Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Holiday to Hurghada booked! Don't want to go now.....

170 replies

heckythump01 · 21/07/2019 00:49

I have booked a girly holiday with my daughter next month to Hurghada! The reason I picked this destination as it was affordable and has a huge water park which she we love.....I saw last night that British airways have cancelled flights to Cairo and i am now panicking about going! Am I just being a worry head? Sods law I only booked it on Thursday.........

OP posts:
OneThreadOnly0101 · 21/07/2019 07:29

I wouldn't be able to relax. I'm assuming the reasons are similar to those that have led to Sharm el Sheikh flights being suspended for so long.

I'm not risk-averse and I'll take my chances with on-the-ground terrorism, but if the airport isn't secure I won't risk my plane blowing up.

Yogagirl123 · 21/07/2019 07:32

Are you able to change your booking? I can understand your concern, I wouldn’t want to travel to Egypt/Tunisia/Morocco, cheap for a reason IMHO. Good luck OP.

SunsetBunny · 21/07/2019 07:32

If you are really that worried might be worth checking your T&Cs/booking contract. If you only booked it yesterday you might still be within a cooling off period.

OneThreadOnly0101 · 21/07/2019 07:33

People seem to be focusing on the safety of Cairo itself. As I understand it, BA is responding specifically to threats against aviation.

Hurghada isn't currently implicated but that's hardly a comfort IMO.

Unfinishedkitchen · 21/07/2019 07:40

You’ll be fine. Statistically more chance of you being in a car accident on way to airport than being killed in a terrorist attack. Also terrorist attacked happen in the UK and France. Would you leave UK or tell people it’s unsafe to go to France?

DullPortraits · 21/07/2019 07:43

You don't need to worry about terrorism at Hurghada: we felt pretty safe there when we went. But dont eat or drink anything or go in the swimming pool. When we were there so many people inc us got so ill. I wouldn't let my dogs eat there seriously! Take plenty of extra money for the doctor.. you will need it 🤮🤮

Doormat247 · 21/07/2019 07:50

It's only Cairo involved - there's always incidents there anyway and they cut off visiting the city frequently even though it's not in the UK news.

There have been terrorist incidents in Hurghada before (there was one just before I went a few years ago) but I found it felt safe and I wasn't worried in the slightest.

I think this threat is aviation related anyway rather than a threat to the area.

CodenameVillanelle · 21/07/2019 07:54

Egypt/Tunisia/Morocco, cheap for a reason IMHO. Good luck OP.

Why have you listed Morocco in the same category as Egypt and Tunisia?

NoSauce · 21/07/2019 07:56

You could phone and ask if you can change it. I’ve been a couple of times, the second time we had a police escort front and back of the coach and armed guards at the hotel. It did worry me I won’t lie, I wouldn’t go back to Egypt again sorry Op.

sugarplumfairy28 · 21/07/2019 07:58

It depends what type of holiday you are looking for really. We were looking at Hurghada, but we are not the type to stay in the resort poolside the whole time, and we would want to see sites, pyramids etc which is near where recent attacks have been, so for this reason we decided not to go. But if you're looking to chill by a pool and stay very local then the resorts are meant to be safe.

BarbaraofSeville · 21/07/2019 08:05

I'm not sure I'd worry about not seeing the pyramids. They're about 8 hours from Hurgharda, surrounded by litter and hawkers, and many people describe them as the most underwhelming historical site they've ever been to. There was also a bomb attack on a tourist bus nearby a couple of months ago.

People say 'how can you go to Egypt without seeing the pyramids' but in reality, it's like going to Edinburgh and not seeing the Tower of London, ie entirely reasonable.

RandomUsernameHere · 21/07/2019 08:13

DH and I went to Makadi Bay before we had our DCs, but we wouldn't take the DCs anywhere in Egypt. Sorry OP, not the type of response you are hoping for. The majority of people on here seem like they'd be more than happy to go though.

loopsdefruit · 21/07/2019 08:19

I don't think I'd go to Egypt atm, although the travel advisory for Hurghada does not specifically say don't go there were terrorist attacks there in 2016 and 2017 specifically targeting foreign tourists on beaches. You'd likely be safer in resorts but there's no guarantee.

Just weigh up the risks vs benefits for you/your family.

BestestBrownies · 21/07/2019 08:20

DP and I went to Hurghada last year on a diving holiday (primarily to see the famous Thistlegorm wreck).

