Africa – 2 Travel Is 2 Live

Tunisia

Posted on August 9, 2022June 5, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Tunisia is the smallest country in North Africa.

It is one of the most visited countries in Africa. Tunisia attracts more than 10 million visitors a year.

Travelling to Tunisia

On 21st September 2019 we flew to Tunisia from Manchester Airport. There was a group of us which included our Daughter, Son in Law and two Grandchildren aged 6 and 16 months old. Basically we just wanted a cheap and cheerful week away. Therefore we only paid £330 each for the week as we had booked flights and accommodation separate. We booked our flights with Thomas Cook and the accommodation with Travel Republic. Also we arranged our own transport from the airport (Holiday Taxis) which was also very cheap and efficient. Our driver was waiting in the airport when we arrived with our name on a sign. The journey to the hotel took about 40 minutes.

Accommodation

The hotel we stayed in was the Marhaba Beach Hotel in Sousse. Must remember it is only a 3 star so was what you would expect from a 3 star, We did not pay 5 star prices so was not expecting that standard.

In general all the rooms have modern but basic furniture. Everyday the rooms are cleaned with fresh towels provided. Also the rooms have a mini fridge and TV. We have been to some 3 star hotels which do not have a mini fridge.

The day after we arrived Thomas Cook announced the company was folding. Subsequently it was absolutely chaos in the hotel following the announcement. Unfortunately the hotel refused to let Thomas Cook guests use the facilities if they did not pay them the money for the accommodation. Furthermore they were charging guests more than what they had originally paid.

Meanwhile some guests tried to leave the hotel but were stopped from doing so by the Police. There were people in tears many with young families who had no way of paying again for the accommodation that they had already paid for. It was really upsetting to see families in this predicament and being unable to help them as we were prevented from speaking to any of them. We did not have any issues as we had not booked our hotel with Thomas Cook. Finally it was sorted and the guests were allowed to remain and use the facilities.

Pool and Beach

The hotel was basic but met our needs. There is a lovely swim up pool bar which was shallow enough for children to go in and a large pool which is deep in area’s. The waiters behind the pool bar were lovely and very attentive Surprisingly there was always enough sun beds no matter what time of day it was. The Beach is lovely with soft white sand. The children loved to play in the sand after lunch.

Food and Drink

There is a snack bar on the beach which was really nice to sit and have lunch whilst children able to play safely in the sand. The snack bar serves the usual – Burgers, Pizza, Hotdogs, Chips and Salad. The food in the buffet restaurant was what you would expect from a 3 star but always enough choice and always able to find something we liked. There was always meat, chicken, pasta, meats, cheeses, chips, chicken nuggets and salad. There wasn’t a great choice on deserts but always something.

Drinks were strong if ordering a spirit and a mixer. If you wanted a sort of cocktail these were very sweet and each cocktail did not taste much different to the other.

Since we had only paid 3 star prices we did not expect 5 star food and drink.

Entertainment

The entertainment on a night was pretty low key with not a lot of people watching. We did wonder where everyone went on a night. There was a sister hotel that had a lot more happening on an evening than in our hotel. The age range seem to be younger too. On one of the days at the sister hotel there was a foam party on the beach which was great fun. We took our 6 year old granddaughter who absolutely loved it.

Location

If you are wanting to go to bars outside of the hotel in Sousse then you are in the wrong place. Because we like to walk most days we do like to call at a bar along the way and not once did we find a bar outside of the hotel. Although we did find a lovely little cafe bar which served amazing Kababs. The owner agreed to deliver to our hotel when ever we wanted something. When the bar shut in the hotel which was around 1pm we would order our food prior to this and sit and eat our takeaway with a drink by the pool which was quite nice.

Excursions

On one occasion we went on a Pirate ship excursion which was probably not the best idea. Our daughter gets sea sick so she was not enjoying it. It was too hot for the children so we were trying to keep them in the shade. They did have walk the plank which was good fun though. Lots of people were jumping off the boat and having a swim in the sea including us. Overall we enjoyed it but probably best to do it without children or anyone who gets sea sick.

Previous visit to Tunisia

Previously we had travelled to Tunisia but stayed in another area. On one occasion we got a taxi to the train station, got on a train to the capital of Tunis. Straightaway we then got on a tram to a zoo. Whilst at the Zoo we were asked if we wanted to feed the lions which we declined lol. It was clear that we were the only tourists there.

