Egyptian Currency

[Martyn Tongue]

A group of us from Ratae SAC are off to Hurghada in March to dive with Easy Divers. Although we have booked an all-inclusive deal @ the hotel has anyone any advice on what currency to take?
Should we take U.S. Dollars, Sterling, Egyptian Pounds or Travellers Cheques? Are there ATM's out there?

[Steve Walker]

A group of us from Ratae SAC are off to Hurghada in March to dive with Easy Divers. Although we have booked an all-inclusive deal @ the hotel has anyone any advice on what currency to take?
Should we take U.S. Dollars, Sterling, Egyptian Pounds or Travellers Cheques? Are there ATM's out there?

I take a mixture of USD and Egyptian pounds, watch out for the exchange rate for travellers cheques, some places will take your eyes out and come back for the sockets :O but the hotel should give you a fair rate, IME.
HTH
Steve

[Simon Moore]

They (eg shops, dive centres, hotels, restaurants, quad bike hirers etc)take sterling in Sharm just as readily as US$, and this saves on unnecessary currency conversion costs when both purchasing in England and selling back on return. The only thing they don't like is any damaged note, however slightly - the local banks won't accept it.
Is the position any different in Hurghada ?
ATM's provide Egyptian ?, and I'm told you can now change unwanted into ? ( it used to be a closed currency )but I've never done this myself - for some reason it's always gone by the time the plane lands in Gatwick......

[Alex Coomes]

A group of us from Ratae SAC are off to Hurghada in March to dive with Easy Divers. Although we have booked an all-inclusive deal @ the hotel has anyone any advice on what currency to take?
Should we take U.S. Dollars, Sterling, Egyptian Pounds or Travellers Cheques? Are there ATM's out there?

I know the below is not directly connected with the question but....
I went on a trip with Easy divers last March. As the name suggests it is easy diving (nothing wrong in that) but if you have any serious wrekkies in your group you may be disappointed! The sites visited were in my veiw not the best around Hurghada and I found this a bit of a shame. I think they were just always diving to the weakest link on the boat (which I know is correct) but I found this frustrating.
The boat they were using last year was Princess Henn and was fine as dayboat plenty of room to sunbathe between dives as well as having room to store dive kit - typical red sea daybat Captain steering with his left foot whilst smoking a very smelly cigarette (No compass either on boat just a boy at the bow to look out for reefs!)
The only other thing I could say against the company was that it is more geared up for the Dutch and German speaking tourists - the dive guides both being from Holland, we all found them a bit lacking in humour! - Would probably not use them agan, but if it is your first trip to the Red sea you will have a great time
BTW what Hotel are you staying at?

Rgds

Alex

[Jeanne]

A group of us from Ratae SAC are off to Hurghada in March to dive with Easy Divers. Although we have booked an all-inclusive deal @ the hotel has anyone any advice on what currency to take?
Should we take U.S. Dollars, Sterling, Egyptian Pounds or Travellers Cheques? Are there ATM's out there?

I always found it easy to travel to Egypt with a wad of small denomination (ie. 1 and 5)US$ (these will literally slip through your hand at the airport if you get anyone to 'carry your bags' to the bus or the boat!). Travellers Cheques are OK, but I favour the 'American Express' kind, they are in my view easier to use as regular cheques than those bearing the Mastercard logo, as well as AMEX being first class in case of loss, I know from experience. My preference as I said, and no, I don't work for AMEX!

Note, I have just booked a holiday to Marsa Alam, and I have been warned on the booking that our hotel only takes Euros as foreign currency (it's a Spanish run resort). So we will probably have a two-way split between US$ for the locals, and Euros for the petty cash purchases at the hotel. I have also found that Visa and Mastercard credit cards are readily accepted in most tourist shops, hotels, and service providers such as the dive shops and charters.

Best to do some homework with your service provider before you leave, is what I would recommend.

Have a good time!

Jeanne

[Mark Simpson]

A group of us from Ratae SAC are off to Hurghada in March to dive with Easy Divers. Although we have booked an all-inclusive deal @ the hotel has anyone any advice on what currency to take?
Should we take U.S. Dollars, Sterling, Egyptian Pounds or Travellers Cheques? Are there ATM's out there?

I would recommend opening a Nationwide Flex account as you do not get charged for using your switch card abroad and you get a excellent rate of exchange. There are plenty of ATM's which have English menu's in Sharm and I would expect tha same at most dive destination throughout Egypt. I also took some Egyptian money mainly small change for tips and taxi etc and some Sterling traveller chequeshad no problem getting them changed.

[martyn tongue]

:=A group of us from Ratae SAC are off to Hurghada in March to dive with Easy Divers. Although we have booked an all-inclusive deal @ the hotel has anyone any advice on what currency to take?
:=Should we take U.S. Dollars, Sterling, Egyptian Pounds or Travellers Cheques? Are there ATM's out there?

I know the below is not directly connected with the question but....
I went on a trip with Easy divers last March. As the name suggests it is easy diving (nothing wrong in that) but if you have any serious wrekkies in your group you may be disappointed! The sites visited were in my veiw not the best around Hurghada and I found this a bit of a shame. I think they were just always diving to the weakest link on the boat (which I know is correct) but I found this frustrating.
The boat they were using last year was Princess Henn and was fine as dayboat plenty of room to sunbathe between dives as well as having room to store dive kit - typical red sea daybat Captain steering with his left foot whilst smoking a very smelly cigarette (No compass either on boat just a boy at the bow to look out for reefs!)
The only other thing I could say against the company was that it is more geared up for the Dutch and German speaking tourists - the dive guides both being from Holland, we all found them a bit lacking in humour! - Would probably not use them agan, but if it is your first trip to the Red sea you will have a great time
BTW what Hotel are you staying at?

Rgds

Alex

Alex
Thanx for your info. We are staying at the 3Corners Amal Hotel/Resort. Any info as the 2 non divers will be spending more time there than the rest of us!!!

Rgds

Martyn

[Alex Coomes]

Dear Martyn

We stayed at the same place! As you have some non divers in your party you are probably in the right place.
There are plenty of sunbeds on the shoreline and if you want there is a house reef right on the beach that is fine for snorkeling and having a swim.
The rooms are basic but still have air conditioning and are clean. I did not go a bundle on breakfast as the eggs were like rocks and I don't really like Egyptian Cheese!
The Mini bar prices are not cheap so I would go to the local supermarket and stock up on water. We did not eat in the hotel as there was nothing on offer, however, there are some very good local places within walking distance (turn right as you go out of the main entrance)You can get snacks from the bar at the beach but these took ages to arrive and were quite expensive.
A bus will take you from the hotel to the boat each morning (10 min ride) All your kit is taken care of and was no problem. As I said before the diving is EASY. If you are looking for challenging diving go somewhere else. They dive to the weakest link on the boat (nothing wrong with that) However as our group was made up of hardened british dry suit divers and we amounted to 95% of the boat I felt our needs were not fully catered for. Being on a boat with a couple of PADI divers who had just got their tickets restricted where we could go! As long as you are not looking for any more than simple diving you will be fine

Kind Regards

Alex

[Nick McV]

In Sharm & Hurghada I have found everyone happy to take any form of negotiable currency! I therefore take sterling cash and a cashpoint card. No need to spend out on travellers cheques.
You usually get a good rate from the shops on changing cash - look in the bank for the days exchange rate to make sure.

Check on any withdrawal charges on your cash card before you go. Get a PIN number for your credit card so you can draw on this at need. Watch out for credit cards, because they charge interest from day 1 on cash withdrawals. If you put some money 'in credit' on your card before you go (i.e. overpay your bill), this can help you avoid this.