been told its best to exchange once we get there, but seems a bit strange to go without any local currency sorted. im sure a fair few of you have been, what did you do? exchange over there or over here?

we going all inclusive so not expecting to spend that much altho you never know 🙂

cheers

Couple of years since I’ve been (going in Oct though). Take US$ then exchange when there.
If you can get some small denomination notes for tipping.
You can get them on eBay it’ll help grease the wheels.

Couple of years since I’ve been (going in Oct though). Take US$ then exchange when there.
If you can get some small denomination notes for tipping.
You can get them on eBay it’ll help grease the wheels.

so exchange for US$ over here then? seems strange doing that. do you not lose too much then changing twice? £ to $ then to E£?

thanks

The only thing you will be exchanging is bowel contents

The only thing you will be exchanging is bowel contents

This

(but also its perfectly possible to exchange £s/use pounds to grease a few palms so dollars aren’t necessary. Is is also OK to exchange here before you go. Unless you are changing thousands the exchange fees of £ -> $ -> Egyptian Pounds will dwarf any exchange rate benefits of changing in a local exhange in Egypt)

We were there in April, the exchange rates are far better once you are there.

We changed a bit before we went, just so we weren’t arriving with nothing, but then changed the rest once we got there.

It’s astonishing how different the rates were.

(plus every shop we went into would have accepted £/€/$ anyway, and the rates in the shops were even better than those at home.)

thanks, we’ll prob leave it til we get there. just been reading bout visas too. looks like we wont need one if we just happy to stay in resort, that right?

Why would you go to Egypt (or anywhere for that matter) then just stay in a resort? Madness.

My boss has been twice with his family. They haven’t done Giza, Luxor, Alexandria or Cairo, but there was a good pool.

British passports travelling for up to 14 days to Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba resorts only, do not require a visa. Travellers will receive a free entry stamp on arrival.

You don’t need a visa unless you plan to travel outside the red sea resorts.

But Cairo is something like 11 hours away, so that’s pretty safe.

Lifer- Diving.

The diving isn’t that good in Cairo. So we stayed on the Red sea coast.

Lifer – You would have to be insane to go to Sharm to experience the cultural delights of Egypt. First off they are days away by bus or £100s by air.

Sharm is a cheap place to go to get some sun, surrounded by other westerners (or to dive) and for that it does deliver the goods. If you go expecting much else you will be dissapointed.

lifer, yup, the others have pretty much summed it up. sun, snorkelling and relaxation. not too bothered bout much else. pyramids are a loooong way away. id have mebbes had a peek if they were closer, but theyre not so ill stick to the snorkelling 🙂

thanks chaps

Take Lomotil, Ciproflaxacin and oral rehydration salts and avoid the hotel buffets.

Been to Sharm about 7 times for diving. Just take English notes and exchange. Make sure they are English though they won’t have anything to do with Scottish.

If you are just in resort you DO NOT need a Visa. However, the in airport reps will line you up to buy a Visa. It will be hard not to go with the masses at this point but it is no problem at all to not have one.

If you do want to go to a boat trip to Ras Um Sid (national park) then you do need a Visa i think. The airport reps will try and line you up at a specific counter but you can go to any one, it all costs the same. $15.

If you get bored go diving – it is amazing, even if you just do a try dive. Ocean College, Camel or Emporer are the ones to go for.

Take Lomotil, Ciproflaxacin and oral rehydration salts and avoid the hotel buffets.

all inclusive so wont be avoiding the hotel buffet im afraid 😀

Weight loss camp.

I went there last eyar. Went out with about £70 changed up so I had money for tips, getting started etc. Got mine changed at the hotel for a much better rate.

Went a few years ago the hotel was a very good standard, plenty snorkelling plus a quad bike thingy. Was ok came back said it was nice but wouldn’t go again. Now thinking about going again.

Bit sun, lie around pool and snorkelling in the October sounds ok to me at the moment.

I seem to remember there was a guy who set up a MTB guiding school – Priate MTB or something in the mountains (edit Hills) out the back of the resort.

Memory failing me we changed Scots notes for English. (first time it was $ but no real benefit).

Only take those gut stoppers if you are about to fly. It is better to get rid the natural way through the lower exit than stopper it up and have your guts in knots for days.

Avoid the salads and ice cubes.

Take Lomotil, Ciproflaxacin and oral rehydration salts and avoid the hotel buffets.

Or book a decent hotel 😉

One where they cook with, wash the salad in (and make ice cubes from) mineral water.

Or book a decent hotel 🙂

no idea, it seems to get good reviews on tripadvisor. tropicana and jasmine or something.

thanks for all the advice. dont think ill read any more on tripadvisor now, its scaring me! scams, stomach upsets, hassle from shopkeepers blahdeblah, safer not to read them 🙂