When we got off the train in Tunis we had asked a young man where to go and he took us to the zoo. He spent some time with us but then went on his way. Finally we went for something to eat in a locals cafe bar. We had a meal and a drink each which entailed a sandwich and a soft drink. After having a wander around Tunis we headed back to the hotel. Finally we got back to the hotel we worked out that the whole day had cost us £10 in 2013.

Summary

Overall we did not find that much to do in Tunisia outside of the hotel. Would we go again? not sure. If we did we would definitely ensure we went to a higher standard of hotel with more dinning options and better entertainment. We would also do more research as to what to do in Tunisia.

Images

Pool Scene
Pool Scene
Pool Bar in the evening
Evening entertainment
Watching the entertainment in an evening
Dinning in Buffet Restaurant
Marina
Marina
Centre of Sousse
Foam Party
Foam Party
Pirate Ship

Things to do

Visit Port El Kantaoui and wander around the marina.
Take a boat trip
Visit the Medina
Take a trip to Tunis.
Visit Sidi Bou
Visit Carthage (some trips do Tunis, Sidi Bou and Carthage in one day). We did a similar excursion several years ago and enjoyed it.

Top Tips

Higher standard hotels have more entrainment and dinning options.
Research things to do if you are wanting to get out and about.
Tunis is worth a visit
If you visit Tunis be aware of pick pockets
Boat trips not suitable for young children
Check out the Government website before travelling to Tunisia https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/tunisia/safety-and-security
Check out other destinations in Africa we have visited. Please click on the following links Morrocco, Hurghada , Cairo , Sharm El Sheikh
Check out the weather as it can get very hot in the summer months

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	22	23	26	25	26	28	30	30	29	28	25	22
Low Temp	8	9	11	13	14	17	18	18	17	15	12	9
Rainfall	37	29	25	13	7	1	0	1	1	22	29	63
Number of days	5	3	1	2	1	1	0	1	1	3	3	5

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Sharm El Sheikh

Posted on August 9, 2022June 5, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Sharm El Sheikh is renowned for its spectacular coral reefs. The great weather, lovely beaches, night life, high standard accommodation makes Sharm a popular tourist destination.

Travelling to Sharm El Sheikh

We flew to Sharm El Sheikh on April 21st 2022 from Manchester Airport. At the time of the holiday there were a lot of issues with airports throughout the UK regarding not enough staff in security, baggage handling etc. There were often queue’s of up to 4 hours getting through security. Therefore we dropped our cases off the night before which was brilliant. Subsequently we then drove to the Airport Inn where we staying for the night. We arrived at the Airport several hours early where there was already long queue’s waiting to go through security. Fortunately the queue went down pretty a quick compared to what we had read and seen on the news. We had booked in to the Executive Lounge and I am glad we did as there were queues outside of every bar and restaurant. Also there was a slight flight delay of 45 minutes.

Consequently we arrived in Sharm El Sheikh slightly later than was expected but not too much. The private transfer we had booked to the hotel was waiting for us with a sign with our name on. The Journey from the airport was around 15-20 minutes away which cost £20 one way.

Accommodation

We stayed in the Coral Sea Holiday Resort which is a 4 star plus with Tui but Egypt’s official rating is 5 star. The holiday cost £680 for 13 nights booked through Tui just a couple of weeks before which was great value. Some friends booked for 7 nights as they only could take a week off work and paid £670.

The rooms are nicely furnished with a large double bed and an extra single bed. Unfortunately the bathroom has a shower but no bath. Subsequently the bathrooms could do with a bit of updating. Also some of the rooms are swim up rooms which would be nice but we felt that the cost was not worth it as it was another £350 per person.

There are several pools throughout the hotel grounds. One of which is a quite pool if you want to chill out. Close to the beach there are two pools where the daily entertainment and music is. We preferred these pools.

Food and Drink

During the day there is a waiter service American bar on the beach which serves what you would expect Burgers, Hotdogs, Nacho’s (Not American I know), Fries, Sandwiches etc. The food was of a really good standard and we liked the waiter service. Also you can eat at the buffet restaurant during the day which is open most of the time. On an eventing there are several Al a Carte restaurants, Indian, Asian, American/Mexican. The food in these restaurants were amazing. The food actually tastes of the food from the specific country and not Egyptian interpretation. Every member of staff at this hotel was brilliant and very attentive.

