If you love Turkey- would you go to Egypt?

[Batinhernightdress]

Years ago I asked on here about Turkey, (when things were a but more turbulent) lots said they wouldn't go but loads of advice and good comments so we went and had an amazing time- and have been back many times since.

Fancy a change and looking at Egypt, especially Sharm, possibly with a day trip to Cairo. Would you go, have you been?

Family with mid teens. Thanks.

I love Turkey, the hassle there is absolutely nothing like Egypt at all IME. Only went to Cairo and around there but Egypt is one place I'd never go back to. Also the only place I've been where I had such bad food poisoning from our '5*' hotel that I couldn't move out of bed for a week.

Much nicer IMO is Jordan - and Petra/Wadi Rum rival anything Egypt has to offer IMO. There's a little bit of hassle at Petra from the local Bedouin but it's just not so intimidating and you don't get followed and pestered in the same way as Egypt. Morocco has also really cleaned it's act up in recent years IME and there are some amazing experiences to be had there, we stayed in a beautiful riad in Marrakech and the palace, tombs and mosques are beautiful plus the Jardin Majorelle - also Merzouga desert and Ait Ben Haddou were amazing (although I preferred a smaller Kasbah we visited as ABH was very touristy, but not more than Egypt).

We have been to Turkey about 5 times, always lovely, no issues. Also spent a week in Cairo and 3 weeks in Luxor.....travelled around a bit...Aswan etc....no real issues, some hassle in shops but didnt bother to buy anything, they do have fixed price shops for souvenirs etc. we both got the usual awful stomach bug, you need to buy Streptoquin on arrival from pharmacy, its cheap, about £1, the uk stuff does not work or help ! Cairo was fascinating, all crumbling art deco flats and buildings, we stayed in a lovely art deco hotel, the views were odd as everyone seemed to put rubbish onto their roofs ! pyramids are a lot smaller than you imagine and there is hassle at the site, just be firm.

Valley of the Kings was incredible. Pyramids amazing.
Abu Simbel was good but so far away.

I was there for 2 weeks travelling the length of the country and never got ill once.

I would say though that if you have your heart set on Egypt and seeing the pyramids then go to Cairo for 5 days and do it, otherwise you'll only go somewhere else, come back and still want to see the pyramids!

My recommendation would be Hurghada and Luxor instead. A huge part of a day trip to Cairo is the travel across the city - the traffic is horrendous.
Luxor has far more to see, and it’s a much easier journey in.
we’ve always found the Egyptian people to be incredibly welcoming and hospitable.

@amylou8 oh my goodness. Do you mean a stray dog with its leg hanging off not handing. I have heard Egypt is rotten for animal abuse ie people hurting stray animals and finding it hilarious to the point its the norm and kids do it. Even I saw a video of them setting a rats tail on fire and the rat ran into the house on fire and even set their bloody house on fire. Seen kids swinging cats by their tails.

@Shamefulnamechnge yeah, clearly those Muslim men don't know the meaning of LOWER YOUR GAZE. I hate that. Being lecherous and leery and jeery regardless if its a sister or not. Sorry you went through that. Unreal.

So to sum it up, go to Egypt if you want to be hassled by horrible men like as if they have never seen a woman before and get diarrhoea. Great.

Go to Turkey if you want to be hassled to buy things by pushy Market sellers and see lovely museums and mosques. Great.

Sharm is the Egyptian Benidorm.

This.

Worst place I’ve been to, by a mile.

Have really enjoyed AI holidays to turkey - always felt safe even as three women travelling. I would happily return.
Would not consider going to Egypt at all.

Sharm is the Egyptian Benidorm.

I'm going to get banned from MN but I love Benidorm, it is my favourite place for a quick weekend away, it is cheaper than a UK hotel, travel is easier, the weather is better and there is always something going on. I went in early December for three nights Inc flights AI for £198.

@PopsicleHustler that made me laugh, neither appeals.

@NorthFaceofthelaundrypile I will look st Luxor thanks.

@Choconut I do worry about that, I also think that it is likely that the security situation will worsen in years to come, also the coral is dying, if I wait it might be gone.

Agree with @ginislife wrt Egypt.

Turkey all the way for me.

Loved Turkey. Was horribly ill in Egypt and would also never go back. Turkey felt clean. Egypt not so much....

I've been to Egypt twice. Once on a nile cruise and second time to sharm. I had a good time on both. Never been to turkey and have no wish to

Went to see the ancient sites and to scuba dive. Dd had just qualified to dive so was 10. I got a lot of hassle but what really annoyed me was the attention she got. A big girl for her age but hardly pubescent. The men kept trying to touch her. I'd never go back. Also the mossies in Aswan are relentless!

I hope you reported this. How awful!

We hated Egypt and went to Makadi Bay- all ill from food poisoning from day 2 to day 8 at the iberostar. - and we were very careful too. Beautiful beach and good snorkelling ( husband managed this on day 1) absolutely sod all else to recommend it - hassle galore - I honestly would prefer to go to Majorca every year.

When you went on holiday to turkey was the men staring and the sometimes pushy stuff the top level of what you would put up with but worth it for the price and the warm weather?

or do you think you could put up with a higher level of this sort of stuff for it being hotter? As that’s what I found Egypt like. It wasn’t an improvement on turkey but the behaviours of the men and the chancers much worse and not worth it.

I have been to both and wouldn’t go back to Egypt again.

if you like turkey and benedorm, instead I would consider Portugal or Marbella

@Batinhernightdress I'm quite a snobby person generally but I like Benidorm too for a quick break, the old town especially and it has great beaches and is fun - as per my post below Egypt I hated , Turkey - much better although personally I don't like huge resort style hotels

Egypt is fantastic if you like history & archaeology. Not dirty or "a hellhole" at all. Dress modestly, get a good guide and respect local culture and you'll be fine.

Been to hisaronu area of Turkey and love it. I felt happy and safe walking around the area.

Not a big fan of Egypt. Went to Sharm with DH. Felt very unsafe and uneasy outside the hotel. I don't actually remember much about the hotel, my main memories is being hassled and feeling ripped off apart from one trip where the local guide was lovely. Have been with a friend a couple of times to hurghada but just for a week of relaxing by the pool.

For a main holiday with DH I wouldn't go back to Egypt as we like to do more and explore. If we just wanted a week of reading and sitting by the pool we would go as to hurghada. The hotels are generally lovely.

I love Turkey. Hated Egypt. A lot of food poisoning in our hotel & on our plane home. It was the worse flight I’ve ever experienced. Dozens of people with vomiting & diarrhoea. Ugh.

Well I’m a Muslim so dress modestly and can comfortably say that wasn’t the case for me, because I’m fair, i was with my husband too, but if he walked a bit ahead or behind, it was relentless. I got a lot of harassment in sharm but that maybe sharm rather than epypt as a whole.

I found the same in Egypt, and a little of the sane in turkey. If I was not with my husband I got hassled by men, even when I was holding my toddlers hand.

I saw people (one woman and one man) streaming in Egypt and it seemed awful, couldn't fancy it myself.