Egypt
is one of those countries that you have always dreamed of visiting.
If you're a young traveler or a backpacker and you think Egypt is an
inexpensive holiday destination, you're wrong about that. Some places
in Egypt are so fancy that I wouldn't dare to go there, but it's not
all exclusive attractions for rich travelers. It depends on what you
do and where you go.
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| www.elbanota.com |
Egypt
is a unique country. It's rich with history. You can pretty much see
the world's wonders in Egypt. Ancient Egypt, Greek antiquities, Roman
monuments, Jewish temples, ancient Coptic churches, Islamic Cairo.
Nature and wildlife destinations, like the white desert reserves and
safari trips. Beaches that are famous for diving.
The
first thing you need to know is that the fact that you're a foreigner
will make people in the touristic areas try to rip you off. People in
the local market will do the same. Child beggars will also do the
same, and taxis, etc.....
Want
to know what locals are saying around you? Check out my book about
Egyptian street culture and language.
Here
are some tips for you:
1-
Women should wear conservative clothes. I've met a lot of western
women in Egypt who told me before they came to Egypt their embassies
recommended that they should dress conservatively. What they don't
know is, just the fact that you're a foreign woman will make people
stare at you, especially if you wander into non-touristic areas and
some neighborhoods in Old Cairo. I would say don't wear revealing
clothes in Cairo. Short sleeved shirts and a short or a knee-length
skirt is okay. In the Red Sea and upper Egypt you can wear whatever
you want. Tourism is the main industry there and people there try
their best to make the tourists happy.
2-
For women: Do not couchsurf with single Egyptian guys. If you're a
single woman who is traveling solo, you want to save some money while
traveling or you just like meeting locals, you might want to
couchsurf. Before you send any couchsurfing requests make sure that
you read all of the references that were written by other
couchsurfers, Not by the guy's best friends. There are great
Egyptians guys who are couchsurfers, but unfortunately there are
those guys who joined the site just to hook up with foreign women. So
be careful there.
3-
Always carry cash around. Not all ATMs accept foreign cards. You
should go to a bank or a hotel to find an international ATM. Small
shops, small restaurants and small cafes don't accept credit cards.
Check the door of any store to see if they have a Visa or Mastercard
sign. That means they accept cards. Having cash is a good idea to get
around.
4-
Be aware of pickpockets. Put your wallet in a safe place and be
careful in subways, trains and buses and in the local markets. In
fact, I don't recommend riding the local buses at all.
5-
Take the white cab. It's a meter cab. It's better than the regular
cabs that would charge you whatever they want.
6-
Having a local friend will make getting around easier.
Eating
in Egypt:
I'm
not one of those people who say they love their countries' food the
best just because they are from that country. Egyptian food is my
favorite. I love other ethnic food as well, but Egyptian food is
simply the best. Whatever your taste is, you'll find it in Egypt.
Spicy food, mild food, meaty food, vegetarian food, vegan food. There
are a lot of international restaurants in Egypt too, like Mexican,
Indian, Italian, and other Middle Eastern food.
If
you're a vegetarian and going on a trip to Egypt, or simply want to
try ethnic vegetarian dishes, check out my book, Vegetarian's Guide
to Egyptian Street Food.
You
can't miss having dinner in Al-Hussin area. There are plenty of
choices there, like outdoor restaurants and cafes.
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| Al-Hussin area. www.youm7.com |
Shopping
in Egypt:
Whether you're shopping for clothes or groceries in Egypt, don't shop
in street markets. Street markets are cheap for Egyptians. However,
they raise the price when they see a foreigner. I know that many
foreigners don't care about this because however high the price is,
it would be still cheap in dollars. But to me it's a matter of
honesty and really I don't like people who double the price just
because you're a foreigner. I recommend shopping in Carrefour and
shopping malls, as they don't rip you off there.
Accommodation:
I
had my own home in Egypt, so I don't have a lot of experience staying
in hotels. However, I have some friends who do. Don't expect much
from cheap hostels, they might be really bad.