The only thing that let the hotel down was the standard of drinks. we not particular about branded drinks but we want cocktails to taste like cocktails and not alcohol with a sugary drink. The beach is lovely with lots of area’s to sit with a lovely beach bar too. There is a large water park across the road which is part of the hotel and free to go into. It is great for children and adults.

Entertainment

Each day there is a range of activities around the pool and on the beach which include aqua aerobics, darts, water polo to name a few. Regardless of not being good at any of them we decided to join in which was great fun.

On an evening there is live music in both the Terrace Bar and the Lobby Bar. The music varied from low key to quite upbeat which got people up dancing. Surprisingly the later the evening got the more people got up to dance lol.

It was brilliant when they had a foam party on the beach. There was great music and everyone.

Boat trip including snorkelling and scuba diving

Shortly after our arrival in Sharm we booked a boat trip with Falcon Travel which had been recommended to us by some other guests who had been to the hotel several times before. The cost of the boat trip for two of us including a scuba dive was £60. We were picked up from our hotel and taken to board the boat.

Surprisingly the boat was not like any other boats we had been on in Egypt as it was a lovely new Yacht. Straightaway we decided to go to the top deck where there were sun lounges. Unfortunately we were too late as they had al been taken. We were able to sit at the front of the boat on bean bags. We stopped at various destination where you were given the opportunity to snorkel and scuba dive. There was also an opportunity to get off the boat and go to a tiny little island in the middle of the sea.

Snorkelling

The coral reef and the colourful fish were beautiful to see. Once we were told we were stopping to snorkel we wore a life jacket which made it so much easier to just float with minimum effort whilst you are snorkelling. Unquestionably we could have spent so much longer just doing the snorkeling.

Scuba diving

Furthermore the scuba diving is also a short time therefore would have liked longer. We Scuba dived at Farsha Beach which has a great coral reef. As we do not have our PADI licence we were not able to go too deep. Basically it is an amazing experience and well worth the cost of the excursion. We will definitely do it again. May be the Great Barrier Reef at some point.

There was also an opportunity to get off the boat

Lunch on the Yacht

There was a buffet style lunch served mid day which was what you would expect on a boat trip chicken, fish, salad, bread, rice etc. Soft drinks were provided free through out the day. The boat has its own photographers (one for on the boat and one for under the water). We paid £40 for our photo’s which we were happy with. The file of the photo’s is down loaded to your phone. The boat trip was a full day and defiantly worth it even with paying for the photo’s.

Dune Buggies and Bedouin Meal

We also booked with Falcon Travel a desert ride in either dune buggies or Quad bikes cost £40 each. We chose the Dune Buggies. Because of the sand blowing in your face you had to wear a scarf around your head and face and sun glasses or goggles. If you dont have these they provide them at a cost.

When you are allocated your Buggy or Quad it takes some time in setting off as you all have to go in a line and follow the guide. It was hard sometimes to keep behind people that were driving a bit slower than what you are wanting to go. Overtaking people was not really permitted but we did it anyway lol.

After we had driven around for some time we stopped for a drink at a little purpose built Bedouin tent. We then had a camel ride which was offered to us by some children.

Some of the people then went back to the hotel but included in our excursion was more time on the buggies and entertainment. We got back on our Buggies and were taken to where the entertainment was.

Additional Ride

Our guide then offered to take us back out in to the desert and go fast on the Quad bikes. Debbie was on back of the guide and Mike was on his own. The desert obviously has no tracks or lights. The guide drove off fast on the quad with Debbie leaving Mike behind. Mike was stuck in darkness in the middle of the desert not knowing which way to go. Debbie and the guide finally turned round and found MIke. We were then driven back to the entertainment.

The entertainment venue was a large place with lots of seating area. It was very full not sure if this is usual or if it was because it was Eid. There was traditional dancers and a belly dancer. The belly dancer got Debbie up on the stage and the guide filmed it. There was a evening buffet at the venue chicken, salad and rice. Soft drinks were also provide (No alcohol served here). This was great fun to do and for what was included was good value.

Cairo

Due to the previous excursions and value for money we booked to go to Cairo with Falcon Travel at a cost of £175 each. Please click on the following link to view information Cairo

Journey Home

On our journey home we were taken to the airport. We were not allowed to go through check in and was told to stand or sit to one side of the airport. We were sat there for several hours before someone came to advise what was happening. There were some families with very small children and some elderly people to. There was nowhere to get a drink or something to eat where we were sat.

