Is snorkeling in Hurghada worth it — what can you actually see on the reefs?

Bring your own mask to Long Beach Resort, as there is no on-site rental. Snorkelers near the beach and when swimming to either side reported several moray species, rays, lionfish, surgeonfish, pufferfish, dolphins, and varied reef fish.

One guest recommends a yacht excursion that departs directly from the hotel's own pier (no car needed). The route has 4 swim stops and goes to Magawish Island, which has fewer tourists than Hurghada's more crowded islands. The first stop has a genuinely live reef with colorful coral and lots of fish; later stops are less impressive. Dolphins were spotted along the way, stopping near the boat. The yacht isn't crowded and the crew is friendly.

Regarding choosing a hotel for its reef: Rotana hotel has a nice, green grounds, but its own reef is unimpressive — worth noting if a good shoreline reef matters to you.

Responding to a claim about a dead reef, another guest noted they haven't stayed at Robb Resort themselves but have heard its reef is excellent — though the hotel price is noticeably higher than average.

A guest described the hotel's multi-level beach with three pontoons: one passes underwater (no coral found there), the second is the tallest and hard to use for people with mobility issues, and the third is low and easy to enter from but has a smaller swimming area and isn't always open in the morning. The reef itself is average — fish are present but they've seen better elsewhere. Wildlife spotted included a moray eel and a large ray.

Advice for those who need to swim from the hotel's own pier: if that's not viable at a given hotel, it's better to skip it altogether, since tides can be very strong and expose the reef almost to its edge. For a similar price without reef requirements, hotels in Naama Bay or Barcelo, for example, offer more comfortable options.

A separate recommendation is the 'Nefertari' glass-bottom boat excursion with snorkeling — described as having very beautiful sea views, with an optional pharaoh/Cleopatra-costume photo shoot and a generous included meal.

Near one hotel a barracuda was spotted swimming past along the reef, and at a neighboring hotel's reef large dark-blue rays were seen. To spot anything interesting you had to swim far both left and right — the reef overall is declining.

Some argue it's odd to pick a hotel based on its reef quality — the real diversity and beauty of the Red Sea underwater world can only be properly judged at dedicated dive sites, not from a hotel's shoreline.

At Grand Hotel Hurghada, swimming was restricted to a narrow strip — about thirty meters one way and twenty the other along the shoreline, despite the hotel's beach being long enough. The reef was unimpressive, and arguing with staff to swim further wasn't worth it.

At Stella hotel the reef is practically dead — not the place to go if underwater scenery is your priority. The hotel and service themselves, however, are rated excellent.

A recent report says the reef is weaker than in previous years, with less marine life overall. During the stay they saw no moray eels or octopus, eagle rays only a couple of times, and lionfish just once. Triggerfish were unusually common, while rare highlights included a Napoleon wrasse on a few days and one small manta.

The only living, attractive reef is near the club — reachable by swimming from the shared pontoon. You can exit the water via the club pier but cannot enter through it. Along the main beach the reef is dead: fish are present but the coral has died.

Beyond the buoys, very large sea turtles come close to shore. The reef itself is modest with no large coral formations, but there are fish to observe.

The pier giving access to the outer reef is closed most of the day due to waves, which are nearly constant at this hotel. Even on the rare yellow-flag days when swimming is allowed, the area is restricted and guests are not permitted to swim far along the reef. The coral is half-dead and the outer snorkeling experience is disappointing.

For decent snorkeling at the hotel, walk along the beach toward the Majestic Hotel — opposite their water park. The spot takes 3–5 minutes to reach and offers reefs and fish worth seeing.

The reef at the hotel is dead, but fish are present: large schools gather under the pontoon, and small moray eels have been spotted hiding in the reef in shallow water.

Most hotel-organized snorkeling guests see very little — small fish and dead coral in shallow water. Hotel tour organization is poor, and without the ability to swim further out, the experience is minimal.

Mid-range paid beaches work well as a base for independent snorkeling morning and evening. The shallows have debris and small fish, but swimming further out reveals spotted rays, moray eels, cuttlefish, squid, fish up to a meter long, and untouched large coral formations.

Seagull Beach is one option for snorkeling in Hurghada, but based on firsthand experience, the underwater scenery there is not significantly better than other paid beaches in the area.

Independent snorkeling with patient observation beats guided diving tours where an instructor points things out in 10 minutes. A month of self-guided snorkeling sessions yielded far more diverse wildlife encounters.

A useful tip: ChatGPT can tell you which marine animals to expect at specific Hurghada beaches, at what time of day, how they camouflage themselves, and how to behave around them — significantly improving your snorkeling experience.

Package tour guests are often disappointed with the sea experience — tour operators focus on hotel amenities and meals, not snorkeling quality. If the sea is your priority, book accommodation independently and use paid beaches.