Egypt has always been a popular destination, but in recent years, when world travelers in search of summer destinations have discovered the charms of all-inclusive at affordable prices, this country has become one of the high priority choices when it comes to summer vacations.
However, the older you get, the more you will start to realize that it is not good to go anywhere unprepared (this is true, of course, when you are young, too, but then you can more easily face unforeseen situations) and then you spend days before summer vacation reading forums and comments on booking websites. We bring you a short guide that will answer all your questions before you board the plane for the Egyptian sea pearl Hurghada so that you do not have to do all that.
The Hotel Is Important
Whether you are one of those people for whom accommodation is of utmost importance or maybe not, we have to clarify one thing – accommodation is the most important in Hurghada. The whole concept of vacationing there is to spend most of your time in a hotel. Hurghada does not have a public beach, and that is of the essence to know when choosing accommodation. Their four stars are two in many other countries, so do not be surprised if you get disappointed by the hotel you had high expectations for because of the number of its stars in the brochure or on the Internet. Choose a hotel that has more than one beach, and that has been built in the last few years.
Since you will only be eating at the hotel, food will also be important to you. There are hotels that adapt food more to tourists but also those that do not, so you may feel sick after a few days from the spices locals are used to and from which your stomach will ’cry.’Â
Their salaries are terribly low, so you will be able to achieve a lot with just a few dollars. For instance, make sure to put a few dollars in your passport at the reception, to get a room with a sea view, and leave them one dollar on the bed every day, and there will always be a little surprise waiting for you when you return to the room.
Never Drink Tap Water
It is a generally familiar fact about Africa, but some believe that it only refers to the consumption of drinking water, so they rush to order drinks with ice. Drink everything you drink as part of your all-inclusive program without ice. You may not like cocktails because they look quite diluted or taste too sweet, but their beer is great and refreshing. Be careful not to swallow the water while taking a shower because then you will suffer like Charlotte in the first part of “Sex and the City. “Â
You do not have to take probiotics, which everyone warns you are obligatory, from home as you can get them in pharmacies there, and you will get instructed on how to drink them.
Forget Prejudices
The Arabs have been traders since… well, since always, and it is normal that they will pull you by the sleeve and drag you into the shops. Besides, they are very harmless. Feel free to walk along Sakals and Al Mamsha; no one will be waiting to rob you in the dark street. You can use a taxi wherever you go. Do not enter it until you have bargained first because for a dollar; you can visit the entire Hurghada. Do not be afraid of their insane drivers; it is their driving style. There are no traffic rules for them; you just have to get used to it.Â
Leave prejudices at home, and you will certainly not have any unpleasant situations. If you have fair skin and hair, women will stop you on the street to take pictures with you, which is a common occurrence. Remember that you are on a completely different continent.
Don’t Go on Excursions With the Agency
Although the agency will warn you not to trust the locals who offer you trips to the beach three times cheaper – you can. They will show you the charms of Hurghada much better than anyone from your country ever could. Do not miss the opportunity to visit Paradise Island because it really is what its name suggests. As part of the trip, you will also have the opportunity for snorkeling, where you will see fish of incredible colors such as cyclamen, royal blue, or neon-yellow swimming among the corals that seemed to be drawn by Walt Disney. It is one of the most stunning beaches you will ever see.Â
One of the excursions that you must not miss is the safari in the Sahara. Our advice is to take a shorter version because that way you will also have the opportunity to visit a Bedouin village, ride a camel, drive a jeep and a quad across the Sahara, and you will still have a large part of the day to spend on the beach. An all-day safari is really torturing, with a lot of time doing nothing and a guaranteed sunstroke.
One of the rare disadvantages of vacationing in Hurghada is that you do not have much room for spontaneity. Each of your meals and snacks is planned in a minute, and since it is already dark at 6 p.m., at that moment, you will hear a whistle that will indicate to you that you have to get out of the water. After 11 p.m., you will not get a drink in your all-inclusive, so if you are looking for an active holiday for young people, Hurghada is definitely not for you because skinny dipping is out of the question there. The only happenings are the animators who walk along the beach and invite you to various aerobics and belly dancing classes and foam parties (if they can be called that).Â
Here might be the right time to warn you to several things that are forbidden in Egypt: drones, sharing an apartment or hotel room with an Egyptian of the opposite sex unless you are married, gambling (so opt for online casino of top-notch game providers such as those at topcasinoexpert.com/software_provider/amanet/ if you are up to gambling on a vacation), photography near military facilities, the rainbow flag, bringing (certain) medications into the country, drinking on Islamic holidays (except in hotels)…
If you need a vacation in every sense of the word where you will not have to think about anything – then without a doubt, peek into the world of camels, colorful pillows, exotic spices, and the bluest sea you will ever see.