Eventually a Tui Rep came to the airport and advised that due to an issue with baggage handlers at Manchester airport the Pilot had run out of flying hours therefore we were being flown to Kos in Greece. It was very unfair on the Tui Rep as there were a lot of angry passengers. Eventually we asked politely why we just couldn’t stay in Sharm instead of going to Kos but he didn’t have the answer.

Stop over in Kos

At the time we were due to land in Manchester at midnight but landed in Kos at 4am. Eventually we were taken to an hotel until 7pm that evening. The hotel they took us to was the Kipriotis Village. The hotel rooms were very dated and extremely cold. We had dead insects in the bath. As it was early in the season for Kos the weather wasnt very warm. There was no heating in the room and no additional blankets. It was impossible to get any sleep. We had left all our toiletries in Sharm as we were supposed to be going straight home and there wasnt any in the room not even any shower gel.

We appreciate that things happen outside of Tui’s control but we believe this was a cost saving exercise as it was Eid and the hotels in Sharm had gone up dramatically. When we finally got home over 24 hours later than we should have done we were exhausted and in need of a shower.

Summary

Sharm El Sheikh is a great place to visit. It is great value for money and the people are lovely. Some people are a bit apprehensive due to the stories of upset stomach’s. We ate anything we wanted to and never got an upset stomach whilst we were there. Sharm is a great place for good standards at lower cost than a lot of other destinations. It is one of the cheapest places to go for winter sun. Should we want some winter sun on a budget then we would definitely go back to Sharm. We would also recommend this hotel especially for the food and service.

Images

Pool Scene
Aqua aerobics
Yacht
Boarding the Yacht
Scuba Diving
Dune Buggies
Dune Buggies
Dune Buggies
In disguise
Bedouin Entertainment
Hotel Beach
Foam Party
Lovely deserts

Things to do

Try scuba diving
Snorkel around the Coral Reef’s
Visit the old Market
Visit Naama Bay, Sharks Bay and Soho Square on an evening for nightlife and good cocktails.
Go to an aqua park
Ride a camel
Go for a ride in the desert on a quad or a dune buggy
Visit to Cairo

Top Tips

Check out reviews on hotels before booking as they vary so much.
Take medication with you just in case of upset stomach (We never needed them)
If you are wanting somewhere lively on an evening outside of hotel Naama Bay, Sharks Bay and Soho Square are all lively at night.
If scuba diving ensure that travel insurance covers you for this.
Ensure excursions are with a reputable company.
If visiting Cairo check out our Tips and information in the following link. Cairo
Snorkeling and scuba diving are a must in Sharm as the Coral Reef is one of the best in the world.
If Snorkeling and not such a great swimmer ask for a life Jacket if on an excursion. It also makes it easier to float and get to see the spectacular Coral Reef and colorful fish.
Check out Government information before travelling to Sharm https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt/safety-and-security
Check out other destinations we have visited in Africa Hurghada , Cairo , Tunisia, Morrocco
Check out temperatures below for best time to visit Sharm as it can get extremely hot in the Summer months. Remember the temperatures below are averages therefore the temperature will get higher or lower on some days.

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	19	23	25	30	34	37	38	37	36	31	27	23
Low Temp	13	13	16	20	24	26	27	28	26	23	18	15
Rainfall	1	2	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	2	3	4
Number of days	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	1

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Cairo

Posted on August 5, 2022June 5, 2023 by Debs and Mike

The

Cairo is the capital city of Egypt. It is the largest City in the Arab World. It is also home to one of the 7 wonders of the world The Great Pyramid of Giza

Travelling to Cairo

We flew to Cairo from Sharm El Sheikh on 2nd May 2022. We arranged to go via a local tour operator “Falcon Travel” which cost £175 each. Previously we had used this tour operator for a boat trip which was great and really good value for money. The flight to Cairo from Sharm was an early flight therefore we were picked up from out hotel at around 4am which was too early as the airport had not opened up for any check in.

Unfortunately the flight was delayed which was no fault of the tour operator but just one of those situations you have to deal with. Also the airport itself is extremely small when travelling internally. Basically there is one very small cafe/shop where you can buy drinks and sandwiches. Unsurprisingly there was a very big queue at this cafe which therefore took a long time to get served. The Plane that was taking us to Cairo was a propellered plane which made me (Debbie) very nervous.

