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

An October 5 report describes reaching deeper water by swimming a short distance from the sandy area to the left of the pier, across mostly dead coral. The traveller used this route daily after the ladder broke and found returning to shore easier than climbing onto the pier.

An October 11 report recommends bringing a snorkeling mask to watch fish in the shallows near shore, where surgeonfish and a moray eel were seen.

Sultan Gardens has no proper shore entry: at high tide the water by the edge is only about waist-deep, suitable mainly for supervising small children, while swimming access is via the pier.

On the wild section to the right of the pier, there are several spots where the reef wall is close to shore. If there is at least about 30 cm of water above the reef flat, you can swim a short distance to the wall instead of walking on coral; this is not a sandy shallow entry and requires care to avoid injury or reef damage.

Do not swim beyond the buoys: people who swam along the coast outside the marked area in the morning reported difficulty getting back because of a strong current. Less confident swimmers should remain inside the buoy line.

In the club section, there is no shore route into deep water, so swimming is only from the pier. The public beach has one cleared passage for a gradual shore entry as well as a pontoon; at high tide, some swimmers can also set off from the middle of the beach.

Near the “fish cross” marker, high-tide depth is about 1.2–1.5 m, making it comfortable for people afraid of deep water. You can swim roughly 10 m toward the reef and back; there is plenty of marine life for snorkeling.

For unconfident swimmers, even low tide can be manageable: there's a space between the reef and the deep water whose depth varies with the tide — from just below waist level to neck level.

At Aladdin beach the pier blocks wind and cold water from the depths, but there's no simple entry: you enter through two cleared passages between rocks with dead coral and few fish. Past the rocky passage the bottom turns sandy and comfortable for swimming.

At Rixos Alamein beach, with a yellow flag and strong waves, entering the sea is a real challenge: the waves knock you down and you need to quickly get past the breaking point, after which chest-deep water is calm. Entry has small pebbles then turns to fine sand, water is murkier than elsewhere, and depth increases sharply — just 4-5 meters from shore you can no longer touch bottom.

For weak swimmers, there is a stepped entry on the left side of the bay: from there you can not only get into the water but even walk to the reef. The bottom is relatively easy there with very few stones, so some people go in even without reef shoes.

Even where water entry is relatively manageable, some parts of Sharm have underwater currents. Because of this, people sometimes watch the fish while holding onto a rope, so weak swimmers and families with small children should consider currents as well as depth.

At some Sharm el-Sheikh beaches there is no classic shallow sandy entry at all: both the lagoon and the open sea are accessed only by steps. For non-swimmers, that effectively means there is no real shallow walk-in from shore.

If you specifically need an easy shore entry rather than a pontoon, hotels in Naama Bay are a better option, as beach access there is usually easier. Even small waves can make pontoon ladders hard for older people to use, and there are often queues at the ladders.

The shore entry is shallow for a long stretch — suitable only for splashing around. A child 145 cm tall can swim from the pier at a manageable depth. You can swim to the buoys and hold onto their rope — convenient with children.

This beach has a gradual shore entry. The water is very salty — buoyancy is strong, making it tiring to swim horizontally in shallow water. Entry from the pier leads immediately to depth. Red flags are frequent; when the flag turns yellow, be ready to enter the water with a mask quickly.

Almost nobody swims from the shore — it is used only for shallow wading. Everyone swims from the pontoon. At low tide, nobody ventures out beyond the last reef.

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.