Is there shallow water entry in Sharm el-Sheikh for non-swimmers?

Water depth varies with the tide: at low tide you walk knee-deep for a long stretch before reaching chest depth near the buoys; at high tide conditions are much better. The bottom is uneven — reef shoes are recommended. The area near the pyramid is deeper; near the 'V' marker it is shallower.

At beaches with a pier: the first pier ladder gives a shallow entry suitable for children. At the far end of the pier there are four ladders where adults can swim properly. At low tide the swimming area is waist-deep.

During strong low tides you have to walk to the water in shoes across the exposed seabed — there is a real risk of sunburn on the way. In such conditions swimming from a pier is more practical.

Inside the lagoon (a swimming area cut into the coral) the depth at low tide is waist-deep. Outside the lagoon at low tide it is only knee-deep. On a paddleboard you can reach almost to the end of the pier, stopping to look at anything interesting on the bottom.

Waist-deep water is enough to encounter fish — small and large — as well as rays and eels. This suits those who are afraid of depth but still want to observe marine life.

From the shore you can wade roughly 10 meters to thigh depth, after which the bottom drops off sharply. Non-swimmers cannot walk out to the buoys — the depth increases very quickly. This is an important consideration when choosing a beach in Sharm.

Swimming along the reef toward Mövenpick is possible but only for confident swimmers. The route starts from the Ghazala (Gafi) hotel area — the last hotel before Swiss Inn — passes through the water sports boat zone, then follows the reef wall. Caution is needed as glass-bottom boats constantly pass and can trap you against the reef.

Starting a reef swim from the Swiss Inn stretch is theoretically better, but hotel security is vigilant and will likely turn away non-guests.