Is it safe to swim at Hurghada hotel beaches when the red flag is up, and can you leave your belongings on a sunbed while in the water?

Even when the red flag is up almost constantly, lifeguards actively monitor swimmers - they keep whistling to stop people from going too far, and on rougher days extra lifeguards are added to the beach.

The sea bottom near the entry point is usually fine, so swimming without water shoes is possible, but in crowded water reef/swim shoes are recommended to avoid accidentally stepping on other swimmers.

When the red flag is up at some Hurghada hotel beaches, swimming may be limited to shallow water only: guests are typically allowed in only where the water is around waist-deep, and access from the pontoon can be closed until at least midday.

Even with a red flag posted, the sea may still be swimmable: when the waves ease off, guests often go in and swim comfortably.

If the sea is rough most days, there is often a more sheltered part of the beach with smaller waves. Travelers tend to adapt and use those spots for entering the water.

At some hotel beaches, the red flag stays up almost all the time, yet plenty of people still swim. A key safety sign is strong lifeguard presence and active supervision of swimmers.

While swimming, people usually leave only ordinary items like clothes or a low-value bag on the sunbed. Passports and cash are better kept away from the beach; even when items were misplaced on a neighboring beach, staff helped look for them.