Anyone enjoyed Egypt and not been ill?

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

DH and I are looking for a relaxing, warm holiday but we can’t go until the end of November, and only for a week

Travel agent has suggested Egypt but I’m a bit worried about going out of the hotel as a woman, and also the chance of getting an upset stomach as several friends have suffered from.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

I've been twice and didn't get ill either time. Once to Luxor which was incredible, once to sharm el sheikh which was very relaxing but not much to do outside the resort.

Same, twice. Once to sharm
about 15 years ago, then Cairo more recently. Not ill. The hassle is very irritating but it’s more about getting you to buy stuff than anything else!

I went for the first time in October last year. I did get a very slight upset tummy following a steak at Hurghada Marina. I wished I'd stuck to pizza and pasta, but the rest of my family were all absolutely fine, and I had been concerned before hand though. I would go back. I had severe food poisoning in turkey the year before even though I had been there 3x prior and never had an issue. Good hand hygeine and dont brush teeth with tap water should be fine.

We did a Nile cruise in December 2010 and we didn’t get ill; brushed our teeth with bottled water and stayed away from salad and fruit. Great country!

I was hearing it opening your mouth in the show that gets people unwell

Went to Cairo and got ill. Of the 5 of us travelling all but 1 got ill

Me.

been I think six times and not been ill.

Sharm el sheik and Luxor.

In Cairo I ate at local restaurants and the hotel, nobody in my party got sick.

Can't help you with the harassment though!

I have been to Egypt 4 times. Have been ill on two trips and mainly when staying in AI. Last time we went self catering and ate in a few nice restaurants and did not get sick

I’ve been to Egypt and didn’t get ill but I wouldn’t go back. The hassle was unreal and I didn’t feel safe outside of the hotel.

We used to visit twice a year to Sharm & Marsa Alam (not been for 6 years though) primarily for diving. Never once in the 10+ visits did I ever get ill. Keep hydrated, use rehydration salts if over doing the heat or sun. I used to eat salads, fresh fruit & pretty much anything as did DH & was always ok. Bottled water though always. We took the kids as babies/toddlers pre covid & all were fine too.

We didn’t get ill but I’d never go back, the hassle you get is ridiculous. People grabbing you and you can’t just wander anywhere or stop to look at anything because they try to get you into the shop. Also got shouted at in front of the kids because we didn’t want a random kerb side camel ride, told to “you fucking fuckoff” 😂 Never again!

Been to Dahab as a solo female traveller. Didn’t get ill.
Didn’t get hassled other than ‘want to buy this <insert item>?’ and was treated with respect and humour at my daily ‘maybe later!’ response. Lovely people and country.

Went to Hurghada and got so ill I ended up on a drip. So much hassle on the streets - shopkeepers manhandling me into their shops. Huge mosquito bites….ripped off by taxi drivers… Never ever again!

I've been 9 times and never once been ill. Never been to Sharm as not my scene but Dahab and other smaller places and been fine. Yes the hassle is a pain at times but I just say no thank you and walk on.

To clarify:

sharm
el sheik is a purpose built resort that is otherwise basically in the middle of the desert. Any Egyptians there are there to work with tourists. It’s pretty safe and low hassle.

diving and snorkeling from there is incredibly good.

luxor/hurghada are closer to more “normal” places but in both the hotels will have security. The water isn’t safe to drink so you need to brush teeth with bottled water etc.
plenty of tourists around in both places. We did a trip to the valley of the kings and the tombs are amazing. Slightly more hassle in the sense of lots of people selling souvenirs etc but that was aimed at all tourists not focused on either men or women.

can’t speak for Cairo which I have heard is less sanitised for tourists.

@BotterMon same! I remember flying over Sharm and thinking ‘what the FUCK?!’ at all the neon and enormous hotels. Dahab is so chilled in comparison.

If the sight of the donkeys doesn't make you sick to your stomach then you have a heart of stone .
I have been.
Never again

What show?

No!
Everyone I know, including myself has had the trots in Eygpt. I wouldn't go back if you paid me!
Beautiful sites and history (did an internal flight to Cairo to see the Pyramids with a private guide, which was fantastic) but I spent 5 days of a 14 day holiday really unwell, despite following all the advice rigorously regarding no ice in drinks, bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth, no salad etc
I am a complete germophobe so wash my hands regularly and always have handgel with me.
We were in a 5 star all inclusive with a pharmacy store on site, the queues for the immodium were out the door at times, they were making a killing from the tourists.
Also, the constant hassle, not taking no for an answer became very annoying very quickly!

Me and DD2 went this Easter for 12 days to visit DD1 who was doing her uni year abroad at uni in Cairo. Loved it, had the best time. Felt safe. Food wise, I was careful, we went to some great restaurants, Lebanese, Egyptian, Korean as well as places like Zooba which is sort of Egyptian street food / fast food.

I went to El Gouna, but there isn't much to do if you don't dive.

Just don't touch money and eat without washing your hands, stay away from salad (good advice wherever you are), and brush teeth with bottled water, you'll be fine.

Agree and I haven’t even been but only have to follow Prince Fluffy Kareem and Egypt Equine Aid to be put off😭

Dahab is not typical of Egypt!
I went there for a yoga holiday and didn’t get ill either. A very chill and ‘hippyish’ small resort, very relaxed.

Same. Cairo as well. Loved Cairo and Luxor. Wore conservative clothes, long trousers and long sleeve shirts, and didn’t feel,at all worried. Wore normal beach clothes in Sharm.

Didn’t get ill. DH did in sharm, probably from prawns on his last night. Some Imodium sorted it for flight home.