Cairo Museum

Finally we arrived in Cairo where we were met by our guide and our driver for the day. Firstly we were driven to Cairo museum. At the museum entrance was included in the cost of the excursion. Undoubtedly when going to Cairo the museum is must see. It is amazing place and very interesting. We were there a few hours but could have easily spent longer there as there is so much to see.

Our guide was very informative and was able to answer any questions we had on any of the artefacts. Previously he had been on several Egyptian TV shows due to his historical knowledge.

In the not too distance future the museum is going to move to a purpose built building over looking the pyramids which is due to happen at the end of 2022. The move of the museum has been preponed due to COVID

Purfume Shop

The first place he took us to was a perfume shop where we were introduced to a nice man who spent a lot of time explaining the nature of the perfume, oils and creams. Obviously he was trying to get us to buy something but when we didnt want to he was polite and we were then on our way. On the other hand our guide did not seem happy that we had not bought anything.

Private Boat Trip

Shortly after we left the museum our guide asked if we wanted a private boat trip on the Nile. Which we agreed to do. The cost of boat trip was £20 each. Surprisingly the boat was a large boat which would accommodate at least 50 people but we had it to ourselves.

The driver of the boat was great fun, he played party music and even let us drive the boat. Our guide filmed us dancing on the boat which was great fun to look back on. The boat trip was exceptionally good value and well worth doing.

Lunch in Cairo

We went to a Restaurant called Cleaopatra’s for lunch which over looked the Pyramids. Basically it was a buffet style lunch which had plenty of choice and you could eat as much as you wanted. There was lots to choose from including fish, meat, salad and vegetables. Additional Meat Kababs were taken to the table. The lunch was included in the price of the excursion. Although drinks were an added charge they were very reasonably priced. The restaurant itself was nice and the service was good. Our guide and driver waited outside for us to finish. We did ask them to join us but they declined.

Pyramids

Also included in the cost of the excursion was entrance to the pyramids. As it was Eid when we were at the Pyramid’s it was extremely busy. There were a lot of horse and carts offering people rides and lots of people selling things. A lot of people came up to us to offer to take photo’s, buy things or go on a horse ride but our guide told them to go away.

He did however introduce us to someone he knew that was offering camel rides. The guy who owned the camels took £60 off of us and the man who took us round on the camel took another £30. There were children telling us we were paying too much but by this time we were on the camel’s and it was too late. The owner of the Camels pushed away the children so they could not speak to us.

The guide did not stop them from ripping us off which was very disappointing. Apparently it is usual to pay between £15-£20 for a camel ride at the pyramids. At the pyramids we were given a lot of photo opportunities. We have some lovely photo’s which our guide took a lot of them.

Papyrus Paintings

After the pyramids we were taken to a shop selling paintings on papyrus. When we arrive at the shop we were given a demonstration on our the papyrus is made. It is very interesting and very clever for its day but when you have seen it so many times it does not have has much impact. The demonstrator gave us a bit of a sales pitch about the paintings and encouraged us to look around. All though we were looking around on our own the sales man followed us.

We buy paintings from many countries and have bought them in Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, Cap Verde, Dominican Republic etc and love the art wok. The prices that they were charging were ridiculous compared to what we had bought in other countries. Also we had bought a painting from Egypt on a previous visit which did not cost anything like they were asking. Consequently we didn’t buy anything. Our guide changed his attitude towards us after this as he was not happy at all that we had not bought anything.

Jewlery Shop

He then took us to another shop that sold jewelry and souvenirs but not your usual buy a fridge magnet or bottle opener souvenirs they were all expensive. The owner of the store gave us a bit of a sale pitch about the quality of the silver. Again we didn’t buy anything. Buy this time our guide was not happy at all. The Guide did not talk to us much from that moment to being dropped off at the Airport. I think he gets some commission from the shops that he takes tourists to.

Summary

It was a long day in Cairo with a very early start. The day would have been much better if we had not been taken to places that we didn’t want to go to and had more time in places that we wanted to visit. There was too much time spent with people trying to sell us things that we did not want. None the less we had a good time in an amazing place.

