It’s recommended to take Sterling, Dollars or Euros with you, rather than taking Egyptian pounds. The exchange rate is far better in Sharm El Sheikh than in the UK, and the majority of excursions, trips, and large shops, price everything in these currencies rather than Egyptian pounds. On average you will receive £2-3 EGP more for your pound! It is, however, worth exchanging some Sterling for Egyptian pounds, so you can visit the older shops in the market, pay for taxis, and provide tips along the way.
Traveller’s cheques can also be used in hotels, or paying for excursions through reputable travel agents.
In Egypt, most of the banks are open from 0830 t0 1400, Sunday to Thursday, although banks at the airports are usually open 24hrs a day.
Most major credit/debit cards, such as American Express, MasterCard, Visa, all Euro cards and JCB, are widely accepted in hotels and shops throughout Egypt. If you want to use an ATM machine, they mostly accept Visa, MasterCard and Maestro cards.
It’s advisable to take the contact details of your bank with you, as credit and debit cards are frequently taken by the ATM machines in Egypt to try and cut down on fraud. It may be easier to take sterling cash or travellers cheques instead.
Please note: Scottish pounds, Irish punts, and New Zealand dollars etc, are not accepted in Sharm El Sheikh.
