Anyone been to Hurghada?

[hooveringhamabeads]

I’m going to Hurghada soon with the DCs - just the three of us. I feel woefully unprepared and if anyone could help me out with a few questions that would be amazing.

Firstly, visas. I’ve just tried to do this online but it wouldn’t accept the photo uploads of our passports, so I guess we’ll do them when we get there. Do I need to get USD to pay for these or can I pay in sterling?

Next thing, currency. We will be there for a week and staying all inc with everything including alcoholic drinks included. I think the only thing that isn’t included is bottled water. I am hoping to go on some trips, to the pyramids and possibly the valley of the kings depended on how the pyramids go. Any advice on where best to book these trips would be good. Other than those two day trips we’ll probably mostly stay on the resort. I really have no idea how much money I will need for the week, and whether it’s best to get it now or get it changed over there as I’ve heard the rates are better there?

If you have any other useful Hurghada related tips please share! I took the DCs travelling around Thailand on my own for a month a few years back, but for some reason I’m more worried about this!

Oh and another question - clothes wise, what is appropriate to wear both on the resort and on trips to the sights? I don’t want to offend anyone!

Visa you can pay in Egyptian pounds at the airport, they will likely overcharge you, it's pretty corrupt. Also be prepared for them to disregard any argument you put forth on price if you are female.

It was very cheap when I was there 4 years ago, bottles water around 2 egyptian pounds, so in theory you wont need much, however the food we had AI was not great, so you may want some meals out at the Senzo mall, or the Marina.

Be careful you don't allow anyone to get you into a perfume or papyrus shop, ridiculously hard sells and very irritating.

Don't get ice in drinks, take some anti bac hand gel, mosquito repellant and some high factor sun screen and enjoy valley of the kings, it's amazing (I was underwhelmed by the pyramids to be honest because they are surrounded by stalls and rubbish)

Thanks :) I’ve read that if you just ignore the queues for visas and go to the bank teller desks you can buy visas at the right price rather than being ripped off?

Agree with PP avoid the street sellers. We've always been all including but have a few dollars to tip wait staff etc.

The trips to Cairo are long and expensive! We flew (this was pre children) but there is a coach convoy but you are looking at 12 hours plus for that.

Having said that, we did it 12 years ago so it may have changed. We were back there in Feb this year (doing again next) all in with three young girls but simply stayed on resort.

www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt

See the current foreign office guidance above. I love Egypt and have been many times. I would not be venturing out of the resort to Cairo and particularly not the Valley of the Kings at the current time.

I did the overnight train to Cairo (20 years ago) it was grim. An experience but not for kids.
The toilet had no toilet obvs just a goat
Luxor has a lot to do and see.

The water sports and scuba come highly recommended in Hurg do the dc like that kinda thing?

I've been (though about eight years ago). When I left the hotel complex I got a fair amount of abuse (and I wasn't wearing anything inappropriate) so I wouldn't recommend it. Also, if it's anything like Sharm recently there are a lot of army with AK47s which feels a little intimidating. It's not nice for walking around. The best bits are the relatively cheap amazing hotels, and the incredible snorkelling/scuba diving. I personally wouldn't take kids on the crazy long journey to the pyramids, but I guess that's your call! It's the best place in the world to snorkel and scuba dive so I would do that.

Yikes! It sounds terrifying! Dd2 is neurotic at the best of times. So on the resort is it ok to wear normal holiday clothes, or should there be some attempt to cover up? And what about if we do decide to go on trips to the sights, what is it ok to wear there?

Normal clothes in resort but I'd have a scarf to cover up. To be honest you're only going for a week, I wouldn't venture far. You will get hassle if you venture off the hotel complex particularly since the UK tourist trade has dried up.

More covered up if you do go on a trip and you definitely want to be able to cover shoulders etc no hotpants and boob tube type ensembles. But I do think you should adhere to the Foreign Office advice, particularly if you have children with you and are a woman travelling alone. You should also check your insurance to see whether you are covered if you leave resort.