Images

Cairo
Cairo mosque
Cairo Museum
Cairo Museum
Cairo museum
Boat to ourselves
Driving the boat
Living on the edge
Restaurant with Pyramids in baCFK
Pyramid
Mike thinking he is strong
Camel Posing
Sphinx
Unusual pose lol
I love the Sphinx and Pyramids
Final pose

Things to do

Visit the Pyramids of Gaza
Visit the Sphinx
Visit Cairo museum.
Ride a camel
Take a boat ride on the Nile
Try the local cuisine

Top Tips

When booking a tour package with a tour operator stipulate the places you want to see and the ones you don’t.
Be prepared to see a lot of poverty
Don’t be forced in to buying things you don’t want.
Be careful of pick pockets.
Keep tight hold of hand bags and valuables at all times even in area’s that feel safe.
Agree a price before getting on the camel rides.
Do the private boat trip or a boat trip on the Nile it is well worth it.
Ensure you have plenty of water, sun cream and a hat in the hot months.
Check out UK government travel advice before travelling to Cairo https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt
Check out other places in Africa we have visited. Please click on the following links Agadir , Hurghada , Sharm El Sheikh , Cape Verde
Check out temperature on chart below for best time to visit Cairo.
Be aware that when it is Eid it is exceptionally busy in Cairo.

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	18	18	22	27	32	34	34	33	32	28	23	19
Low Temp	9	9	12	15	18	20	22	22	20	18	14	10
Rainfall	15	4	8	7	0	0	0	0	5	5	1	3
Number of days	5	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	3

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Agadir

Posted on March 1, 2021December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Morocco’s economy relies heavily on tourism and fishing.

Marrakech and Agadir are the main tourist destinations in Morocco

Travelling to Agadir

We flew to Morocco on the 2nd of September 2018 with family and friends. We flew with Air Moroc which unknown to us a dry plane. During the trip on of our friends was turning 50 year’s young and hence we were all in good mood ready for a celebration. When we boarded the plane and noticed we could not have a drink we were somewhat disappointed! Some of the other passengers obviously knew about this and were drinking alcohol they had purchased from duty free (you would never catch us doing such a thing!). The plane was not very full so we had plenty of room to stretch our legs and move about. Not sure if this was due to it being a dry plane or, more likely, the time of year that we travelled.

Accommodation

We had chosen to stay at the Atlas Amadil Beach Hotel in Agadir on an all-inclusive basis. We were a party of 6 adults and 3 children aged 5, 4 and 4 months. The hotel was ideally situated close to the beach and within walking distance of the stylish Marina. The rooms in the hotel were clean but basic, however for the price we had paid they were perfectly adequate. The lobby of the hotel was pleasant and spacious with glass elevators gliding up and down the floors. There was a small shop on site which sold a range of reasonably priced items.

The entertainment round the pool was varied including aerobics, yoga, darts and aqua-aerobics. The entertainment staff were engaging and ensured that we had a great deal of fun during the day, and we joined in with most things. There was also a small children’s pool with plenty of available sun loungers around so that the children could enjoy themselves while the adults watched on from close-by. There was also a small pool with slides for the children.

Food and Drink

For dining the hotel had the usual buffet restaurant plus 3 al-a-carte restaurants; an Oriental, Moroccan and Italian from which you can book one visit per weekly stay. We managed to book the restaurants most nights with each family taking a turn at booking. Not sure how we managed this but we did! To book you have to be at the desk situated outside the restaurant in the lobby before 10am; it’d best to book these as soon as you can during your stay to avoid disappointment. Also you had to fill in what you wanted on a sheet that you gave in at the desk.

Snack Bar

The hotel had a snack bar overlooking the beach and sea which made for a pleasant venue to sit at during lunch. The food was was quite good for a snack bar and had more than your usual burgers, chips and pizza. The waiters at the snack bar were very attentive and brought bottles of red and white wine to our table when requested. We often sat outside for a few hours over lunch enjoying a bite to eat and a glass (or two!) of wine. There was also an enclosed area of sand right next to the snack bar terrace where the children could play.

Entertainment

On an evening we would go and enjoy the various shows in the entertainment room. The entertainment staff did their best to entertain both adults and children and while not particularly professional was still good fun. We were the only couple with no children so we often stayed until the bar closed in this part of the hotel. Unfortunately we did find some of the bar staff in the entertainment room very rude and always looked miserable. For example they cut me off mid-round saying that’s enough – we had 6 adults in our party! On the other end of the spectrum The staff in the lobby bar were great fun and often made us special cocktails. It seemed strange to see such different levels of service in the two bars.

Birthday Celebrations

For our friend’s 50th birthday we booked in to the Asian Restaurant. We had informed the hotel that it was his 50th birthday and they allowed us to go in the restaurant before it opened and decorate it with balloons and banners for our evening meal. The food was delicious and the staff were very attentive. They brought out a birthday cake at the end of the meal and all of the staff, including the chef and kitchen staff came out and sang Happy Birthday which was a lovely touch.

