Can kids see coral and fish safely from the beach in Sharm El Sheikh, and are children allowed to enter the sea from hotel pontoons?

At Golf Beach, a moray eel about 1.5 m long was repeatedly spotted between piers 1 and 2, while rays were seen in various parts of the reef. Larger fish were most often noticed in the morning and after 3 pm. Facing the sea, pier 1 is on the right, toward Domina.

Reef shoes are recommended for children in the sea-swimming area at ROBB. The lagoon is usually shallow and is where most children swim, while the water is deeper from the pier. Reef shoes are also advisable for walking through the sea to the lagoon during low tide.

The far-left wild beach near Banana Beach is reported to have a gentle entry, clear water and fish to see. The drawback is an occasional diesel smell when boats depart nearby.

A family travelling with a 9-year-old found that Remal has no practical shore entry for children to paddle or swim: its reef is good for snorkeling, but not for shallow beach bathing. They noted that Baron had more suitable near-shore conditions before midday.

One parent shared feedback about Sensatori hotel: the shoreline is carved out to form a kind of natural pool; at high tide the water is sometimes waist-deep (for a 160cm adult), and a child could snorkel comfortably near shore while a parent watched from a lounger. There are small water slides on the second row for kids' entertainment. By contrast, Sultan hotel was described as overly family-oriented (like a children's sanatorium) — not ideal if parents want a more secluded adult-friendly vacation.

Travelers note that the tide schedule in Sharm El Sheikh is unpredictable and changes daily: one day high tide holds from 8am to 3pm and fully recedes by evening, while the pattern can shift entirely the next day. During low tide, the water from shore to the reef can be as shallow as knee-deep, and the reef only becomes accessible again once high tide starts in the evening.

For adults wanting a quieter swim to spot fish (e.g., dad swimming while mom stays on shore), one tip is to swim left from Seabreeze hotel toward the first pontoon of the former Pyramisa (now hotel V) — the area is nearly empty of people and offers a good chance of spotting interesting, rare marine life if you keep an eye on the deeper blue water.

Some note that the shallow water right at the shore isn't very exciting for young kids, but older children (around age 10) will enjoy going into deeper water, where the underwater world is much richer. The advice is to put on a life vest or armbands and explore the reef together with adults.

Parents advise adjusting expectations: Sharm doesn't offer the gentle deep-water entry you get in Turkey or Hurghada — instead there's shallow reef water, and at high tide (chest-deep) kids with snorkel masks can happily watch marine life right near shore.

One guest described a specific hotel's artificial lagoon: the water circulates and stays clean, with no waves, and there's a small section of open sea to the left of the lagoon that's also swimmable — they tried both the lagoon and open water, and kids loved the lagoon most.

Recent feedback suggests the key point for families is to check the rules for their own hotel pontoon: children are not allowed to enter the sea from every pontoon, and access depends on the hotel policy and the lifeguard on duty.

If you expect easy shore snorkeling for kids, that often does not work in Sharm: many hotel beaches have little to see right at the waterline, while the better reef starts farther out near the pontoon.

Families sometimes consider using a neighboring hotel beach if their own shore has nothing to see, but access to another hotel’s coastline is usually controlled. In practice, it is better to ask your hotel in advance whether it has a lagoon, a short pontoon, or a shallow section suitable for children.