What's the best currency to have in Egypt? We are spending one week on a liveaboard and one week all inclusive. What currency do they use on the liveaboard for drinks etc? Do I need tipping money? Will I need Egyptian pounds and if so should I get them there or before I go? Thanks for any advice!!!!
Currency advice
- Thread starter MissDoo
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ocdiver1
Contributor
You can check with your liveaboard operator, but I'd be surprised if they didn't accept GBP, Euros, and USD for everything..so no need to take any different currency than your own..same thing for tips where usually a collection is made available at the end for dive guides and crew staff. I'd say it's best to have some Egyptian pounds for purchases and maybe a restaurant, etc. while you're on shore, but no need to obtain beforehand just change some GBP at the airport upon arrival in Egypt.
It's best to have Egyptian Pounds (LE).
Yes - you will be able to pay your bar tab or other expenses on a safari in UK Pounds or Dollars or Euros - however you may find that the exchange rate on board does not reflect the actual standard - I've known crews to offer something like 5 LE to 1 Euro, when actually it's hovering around 8.
If you need to bring cash, exchange your money in Egypt, because you will get a much better rate than the UK. The current exchange rate for UK Pounds to LE is about 9.5 in Egypt. It's 8.5 in the UK. You'll probably find there are ATMs in the vicinity of your hotel which will take pretty much any card - but it's best to contact the dive op and hotel because they will know best with respect to the location. To give you an idea: 100 UK Pounds is approximately LE950 - that's 95 beers in my local (50 in the tourist bars!), 30 McBurger Combos, and a month's salary for a lot of Egyptian workers; 2 months for workers in menial employment.
With regards to tips - it's nice to tip a friendly, hard working boat crew that provide a good service - bearing in mind the above wage statistic. If everybody on a 16-person live-aboard chips in 200LE (20 quid) for the crew at the end of the voyage, that's like a month's wages for a 4-man crew. 200LE is a big old tip for a dive guide as well...
Enjoy your time in Egypt - any more questions please just ask - and let us know how you got on.
Cheers
C.
Yes - you will be able to pay your bar tab or other expenses on a safari in UK Pounds or Dollars or Euros - however you may find that the exchange rate on board does not reflect the actual standard - I've known crews to offer something like 5 LE to 1 Euro, when actually it's hovering around 8.
If you need to bring cash, exchange your money in Egypt, because you will get a much better rate than the UK. The current exchange rate for UK Pounds to LE is about 9.5 in Egypt. It's 8.5 in the UK. You'll probably find there are ATMs in the vicinity of your hotel which will take pretty much any card - but it's best to contact the dive op and hotel because they will know best with respect to the location. To give you an idea: 100 UK Pounds is approximately LE950 - that's 95 beers in my local (50 in the tourist bars!), 30 McBurger Combos, and a month's salary for a lot of Egyptian workers; 2 months for workers in menial employment.
With regards to tips - it's nice to tip a friendly, hard working boat crew that provide a good service - bearing in mind the above wage statistic. If everybody on a 16-person live-aboard chips in 200LE (20 quid) for the crew at the end of the voyage, that's like a month's wages for a 4-man crew. 200LE is a big old tip for a dive guide as well...
Enjoy your time in Egypt - any more questions please just ask - and let us know how you got on.
Cheers
C.
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