Sharm Safety

[Topsailsun]

My husband and I are thinking of a Red Sea trip for next year, but with the political situation in Egypt and the regular warnings by the embassy to not travel outside the Cairo area I have some concerns and would like to hear some experiences from recent visits. Is the area around Sharm and other coastal cities safe enough for two western tourists? Is there anything in particular to be concerned about?

 

[diverLux]

Which embassy is issuing warnings not to travel outside the Cairo area I wonder ? your biggest threat would be the drivers (car, taxi, bus) and sharks (in the sea and in the shops) There are hundreds of thousands tourists from the West visiting egyptian Red Sea resorts right now.
Next year is another 12 months from now, why worry so much in advance !

 

[Oldbear]

After seven years working in the Middle East I had had enough. But my reasons were more missing my family and a normal U.S. lifestyle and not so much Middle Eastern cultures. But to answer your question, the last time I was in Sharm it was alright for tourists. It is the non-Egyptian business owners that are having a rough go about it. But I would not venture outside the regular tourist areas.

 

[tamas970]

Next year (=2016) is far away, no way to say what will happen. For this year I booked two weeks in the south (Marsa Alam) and plan to stay in one of the diving resorts. I'd be much more concerned for my safety in Cairo... As I read the reports, north Sinai should be avoided.

My husband and I are thinking of a Red Sea trip for next year, but with the political situation in Egypt and the regular warnings by the embassy to not travel outside the Cairo area I have some concerns and would like to hear some experiences from recent visits. Is the area around Sharm and other coastal cities safe enough for two western tourists? Is there anything in particular to be concerned about?

 

[Topsailsun]

Sorry, the embassy I was referencing was the US embassy in Cairo. Embassy staff are only allowed in the Cairo metro area and Sharm, and American tourists are cautioned against going anywhere other than the Cairo metro area.

I plan trips well in advance - it makes it easier for budgeting and for planning vacation time at work. Unfortunately I don't get a ton so I have to plan carefully to cover family requirements - holidays, family reunions, etc and fun vacations. So because of that we'll be deciding in the next month or so where our 2016 trip will be. We had been planning on Egypt for this year but in the middle of our planning was the Arab Spring and we were uncomfortable with continuing our plans at that time, so we changed location. But we both still want to dive the Red Sea, and as soon as it is reasonably safe in the area again we would like to go. Hence, why I ask for perspectives.

 

[diverLux]

It's funny you mention Sharm El Sheikh is recommended . Here in Continental Europe the mighty German package tour operator TUI is not selling this destination and consequently there isn't much choice (for me). TUI-fly, Condor, Air Berlin ( Luxair my home airline ) etc. have no flights in their program for this year at the moment and I sincerely hope they will review the situation as I want to go back to Sharm again.


Hurghada and Marsa Alam are the favored destinations now.


I have been diving in Sharm before the revolution and there was so much diver traffic underwater you had to be careful not to loose your group, after the events especially after the second uprising, we would be the only dive boat at the location, just magic !

Normally I have 7 -8 dive trips a year to Egypt starting from April to November and I have no intentions to change this.

I would say go ahead diving in Sharm will never be so quiet again, why wait another year.

 

[Searcaigh]

I have been working and living in the Middle East for over 28 years and many of these "embassy warnings" are only issued to cover the hole in their bottoms, so if something does happen they can say "I told you so"

I hope that the lack of tourism over the past 4 years has helped in the recovery of some of the reefs, because the last time I dived Sharm in 2005 the shoreline reefs were rubbish compared to the time before in 1995, very disappointing, but I could be diving Hurghada next month during one of my quarterly visits to Cairo if I manage to find the time.

 

[tamas970]

Siwss refused to fly to Marsa, and they quoted security to be the issue. I was itching to write back, whaaat, in Marsa? The camels got rabies or what security issues?? At the same time they are fully packed to Hurghada.
My translation: we have less guests, squeeze them on the Hurghada flight and save money. Now I have to add 3hours train ride + an overnight stay in Frankfurt to get on a plane to Marsa Alam. Actually my personal security issue would have been the 200+km longer transfer in both direction .

Hurghada and Marsa Alam are the favored destinations now.

Anyway, if that's the price to see a healthy, flourishing reef, I am glad to pay.

 

[Steve A]

Im off back to Sharm end of April can't wait

 

[kmckay]

I'm just back from 10 days in Sharm. VERY quiet, dive centres sharing boats seems to be usual practice now. Most days there were 3 of us and 2 from another dive centre on our boat (that would have taken 20+ divers easy). We were almost always the only dive boat on the dive site.

Good news was that we saw a lot of the bigger wildlife I wouldn't have expected this time of year (reef sharks, dolphins, big eagle rays).

More good news, no signs of any trouble at all... none of our party had any bother and without exception the Egyptian folk we met were cheerful and welcoming and looked happy to see us.