Egypt tips please

Ziggazee

My partner and I have just booked an all inclusive holiday to Egypt (Sharm) on the 9th June. It'll just be the two of us......no kids!! :j

This is our first time travelling to Egypt. Does anyone have any tips or advice?

Thanks

Moneybot

Tip the waiters small amounts but regularly and you will get served much more quickly.

oh and the Russians are much worse than any other nationality to stay at the same hotel as.

bcl999

Don't be asking for ham sandwiches or pork chops.

Nessynoo

Learn how to say "No, thank you", and say it alot, 'cause you'll get harrassed to buy things and "look" at shops and stalls all the time.

It's "Laa, Shokran".

Barter... alot!
Learn from your rep about the average taxi prices, and haggle hard.

I went to Old Sharm just over a year ago and had a wonderful time. Take your snorkel too!

Ziggazee

Thank you all so much.

Moneybot......what would you say is a "small amount" for a tip?

We went to Turkey last year and there were loads of Russians in our hotel.....completely rude and ill mannered!

Nessynoo.....not to keen on the idea of snorkelling as I have a phobia of fish (I know, wierd!) but the sister hotel has a beach right over a coral reef and it's supposed to be gorgeous.

mick_vandick

Tip the waiters small amounts but regularly and you will get served much more quickly.

But remember you are tipping for service so if it is not up to much, don't bother!
At bars, we would usually leave around 20 Egyptian Pounds (£2) per evening if we had stayed for a few drinks. if we just stopped for one, more often than not we wouldn't even bother tipping. The staff respond well to manners and being treated like a person, something the Russians don't seem to do to them. A little politeness and friendliness will get you a long way.
Restaurants should have a tip box so leave them in there to ensure that tips get evenly shared between everyone working in there. It may we the waiter you see but it is the cleaners etc that stop you falling over on dropped food!
Tip the maid in your room. we usually leave them 50 EG £ (£5) half way through the first week and then the same half way through the second.
When you get to your transfer coach, the person who puts your bags on the bus will put his hand out and indicate he wants a tip. Just say 'no change' and walk onto the bus. Things like this are not tip-able.
Don't change up any money here, wait until you arrive. It's a better exchange rate. Most hotels have a bank, just change it up there.
If you don't like fish, then might be wise to stick to the pool and the sea will be full of them, all shapes and sizes and colours. It really is an underwater paradise
If you are staying at the hotel you won't need a visa but you will if you are heading out of the Sinai peninsula. You will also need one if you want to do a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park. If you do need one, do not go where the reps in the arrival hall tell you to go. Instead change up $15 USD per person before you go and when you get there, head for the bank at the back of the hall and just give them your passports and the money and ask them for a visa. The reps will try and herd you to their desks where they charge £15/£13 GBP (whatever they feel like) so it costs you more. They can be quite heavy handed sometimes in making you go to their desks but be firm, say no thank you and walk straight around them, don't hesitate.
They will probably tell you that you need a visa even if you are not leaving the area, you do not. On the back of the form they give you to complete on the flight just write Sinai Only and head straight for passport control. Don't let them intimidate you. I see them trying to do it every time i go, whether Sharm or Hurghada.
Don't be afraid to haggle. The Papyrus picture shops sell some great pictures but you can easily knock them down to around 1/3 of what they are asking for.
If you smoke, get cigs at airport or on flight as there are far too many fakes circulating in Egypt now.
Take some antiseptic hand gel and use it after touching their money. If you do get the tummy bug, get straight to pharmacist and they will prob give you Antinal which will sort you out in no time at all.
Trying to think of what else i can tell you! have a fab time!

mick_vandick

Oh, and have a look at the Sharm thread on Trip Advisor, there is some great advice on there.

McKneff

My daughter and fiance went last year, came home not feeling 2 well and ended up off work for 3 weeks withfood poisoning, so be extra vigilant, with food, dont eat food that has sat for a while, brush your teeth with bottled water, be extra, extra careful

And it doesnt matter how many stars the hotel has, watch out for eating on the boats if you are going scuba diving or anything like that.

pattycake

We went to Hurghada twice last year and did not fall victim to upset tums. My tips in addition to those already mentioned, don't ingest the shower water. Also if eating at the hotel buffet, use hand sanitizer before you begin to eat. This eliminates anything unpleasant on the buffet serving utensils left by less hygienic guests.

Also be careful with the sun and the amount of alcohol consumed. Some people on the All Inclusive deals just go mad. Keep hydrated.

We are going to Sharm at the end of March and back to Hurghada in June. I hope that our precautions will mean more illness free holidays!

DUKE

You will get Mummy Tummy so go to a chemist & buy ENTOCID pills, they were only 30p in 2005 so they will have gone up but not by much. I'm telling you this as the first chemist I went to wanted to charge me £8 for these pills :eek: The pills are brilliant & cure you instantly. Oh & it's a good idea to carry a toilet roll or wipes around with you too. They do have people who stand outside the toilet & give you a couple of sheets for 10p.

Barter for everything & pay about a third of the price that they ask. If you don't want to buy & they keep bothering you (they follow you) just ignore them completely & they will go away. Although bartering can be a lot of fun.

Have a look on Tripadvisor forums too.

Egypt's a great country - enjoy!

bcl999

DUKE wrote: »

The pills are brilliant & cure you instantly. Oh & it's a good idea to carry a toilet roll or wipes around with you too. They do have people who stand outside the toilet & give you a couple of sheets for 10p.

Barter for everything & pay about a third of the price that they ask.

Probably not a good idea if you require the loo paper urgently!