Currency to take to Sharm El Sheik

Bebs

I'm off to Sharm El Sheik egypt in April just wondered what's the best currency to take Egyptian pounds or American dollars?

Thanks :j

Carpi09

I've always taken Egyptian, but also taken a few English pounds for tips etc.

Bebs

I've heard some people take US dollars, just wondered what was best

Moomum

We alway find that £'s are more appreciated than Egyptian and dollars.

Mr_Wang

I was in Egypt in September, I travelled from Cairo through the Sinai and to Sharm El Shiek and lasted just 2 days before I bailed further up the Sinai.

All prices in UK£

Can of beer in Cairo was around 60 pence, in Sharm £1.50

2 mile taxi journey in Cairo £1.50, in Sharm £5 (and believe me, that price in itself was a struggle)

Meal for 3 in Cairo £6, in Sharm £15+

Generally things in Sharm are minimum double that of Cairo, with three times the cost (and around that of the UK) being the norm.

So my suggestion, take what you would think you'd need in the UK. Or bail to Dahab or Cairo or even Taba and take half that.

Carpi09

I don't understand why people would take US dollars from the UK.

Take Sterling and get it exchanged out there would be my advice. You could always use your debit card out there but a transaction fee will apply unless your card doesn't charge for this.

rokat

I found that most places will accept GBP, egyptian pounds and dollars but they usually have prices in just egyptians pounds and GBP then seem to make up the price if you want to pay in dollars.

We go to Egypt a lot and always take english money and change it whilst over there to Egyptian pounds as they have a better exchange rate (8.4 here to 9.5 over there when we went in July)

Bebs

rokat wrote: »

I found that most places will accept GBP, egyptian pounds and dollars but they usually have prices in just egyptians pounds and GBP then seem to make up the price if you want to pay in dollars.

We go to Egypt a lot and always take english money and change it whilst over there to Egyptian pounds as they have a better exchange rate (8.4 here to 9.5 over there when we went in July)

Silly question but where do you exchange it when you are there? at the hotel?

Toooldforthis

Went to Marsa Alam in November everything was in euros

lewroll

Bebs wrote: »

Silly question but where do you exchange it when you are there? at the hotel?

You can exchange at the hotels, inside banks, atms (banknote exchange) or exchange shops. There are plenty of places everywhere and none I have used have ever charged me commission. I personally use exchange shops because I find they give a slightly better rate than banks etc. At the moment the rate is 10.16 to £1 sterling but it was 10.32 earlier this week and is fluctuating at the moment because of financial instability in Egypt I believe but I am no financial wizard so don't quote me on the reasoning behind it please.
I always bring Sterling with me and exchange it here because I have always got a much better rate here than in England.

PompeyPete

We were in Na'ama Bay a few weeks ago. Transfer from the airport was pre-booked. I gave the cabbie one €uro tip.

The currency in Egypt if the Egyptian Pound, so why use anything else? Yep, they'll take anything, but you will get the best value by using the Egyptian Pound.

If you tip in anything other than the Egyptian Pound, then the beneficiary has to change it himself or spend it at a loss.

We got E£9.65 to £1 sterling in Na'ama, much better than had we changed it in UK. Looks like it's even better now. I even changed some Turkish Lira I had, but had to shop around for a rate I was prepared to accept.

I can't understand why anyone from UK would want to bother paying in US$ or €uro.