Dressing for Egypt

[ThreeStepsTooFar]

We’re going to Cairo and a Nile Cruise in October.
I presumed modest, covered up dresses for sightseeing but I’ve just looked on Instagram and so many women are in strappy tops and shorts, am I hopelessly out of date?
I’m also questioning if a respectable swimsuit for the boat would be acceptable and if the dinners will be dressy affairs.
If you’ve been I’d welcome advice please.

Haven't done a cruise, but have travelled fairly widely in Egypt, pre-Covid. Unless things have changed massively in the last 2 years, you will be much more comfortable - in every sense - in loose trousers/a longish skirt and with upper arms covered (outside of the Red Sea resorts). Personally, I think it's really obnoxious to go to another country and ignore their dress norms.

This was pre covid but I found the level
of harassment in Egypt the highest I’ve ever encountered. The men stare, jostle and approach you. I was with my husband, dressed modestly and still very uncomfortable.

The relatively few women I saw who were dressed in strappy tops and shorts got it even worse.

You would be ok on the boat but tourists are a magnet and the street hawkers are the most aggressive and persistent I’ve ever come across, even grabbing at you if you try to ignore them. They are desperate for sales but that doesn’t make it pleasant.

It is also MUCH cooler to actually cover your skin. A loose, cotton shirt and skirt, or a floaty dress with some sleeves (basically cover your shoulders) will be much easier to wear than denim shorts and a vest top.

So a double win - you are cooler, and dont risk upsetting local customs.

Thank you. I’ve got plenty of sleeved maxi dresses so I’ll take them with a cotton scarf, hat and ancient but comfy Birkenstocks.
I guess the photos on social media are because it is social media!
The harassment sounds horrid.

We went a month ago. Did a similar trip on an upmarket cruise boat. We’ve also been a few times before.

You don’t need to cover up on the boat, bikinis are fine. Dinner is not dressy in the slightest. In fact you’ll probably be on shared tables with your tour group and it will be a rather swift affair with lots of queuing! Even on the top boats and hotels do be careful of what you eat. Avoid washed salads, mousse/milk based desserts and shellfish in particular.

We had a wonderful holiday cruising the nile, a week in luxor and a few days in cario, however, cover up! I did, I was 44 at the time so not some love island looky likey, dear god, the harrasment I got was unreal, the cruise was the easy bit, something cool and long was my choice for the evening and something very similar for sightseeing, I was followed, jostled, manhandled, poked, pinched and at times, cairo in particular, I felt very unsafe, even with my dh. I wish I had been warned and a bit more prepared for it.

I’d suggest a linen scarf - cotton is too hot. A linen scarf is really versatile- it’s a cover up, sun protection, even a towel at a pinch.