Pool Scene

The pool area was always kept immaculate. There was music and entertainment around the pool which made for quite a lively daytime if that’s what you enjoy. We enjoy music and fun activities so it was ideal for us. However if you did not want the attention the staff would leave you alone. The hotel also provides beach towels; as we needed 8 sunbeds each day the pool attendant always helped us to get 8 beds together and put towels on them. The drinks around the pool are served in small plastic cups. The cocktails unfortunately did not taste much like the cocktails they were supposed to be, but again we had not paid 5-star prices and overall the drinks were OK for the standard of hotel.

Marina

We often went for walks along the seafront to the marina. We were hoping that there would be some bars along the way where we could get a decent proper cocktail. Although we found a couple of bars, there were not as many as we had thought there would have been. The Marina is very picturesque with many boats in the harbour offering leisure trips. There were people trying to get us to go on a boat ride but they were not particularly pushy. As one person in our party suffers from severe motion-sickness and another not keen on boat trips due to not being a good swimmer we decided to give the boat trips a miss.

Summary

We found the most of the Moroccan people to be extremely friendly and helpful. It is a very interesting country which we managed to see on a previous trip to Agadir when we went on several excursions. Morocco is an ideal place if you are on a budget as it offers cheap flights and hotels. There are obviously higher standard hotels in Agadir (you get what you pay for), however if you are on a budget you will have a great time at the Atlas Amadil. We would definately recommend a trip to Agadir. The weather is warm for most of the year and not as seasonal as some other destinations.

Images

Pool Scene
Mike holding Scorpion
Sea Front
The Gang
Birthday Celebrations
Sunset
Beach Bar
Lobby Bar

Things to do in Agadir

Visit the Marina
Visit Souk El Had
Have a ride on La Grande Roue D’Agadir (Similar to London Eye)
Spend a day on the beach
Do a sight seeing tour
Do a boat trip

Top Tips

Research your hotel as to what it offers and compare with other similarly priced hotels
If going all-inclusive be aware you get what you pay for. If wanting cheap and cheerful it is exactly that. (no premium drinks or special cocktails)
Although we did not do any excursions on this visit we have previously and they have been well worth the money and we got to see some of the real Morocco
Check out the weather below for best time to go to Agadir
Check out other places in Africa we have visited Tunisia, Cape Verde , Sharm El Sheikh , Cairo , Hurghada
Check out the government website regarding safety when visiting Agadir https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/algeria/safety-and-security

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	22	23	26	26	26	28	30	30	29	28	25	22
Low Temp	8	9	11	13	14	17	18	18	17	15	12	9
Rainfall	37	29	25	13	7	1	0	1	1	22	29	63
Number of days	5	3	4	2	1	1	0	1	1	3	3	6

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Hurghada

Posted on March 1, 2021December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Hurghada is a beach resort on the Red Sea Coast.

Hurghada is renowned for its scuba diving and snorkeling.

Travelling to Hurghada

In the month of November we travelled to Hurghada from Manchester airport flying with Tui. We booked in the Clayton Hotel which is a couple of minutes walk from the Terminal the night before we flew out. Fortunately we were able to leave our car at the hotel which made things a lot easier.

Accommodation

having booked to stay at the 5-star Sunrise Crystal Bay Resort. The hotel was in a decent location, about a 20 minute drive from Hurghada Marina. We had booked last-minute with TUI and paid £600 each for a week which we felt was a decent price for what we experienced. When we arrived at the hotel we were checked-in quickly and with no fuss. Our cases were taken up to our rooms for us and arrived within 5 minutes. The rooms were very spacious and nicely decorated. All of the expected toiletries were provided as well as robes and slippers. The hotel itself is a fairly decent size at 364 rooms, and overall the standard definitely felt 5-star.

Food and Drink

There were several al-a-carte restaurants to try out including Egyptian, Asian, Seafood and Greek. You could eat at each one of these restaurants during a 7-day stay. The food in each of the al-a-carte restaurants were nice but did not always taste authentic. There was also a beach restaurant open for lunch with full waiter service and a great view of the beach. We spent many a lunchtime having a few glasses of wine and a bite to eat overlooking the sea.

