Sharm el Sheikh

Man of Honour
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stomach bug

I've been there for total of 6 weeks and never caught a bug because I always use hand gel before putting anything in my mouth.


I really didn't know you became poor after going to Egypt


Very easy to walk past just like the people on the streets in Tenerife trying to sell you stuff all the time.

I also never saw the 'history' of Tenerife and Ibiza when I went, just lots of working class people that I try to get away from.
 
Soldato
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stayed in a hotel called Hauza Beach. Nice hotel, good facilities. Although the food is nothing to get excited about.

The beach was great, and the jetty on the beacj drops you right into a wall of coral which is AMAZING!
 
Soldato
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Go somewere nice like Tenerife or Ibiza, Safe clean lots better !

Hahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

All what you guys seem to be describing is what I hate. Town built just for holiday makers.
I hate going to big tourist places, basically just a bunch of obnoxious lager drinking english men, can imagine them straight from their council estate. And sadly most of them appear to turn this way when greeted by sun, or atleast over throw the rest of the "normal" tourist. And yes the english are the worse for it! As soon as the hotel and staff learnt we were from Scotland, instantly treated better and given more respect.
 
Soldato
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If you go to the pyramids, do not let anyone show you around because they are 'security'. Also don't even act interested in the junk they sell.

I've always remembered what our tour guide said: 'Remember folks, in Egypt, NOTHING is free!'
 
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Cairo is the most mad city I ever been to in the world, and I've seen a fair few. Everything about it is ramped up to max. All the good stuff and the bad stuff, mixed up chaotically. 3 days there, you'll need another holiday to recover!

You can't miss the pyramids, but Brookerts advice is spot on.
 
Man of Honour
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If you go to the pyramids, do not let anyone show you around because they are 'security'. Also don't even act interested in the junk they sell.

I've always remembered what our tour guide said: 'Remember folks, in Egypt, NOTHING is free!'

To add to that do not take pictures of the camels or inside the pyramids.
Also only so many people a day are let into the Great Pyramid (around 250) and you must buy your ticket at the entrance for £10 so if you don't get there early you could lose out.
There are 4 stalls at the entrance to queue up at and they won't let you buy multiple tickets for the Great Pyramid and you have to queue up at each gate for each ticket (you can't aks fo rall 3 at the same window) :
1) Giza Plateau
2) Great Pyramid
3) Second Pyramid (everybody can go in that one for £2.50)
4) Guides

Being naughty in the Great Pyramid -

greatpyramid1.jpg


greatpyramid2.jpg


If you can get to the Red Pyramid which is about 10 miles away from Giza then go because nobody goes there and it is wonderful.
It's also a good job both me & the wife are dwarfs.
It's only £3 and you can run up and down it and do anything you want.
That's Mrs Dimple in front and I think there were 4 other people there.

redpyramid1.jpg


redpyramid2.jpg


redpyramid3.jpg


You can't go to this one because it's on military land -

steppedpyramid.jpg


And one of the most amazing sights/sites EVER -
Abu Simbel

abusimbel11.jpg
 
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Soldato
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My cousin went diving at Tiran Island which she said was brilliant, but the diving in Dahab (not far from Sharm) is meant to be incredible!

I stayed one night in Sharm before heading off to Dahab for a couple of weeks. You're asolutely right, the diving is incredible there and it was a lot more chilled out than Sharm. Not an incredible amount to do there apart from diving though.
 
Soldato
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Personally I found it over rated having red up on it before I went.

Me and my wife spent 2 weeks there in the summer, great weather and hotel (5 star all inc at Stella di Mare) and that was about it for the positives in Sharm el Sheikh.

At the end of it though I felt it was better to experience it than to have never gone.
 
Soldato
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I went in August to the Hilton (Sharks Bay), Sharks Bay was about a 10min shuttle ride from the main bit and it was really nice to be away from all the busy market, towns and stuff.

We've just booked 2 more weeks and are going on the 22nd Dec. I can't recommend the hotel enough, just make sure you book a 'deluxe' room and not standard as the standards are in an older part of the hotel.
 
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I'm a travel agent, I would recommend the Sultan Gardens. Check trip advisor for hotels to stay at, flights are cheapest with Easy jet usually, they fly out of Gatwick, Luton and Manchester.
 
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I went in August to the Hilton (Sharks Bay), Sharks Bay was about a 10min shuttle ride from the main bit and it was really nice to be away from all the busy market, towns and stuff.

We've just booked 2 more weeks and are going on the 22nd Dec. I can't recommend the hotel enough, just make sure you book a 'deluxe' room and not standard as the standards are in an older part of the hotel.

I've been there twice, enjoyed both times thoroughly - the reef off that jetty is amazing, shame about the pants 'beach'
 
Caporegime
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This is Egypt -

egyptticketstubs2.jpg


This is not (Hurghada) -

hurghada.jpg

But Sharm is just as bad. On the other hand we went to the Sofitel at Hurghada and it wasn't anything like that either, or the Intercontinental where I did my diving training. The difference between Sharm and Hurghada is that you can actually do day trips to places like Luxor and the Nile (by car), which you can't do from Sharm.

EDIT: Which seem to have changed ownership since I went... And got a lot worse! :eek:
 
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Man of Honour
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But Sharm is just as bad.

That was my point, Hurghada and Sharm are the same which is basically Blackpool with the sun.
I like going on holidays where there's a bit of history I can go and look at BUT if somebody asked me where they could go for a guaranteed sun holiday all year round (some months hotter than others) then it would have to be either of those two places.
 
Caporegime
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Ah ok, your posts (specifically the first two) made it seem like you thought Sharm was different. :o

I assume it has probably changed a lot in the 8 years since I was there though, especially with all the cheap flights there now.
 
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thanks everyone. some great advice ..

cheers everyone.

as for ibiza instead had to spend 8 seasons there when i was working.. want somewhere to relax this holiday..
 
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