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| The most common way of getting to Sharm El Sheikh is by charter flight direct to the International Airport in Sharm El Sheikh from nearly all major airports in Europe. None European countries will have flights to Cairo and it is a short internal flight to Sharm. An alternative for Cairo to Sharm is to go overland by coach or car which takes about 6 hours.
Most arrive at Sharm International on a package tour and the travel agencies or tour operators arrange collection and transfer to your hotel etc. For the independant traveller there are lots of blue and whit cabs available, expect to pay anything between 50 and 100 Egyptian Pounds depending on number of travellers and destination. The taxi drivers know almost all hotels and resorts in Sharm El Sheikh. |
| Getting to the Dive Centre |
If you are staying at the Sheraton Hotel, you will find the AQUARIUS Diving Club right on the beach, come see us anytime between 8.30 and 18.00.
If you are staying in another hotel or resort, let us know where you’re staying, and one of our free transfer buses will pick you up at your hotel. If you have prebooked and already given us your accommodation, we will leave a message with the pick up time at your reception at the latest the day before your first day of diving. |
The local currency is Egyptian Pounds (LE or EGP). Local currency you will need for use outside your hotel or resort, taxi's, coffe bars, touristy shops etc. In the hotel or resort, diving and other excursions more often than not the billing and payment has to be in hard currencies... Sterling, Euro or Dollars. Most places accept major credit cards and some, but not all, can handle debit cards.
Travellors Cheques can be exchanged at banks but not used for hotel payments etc. Getting them changed can be a paper mountain affair but it is possible.
You can change Pounds Sterling, Euro or Dollars in the local banks, normal opening hours are from 10-13 and from 17-21, and you tend to get a better rate of exchange here in Egypt than you will back at home. In some hotels and resorts and in Naama Bay there are Cash Machines which will accept your bank debit cards or credit cards for getting local currency.
At AQUARIUS Diving Club we charge you in either Pounds Sterling, Euros, or Dollars, and we accept all major creditcards. However, if you are booking diving through your travel agency, please note that the agency may have special exchange rates, should you choose to pay on your creditcard. |
For all Europeans, a passport has to be valid at least for another 6 months in order to enter Egypt. Also in most parts of Egypt you need a tourist visa to enter the country. Sharm El Sheikh has a specific tourism status, and you can enter Sharm El Sheikh City without a visa, however without a visa you can not participate in some excursion or go diving at Ras Mohammed, since this is not classified Sharm El Sheikh City.
Therefore, it is strongly recommended to get a visa! You can get it at your local embassy or at Sharm El Sheikh International Airport on arrival. Price is approx 150 EGP. In some countries the travel agency can provide you with a visa – ask your travel agency if they provide this service. |
The local language is Arabic, but you will find that English, Italian, French and German is widely spoken among the locals working within tourism. |
Average temperatures around the year:
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
noon in (º C) 20 22 24 26 33 35 37 40 35 31 26 23
night in (º C) 9 9 13 16 20 23 24 24 23 18 14 11
water (º C) 21 20 21 23 25 26 27 28 27 27 25 22
You can check the weather forecast here.
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No vaccinations are required for going to Egypt, however, it is recommended that you have vaccinations for Hepatitis-A and Tetanus. |
| Local time is GMT+ 2 hours. Summer time changes in Egypt at odds with most of Europe. |
General rule – do not drink the tap water and if you want to be on the safe side, use bottled water for teeth brushing as well. Also please note that Sharm El Sheikh is situated in the desert, where water is a scares resource, and some times may be temporarily unavailable... go local, go dirty.
Egyptian meals are normally spiced or very sweet and often served with rice and bread. Most Hotels offer international dishes and in general the food is quite safe to eat with the same precausions as you would take at home. The same goes for beverages – mind the icecubes though.
Very often stomach issues do not occur on account of the food, but due to the high temperature shifts going from Europe to Egypt, too many cold drinks on a hot day – you should drink the water temperated - or too little water and too much sun. Always remember to wash your hands whenever you get a chance. |
| Post and Telephone Services |
The telephone country code for egypt: 0020
Postcards can be bought all over Sharm El Sheikh, but make sure you get stamps as well. There are no mailboxes, but your hotel can take care of mailing your postcard.. you should expect everything to get home after you as delivery takes 2-4 weeks.. |
| Egypt use 220 volts AC, 50 Hz, and wall sockets are the round two pin European type. |
Tipping - Baksheesh - is expected in all hotels, restaurants and service areas, since tips are a substancial part of the income. In some restaurants 12% tips and 10% sales tax may be included in the price, check the menu. The 10% sales tax is not applicable everywhere, but within most restaurants and diving centres it is standard to pay sales tax – normally it is listed in the price list whether tax is included or not.
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