Is there a reef for snorkeling right off the beach in Sahl Hasheesh, and should I bring my own snorkel gear?
Based on 2 discussions with 3 participants · Last activity: 3 days ago
TL;DR
Yes, there's a reef running along all the hotels in Sahl Hasheesh — swim about 20m from shore to see plenty of fish; bring your own mask. Glass-bottom boat tours are also popular, though the boats are often homemade conversions.
What the community said
A basic mask-and-snorkel set is enough — you'll likely only use it once. Note that at low tide the reef can be far from shore (about a kilometer walk), so it's not always convenient to reach.
5 days ago Low tide — reef ~1km away
Glass-bottom boats here are usually DIY conversions — a hole is cut in a regular boat's hull and fitted with glass. No major incidents reported, and gliding over the reef this way is genuinely impressive.
16 days ago Glass-bottom boat
Definitely pack your own snorkel mask — the reef runs along all the Sahl Hasheesh hotel beaches, and just 20 meters offshore you'll find a good variety of fish.
20 days ago Reef along hotel beaches, ~20m offshore
The reef isn't spotless everywhere — during a dive on a farther section, a diver had to untangle a large sack (like a burlap potato or sugar bag) caught in the coral; the boat crew just rolled their eyes when it was hauled aboard.
27 days ago