Egyptian Pounds - Hurghada
Discussion
What is the best way to take money (cash) out in Egypt, specifically Hurghada? Normally it's easy to go to Thomas Cook or the Post Office and get a few hundred quids worth, but doesn't seem possible with Egyptian Pounds, I assume some sort of currency control thing. Is there an ATM in the airport which will offer reasonable Fx rates, or does everyone just get shafted by the airport rates?
lost in espace said:
Take stirling, tips in pound coins. Notes to change up for the waiters who have loads of pound coins.
They can’t change coins in their banks. I changed up £40 worth for one Barman while there.
Extra weight I didn’t particularly want but the poor guy had been asking people for ages.
They like USD.
the rate in July was 38 egp to £1 so very high. Not sure where it stands currently.
Another thing to note is getting about. Uber is silly cheap - set your payment to “pay locally” rather than the app taking the money.
Funny how their phone or tablet will have a flat battery if you don’t.
I think it was about 40p to get from my hotel to the marina.
the rate in July was 38 egp to £1 so very high. Not sure where it stands currently.
Another thing to note is getting about. Uber is silly cheap - set your payment to “pay locally” rather than the app taking the money.
Funny how their phone or tablet will have a flat battery if you don’t.
I think it was about 40p to get from my hotel to the marina.
okgo said:
Why not just pay card?
Can’t remember the last time I didn’t just take my phone in holiday and nothing else.
Because I expect in Egypt cash will go a lot further and get you things which card won't. It's hardly the most developed place. No doubt in touristy areas then maybe you can get by on card, but being able to slip someone a couple of notes will get you favours, and smaller shops are unlikely to all have card machines. Can’t remember the last time I didn’t just take my phone in holiday and nothing else.
okgo said:
Isn’t hurgadha just basically Benidorm for the U.K. winter? Can’t imagine they aren’t used to people with cards?
My mate went last week, flight diverted to Italy on return as chavs fighting on the plane.
Thats definitely Sharm although Hurghada is going that way. My mate went last week, flight diverted to Italy on return as chavs fighting on the plane.
Only place I’d go to now is Marsa Alam. The football shirtists haven’t started there yet.
In my experience (I go to Egypt a couple of time a years) most bars and restaurants in any of the tourist areas will take cards. Also the more touristy a place is the more likely it is to have a menu priced in Euros rather than EGP.
Generally I have found most places flexible on the currency they will accept, for example I had to buy something from a small pharmacy and I only had dollar notes. They were happy to accept these and didn't try to rip me off on the exchange rate.
There are plenty of cash points around, lots of these change English notes to EGP. Hotels will often have these in reception area.
If you pay for your visa on landing in £ you will get the change in EGP - which can be handy for tipping.
For tipping you won't find anyone who will turn down £, $ or €, However foreign coins are a pain to be changed locally - if you stay in a large hotel don't be surprised if someone who works there asks you to change 10 pound coins for a note. So I never tip with coins. For small tipping I normally have a load of 1$ notes. Anything more than that I normally use Euros.
Generally I have found most places flexible on the currency they will accept, for example I had to buy something from a small pharmacy and I only had dollar notes. They were happy to accept these and didn't try to rip me off on the exchange rate.
There are plenty of cash points around, lots of these change English notes to EGP. Hotels will often have these in reception area.
If you pay for your visa on landing in £ you will get the change in EGP - which can be handy for tipping.
For tipping you won't find anyone who will turn down £, $ or €, However foreign coins are a pain to be changed locally - if you stay in a large hotel don't be surprised if someone who works there asks you to change 10 pound coins for a note. So I never tip with coins. For small tipping I normally have a load of 1$ notes. Anything more than that I normally use Euros.
ScubaBiker said:
In my experience (I go to Egypt a couple of time a years) most bars and restaurants in any of the tourist areas will take cards. Also the more touristy a place is the more likely it is to have a menu priced in Euros rather than EGP.
Generally I have found most places flexible on the currency they will accept, for example I had to buy something from a small pharmacy and I only had dollar notes. They were happy to accept these and didn't try to rip me off on the exchange rate.
There are plenty of cash points around, lots of these change English notes to EGP. Hotels will often have these in reception area.
If you pay for your visa on landing in £ you will get the change in EGP - which can be handy for tipping.
For tipping you won't find anyone who will turn down £, $ or €, However foreign coins are a pain to be changed locally - if you stay in a large hotel don't be surprised if someone who works there asks you to change 10 pound coins for a note. So I never tip with coins. For small tipping I normally have a load of 1$ notes. Anything more than that I normally use Euros.
Perfect, thank you. I have got my mate to bring back 100 $1 bills from the US, so that should sort tipping. I will be mainly in Luxor and around there, when out and about, so fairly touristy but not Sharm or Hurghada. Generally I have found most places flexible on the currency they will accept, for example I had to buy something from a small pharmacy and I only had dollar notes. They were happy to accept these and didn't try to rip me off on the exchange rate.
There are plenty of cash points around, lots of these change English notes to EGP. Hotels will often have these in reception area.
If you pay for your visa on landing in £ you will get the change in EGP - which can be handy for tipping.
For tipping you won't find anyone who will turn down £, $ or €, However foreign coins are a pain to be changed locally - if you stay in a large hotel don't be surprised if someone who works there asks you to change 10 pound coins for a note. So I never tip with coins. For small tipping I normally have a load of 1$ notes. Anything more than that I normally use Euros.
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