Unless you're there to dive or want to stay on the all-inclusive resort the whole time, there is absolutely fuck-all else to do there. It is literally beach resort hotels and desert.

Don't bother with any of the organised day trips as everything decent is miles away and involves a long and boring coach trip.

There has been unrest in Cairo for ages. Hurghada is far enough away to be unaffected. Stay on the resort and have a lovely chilled child-friendly holiday with your DD.

Catsandchardonnay · 21/07/2019 08:26

Barbaraofseville that is so negative, the pyramids are absolutely amazing. People who say they are underwhelming must have something wrong with them! I wouldn’t go there from Hurghada though, too far.

exLtEveDallas · 21/07/2019 08:30

When we were there so many people inc us got so ill. I wouldn't let my dogs eat there seriously!

Tomorrow will be my 9th visit to Egypt. I've been ill twice, DH & DD have been ill once (different trips). None of our illnesses needed a doctor, we were fine after 24 hours of Antinal. We eat at the hotels and outside. We eat 'local' food, our evening drinks have ice and we spend most of our time in the water!

I think the difference is that we don't have ice in daytime drinks (a shock to the system when you are really hot), we drink lots of water during the day, our Aircon is set to 21 not 16 and we use anti-bac religiously, especially after handing money.

From personal experience Hurghada Airport has better security than Gatwick. In fact it's the source of many a TripAdvisor complaint (which I will never understand). I imagine that when Sharm opens up again it will be similar.

We did Cairo the first time we went and I wouldn't do it again. The pyramids are pretty boring tbh. Luxor/Valley is the Kings is amazing and closer to Hurghada - still a bloody long day though and ridiculously hot. It's the sort of trip you should save for a winter holiday. We mainly do boat and diving trips in and around Hurghada in the Summer.

AlaskanOilBaron · 21/07/2019 08:32

I'm not sure I'd worry about not seeing the pyramids. They're about 8 hours from Hurgharda, surrounded by litter and hawkers, and many people describe them as the most underwhelming historical site they've ever been to.

These people are philistines.

OP Hurghada is lovely & safe. They take security very seriously, obviously, as their livelihoods depend on it.

Bellasblankexpression · 21/07/2019 08:42

I wouldn’t go back to Egypt sorry OP.
When we went, we couldn’t even walk along the private hotel beach without passing armed guards - I understand why they are there but it doesn’t really help with relaxing.
There was a heavy armed guard presence all around the resort - again, brilliant for safety, but the fact they were everywhere meant you couldn’t forget about why they were there for a minute!
Maybe we went at a particularly troubled time, but I don’t recall that.
We also got heckled a bit by some resort staff who wouldn’t leave us alone - although the majority were lovely and supremely hard working.
I know there are armed police in London airports etc, but imho it’s not the same.

PineappleSeahorse · 21/07/2019 08:42

I think the difference is that we don't have ice in daytime drinks

Genuine question but why do you avoid ice during the day but have ice in the evening? Isn't ice in the evening just as risky?

Sarah160116 · 21/07/2019 08:44

I'm also off to Hurghada on Friday for my belated honeymoon. I've been several times to many parts of Egypt and the people are warm and welcoming. If you're airline is flying, go and enjoy. Take sensible precautions and you'll have a great time. As someone said - if there was a terrorist threat in London you would still visit Manchester.
Hope you have a fantastic trip.

PurpleFlower1983 · 21/07/2019 08:45

I think you will be fine but I personally wouldn’t go or I would spend the whole time on edge.

SolitudeAtAltitude · 21/07/2019 08:47

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

PineappleSeahorse · 21/07/2019 08:50

I'm sure that you'll have a wonderful time OP and you may already know this, but if not please read the latest advice on preventing food borne illnesses. www.gov.uk/government/news/phe-issues-advice-to-people-travelling-to-egypt It's good advice at any time but There's been reports of a particular form of E-Coli in Hurgada lately but if you take the precautions listed you should be fine and have a wonderful holiday.

DullPortraits · 21/07/2019 08:50

@exLtEveDallas

So out of 8 trips - 50% of the time one of you got ill Hmm

Even after doing all of the above ( as we did) you still got ill?

Sorry are you trying to agree with me or disprove what i said?

PineappleSeahorse · 21/07/2019 08:51

Hurghada even.