Pool Scene

As we stayed in November the temperature does get rather cool in the evening so be sure to take a jacket and a pair of trousers or jeans for sitting out comfortably. However it was sunbathing weather during the day and also one of the pools was heated so their was no issue with jumping into the pool. Unfortunately the swim up bar was in the unheated pool so it was too cold for us to sit in there, although there were some very brave people who did. There were plenty of sunbeds available and the staff would bring us beds and place them where we wanted each day.

Out by the sea there are some lovely cabanas which are not chargeable unlike at a lot of hotels which charge extra for the privilege. The cabanas were very comfortable for lying on, with large bean bags in front of them and as they were located around a cove they were ideally situated for a quick dip in the sea. The sea was a fair bit warmer than the unheated swimming pool, a bit cold when you first got in but not for long. As we went in November the days were quite short and sunset was relatively early at about half past four. Waiters wandered around the grounds and cove taking drinks orders which saved having to walk to the bar. The range of cocktails was extensive and they tasted good!

Entertainment

On an evening there was entertainment but it was fairly low key. There wasn’t much to do on an evening and as it was a bit chilly outside we didn’t always watch the entertainment. However the lobby bar was open 24 hours and the bar staff were entertaining in their own right. They entertained us on a number of evenings with Tom Cruise style cocktail making. They built towers of glasses on the bar, poured Sambuca from the top and then set the alcohol on fire. The cocktails they made were of a good standard with fancy fruit to decorate the glass. If it hadn’t been for the bar staff the evenings would have been much quieter. We did meet a lot of lovely people though. We also took the opportunity to wander into the sister hotel next door for a change of scene (and bar!).

Location

There isn’t a great deal to do immediately outside of the hotel although there are a few shops within walking distance. However there are many different excursions available including boat trips and diving.

Submarine Boat Trip

We opted for a submarine boat trip which was actually a boat with windows below sea level. The boat trip also included snorkeling at a coral reef that was quite spectacular, both coral and fish.

A lot of the people on the boat decided to snorkel near to the boat, however one of the crew members got in the water with us and took us a bit further to where the main coral reef was. Whilst we were snorkeling he would point to colourful, large fish in case we had missed them and explained to us what type of fish they were. We were able to snorkel for a good hour or so which we really enjoyed. The snorkels were provided by the boat crew but of course you could take your own equipment along if you have it. They also put out a floating island on the water which was fun to climb on and try and stand on, trickier to accomplish than it sounds!

Summary

This was our second time to Hurghada; on our first visit we went out a bit more as we were closer to the Marina but we did go for two weeks on that holiday whereas on this occasion we only went for a week. If we were to return to Hurghada we would probably choose a hotel with more going on on an evening and at a time of year when it is a bit warmer on an evening.

Hurghada offers all year round sunshine therefore is a good place to go for winter sun. It is also very cheap in the winter months compared to other winter destinations like the Caribbean. You get a good standard of hotel for half the price of the Caribbean. We will definitely go back to Hurghada and hopefully visit Luxor the next time.

Images

Pool Scene
Pool Scene
Beach Bar
Beach
Bali beds around the cove
Egyptian Restaurant
Indian Restaurant
View from Pier at night
Outside dinning
Egyptian Tom Cruise
Cocktail
Sunset
View from Submarine
View from Submarine
View from Submarine
Inside Submarine

Things to do

Go scuba diving
Go snorkeling
Visit the marina
Go on a submarine
Visit Cairo
Go on a quad bike in the desert
Visit Luxor

Top Tips

Go on a boat trip as they are very reasonably priced and good fun.
Hotels nearer the Marina offer a chance to get out of the hotel more as there are bars, restaurants and shops near by.
Many of the hotels in Hurghada are not close to anything apart from a few shops so choose your hotel and location wisely depending on if you want to just relax within the hotel grounds or prefer to have more withing walking distance.
Check out the best time to visit Hurghada as Egypt temperatures during the summer months are very high, however during the winter months it can get chilly of an evening.
Take water shoes when going snorkeling as some the coral and rocks can be pretty sharp.
Take plenty of medicines as many people who visit Egypt do seem to suffer from an upset stomach.
Check out other destinations we have visited in Africa Tunisia , Agadir , Cape Verde , Sharm El Sheikh, Cairo
Check out the government website for safety and security advice when visiting Hughada https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	21	22	25	29	33	34	35	34	33	29	26	22
Low Temp	11	12	15	19	22	24	25	25	24	20	16	12
Rainfall	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	1
Number of days	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Average daily temperatures and rainfall