My
Korean friend stayed in Oum Kalthoum hotel in the Zamalek area. The
room was over 120$ and it wasn't good at all. It was spacious, but
the furniture was broken. The service was very poor, the manger and
the receptionist were rude. We asked the hotel to arrange a car to
pick up my friend from the airport, but the car showed up an hour
late. Also, this hotel doesn't serve alcohol, which is not a problem
if you don't drink.
There
are cheap hostels in Cairo, which start from 10$ a night. That's very
cheap. Even in Egyptian pounds it would be around 60 pounds. I
imagine the room would be bad for that amount of money, but I may be
wrong. Just read the reviews of the hostels before you book a room.
Unfortunately,
the best hotels are the most expensive ones, just like anywhere else.
Places
to Visit:
1-
The Pyramids. Of course it comes on the top of the bucket list to
many travelers. I know that many people think the pyramids are
located in the heart of the desert. Well, they aren't. Maybe they
once were. One side of the pyramids is facing the city, so don't get
disappointed if you don't see enough sand. It's still a beautiful
place to go to. BE AWARE of scams in the pyramids area. For example,
they will overcharge you for camels and horse rides. You might end up
paying hundreds of dollars. Also, you might meet those guys holding
cards from the national tourism organization. They will tell you they
can tour you around and tell you some historic information about the
place for free. After the tour they will ask you for money. That
happened to my husband and me when we visited the pyramids in 2010.
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| www.onmasr.com |
2-
Old Cairo is a place filled with art and beauty. While you're in Old
Cairo you must visit the Religious Complex, which includes Babylon
fortress, the hanging church, Amr Ibn Al-Aas mosque and Ben Ezra
synagogue.
3-
Khan el-Khalili, it's an outdoor bazaar.
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4-
Simon the Tanner church in Mokattam area. It's a beautiful place but
unfortunately the road there is neglected, so it might be a rough
ride to get there. I went there in 2003. I hope the roads are fixed
now.
5-
Saladin Citadel in old Cairo, a medieval Islamic fortress. The
stunning mosque of Muhammed Ali is located inside the citadel. The
mosque is a piece of art. You must take your shoes off to enter the
mosque. Women are given robes to wear to enter the mosque.
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6-
Nile cruise: There are all boat sizes and prices for Nile cruises. I
would recommend you choose a boat that serves dinner while cruising
the Nile.
Museums
in Cairo:
1-
The Egyptian Museum.
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| www.egyptiantalk.org |
2-Islamic
Ceramic Museum.
3-
The Coptic Museum.
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| www.egyptexpresstvi.com |
4-
The Museum of Islamic Art.
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| www.classic.aawsat.com |
5-
National Library and Archives.
Museums
in Alexandria:
1-
Bibliotheca Alexandria Museum.
2-
Roman Auditorium.
3-
The Greco-Roman Museum.
For information about the museums, please click the link below:
Cities
You Must Visit:
1-
Alexandria: I've traveled to many places but Alexandria will always
be number one in my heart. Alexandria is a Mediterranean beauty. It's
has a lot of monuments from the ancient world.
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2-
Upper Egypt is one of my dream destinations. Sadly, I haven't had a
chance to visit Upper Egypt before, but will do someday. Upper Egypt
is certainly the place richest with history.
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| Al-karnak temple |
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| Aswan, upper Egypt www.immigration4visa.com |
3-
The Red Sea: There are a bunch of cities over there, and all of them
are perfect beach vacations, especially if you love diving. Hurgadah
is gorgeous. There are some topless beaches there, but not all of
them.
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| Diving in Hurgadah www.viator.com |
4-
Sharm Al-Sheikh is a must if you're around there.
5-
Dahab, is a small town on the southeast of the Sinai Peninsula. It's
a favorite for many tourists.
While
in Sinai you should visit Saint Catherine's Monastery.
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| www.vb.n4hr.com |
Nightlife
in Egypt:
There
are plenty of bars, night clubs, and gambling casinos in Egypt. The
casinos are located inside the big hotels. You can gamble as long as
you have a foreign passport.
90%
of hotels serve alcohol. There are alcohol shops downtown and other
places.
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For more tourism information please visit the following sites:
