Woman alone--Sharm or MarsaAlam?

[fins wake]

The reason I posted is I wanted to know where I'd find like-minded people to party with when I'm not diving!!! My only "fear" is getting stuck hanging out with couples!!! Or with people who don't share my general interests in independent, cheap travel, laid-back partying (no "kegger" type frat parties or massive techno parties!!!), different cultures, languages, music etc.

Dahab! Definitely.

So far from what everyone's said it sounds like Dahab tends to attract people like how I describe myself. But what about Marsa Alam? What types tend to go there in terms of average age, nationality, marital status, income etc?

Marsa Alam is still backpacking country, but much more diving-inclined. Nationality is "European", in the main (mainly German, Dutch, Scandinavian, even some French and the like). Definitely some couples, though less than in the other mainland resort towns. Safaga is definitely not a partying town, unless it's changed completely over the last year. Mainland Egypt is much more restrictive, whereas Dahab is a "smoking town", if you get my drift (I'm actually not drugs liberal at all, so I'm not into that scene myself). From how you've described your wishlist (independent, cheap and laidback) Dahab is still what you're looking for, although it's starting to change into a regular resort town. Lots of singles.

 

[swisstrav]

@ polpessa

marsa alam is a strech of coast line hotelvise. approx. 100km long with say 10 resorts. for entertainment you have to stay in the hotel complex. outside you'll find just sand.

its definitely the best diving you can find in egypt. the odds are, you have to stick with the guests in your resort only. most of them are divers, mainly from europe.

if diving is your main thing its marsa alam
if party is more important then go to sharm/dahab

lahamy bay is the southern most hotel and excellent www.manta.ch
zabargad is an other one www.orca.de
kahramana is also very nice.
in all these resorts you will find italians too - they know how to party

need more info on marsa alam? just ask

 

[stefo2]

Marsa Alam is gerat for diving, but I think for the kind of atmosphere you describe Dahab will be better. It's like someone above said, in Marsa Alam it's either flash resorts or dive camps. The latter are great, but as I said above, mainly groups of divers who tended to stick to each other. That was at the Marsa Shagra Camp of Red Sea Diving Safaris, have heard that Deep South are slightly more backpacker oriented. In any case, the "partying" will be restricted to the "bar" of your camp and expensive beer.

 

[crispos]

Wow!! Interesting how a question one posts can totally diverge from the original poster's intent...

Perhaps I didn't make it clear that in posting I wasn't and AM NOT worried about safety issues in Egypt, as a woman or as a westerner--I've travelled alone in Mexico, Guatamala, Honduras, Belize, India and the US, all for extended periods of time. This doesn't mean I'm immune to danger but but it does mean I'm familiar with the ropes.

The reason I posted is I wanted to know where I'd find like-minded people to party with when I'm not diving!!! My only "fear" is getting stuck hanging out with couples!!! Or with people who don't share my general interests in independent, cheap travel, laid-back partying (no "kegger" type frat parties or massive techno parties!!!), different cultures, languages, music etc.

However: I'm very grateful to all of you who took the time to post, it's really interesting to read your thoughts and experiences.

CRISPOS--hi there from a fellow Torontonian!!!

So far from what everyone's said it sounds like Dahab tends to attract people like how I describe myself. But what about Marsa Alam? What types tend to go there in terms of average age, nationality, marital status, income etc?

Hey Polpessa, great you are from ol' TO. You should see, we had freaking lots of snow this week. Send me an e-mail and we can chat. crispos

 

[swisstrav]

@ stefo2
diving camps are for hard core divers only. i would never ever go to a camp, except for non stop diving. spendig 200 euros more und you can stay in a nice hotel.

deep south is not backpacker country - it's diving country

swisstrav

 

[stefo2]

swisstrav,
Deep South is the name of a dive camp near Marsa Alam, which is slightly cheaper than the others around and thus attracts more backpackers.
I spent a week at a dive camp and had a brilliant time, did a lot of diving even though I would not consider myself a "hard core diver". As for the hotels - it's not only a matter of money or of being a hard core diver, but a matter of taste. I could easily have afforded to stay at the nearby resort instead of the camp but would have HATED it. I loved my tent on the beach and I would never ever go to a resort...

 

[Keliza]

I don't even think of it as 'taking a risk' to travel on an American passport. Egypt is a perfectly safe place to visit and dive - and particularly welcoming to tourist spending!

Thus, my husband (who's been to Sharm already twice - once just before, and again a year after the incident in Luxor) and I are planning our next dive vacation to Red Sea.

And yet, we have decided not to tell my US-based parents about the trip - as the general level of fear and xenophobia in the States since the Sept 11 tragedy has (IMHO) reached beyond rational bounds and no longer corresponds to real world risk.

Just my 2 (Lincoln-headed) cents.

 

[swisstrav]

keliza just make sure your parents are not on this board.
enjoy your vacation.

 

[maadimom]

I lived in Cairo from 1997-2002. I got my open water and advanced certification in Sharm. We expats were into diving big time. Although not the most popular, my favorite site was in Dahab. The village itself was first described to me as a bunch of foreigners who came during the 60's and never left. I absolutely loved walking around and stopping to have a few beers. Dahab is just one of those places you have to experience. No words adequately describe it. One of my all time favorites!

Sharm is nice as well. Great boat dive trips can be arranged easily. Very, very busy and much different atmosphere than Dahab. Discos, bars, shows, etc. Very touristy. But great backpack type place is called Sharks Bay. I haven't stayed there, but they let us do shore dives at night from there several times. Good food and lots of nice people staying there.

And yes, as a Western woman you will be hassled a lot. After 5 years, I was able to just tune it out. Never once felt threatened, just irritated. If you have blonde hair or body features that "stand out" you will be hassled more than others. I could be walking with my kids or my husband and it still happened. You have to remember that their image of what we are like is formed by watching their favorite shows like "Baywatch." I swear it comes on 5 times a day there. They are basically very nice and friendly people.

Hope you have a great time where ever you decide to go!

 

[Polpessa]

Thanks everyone for your continued input, and Maadimom, interesting post, I agree with you that a part of the hassle problem is in fact Western media's portrayals of women which contrast so much with women's roles in more "traditional" societies.