often go in and swim comfortably.

If the sea is rough most days, there is often a more sheltered part of the beach with smaller waves. Travelers tend to adapt and use those spots for entering the water.

At some hotel beaches, the red flag stays up almost all the time, yet plenty of people still swim. A key safety sign is strong lifeguard presence and active supervision of swimmers.

While swimming, people usually leave only ordinary items like clothes or a low-value bag on the sunbed. Passports and cash are better kept away from the beach; even when items were misplaced on a neighboring beach, staff helped look for them.