Holiday Truths Forum

hi,for a first timer to sharm can any of you lovely people tell me if cigarettes are freely available and how much for 200 benson and hedges etc. thanks pam

I can't tell you the actually prices but they are freely available.

The thing you need to watch out for though is some of the really cheap ones are fakes and apparently taste dreadful.

The general consensus is that should buy them from approved duty free sources such as the airport or the specific duty free shops that are dotted about the place. Someone in you hotel, reception maybe should be able to tell you where the nearest one is. From what I remember you have to go to them within 24 hours of arriving in resort and take your passport with you as it will have a date stamped in it.

If you are staying in Naama bay area (cannot speak of other areas) then as Doe says go to a proper shop/supermarket. It is well known that Egypt sells dodgy cigs and people buy them because they are cheap. There is a mall type supermarket (forgot the name), a smaller cig/wine shop opposite dannaneer restaurant, and ordinary supermarkets with prices on.

As for B&H you maybe pushed, apart from airports i have never come across those brands. Normally KENT they sell and their own or american brands. They are cheap in 200s, but cannot remember how much, to buy a packet it is about £2.50 to £3. Cigarettes do burn down quickly in the wind as well.

So all in all avoid Egyptian little shops
May have their own branded cigs - but cheap
supermarkets good prices.

You may even be better off buying them on the plane if you have very specific requirements as then you will get the brand you want and you are sure they are 100% genuine.

Sharm has a massive market in fake goods of all sorts, if you go to Namma Bay first thing in the morning you will see the Egyptians busy ripping the Made in China stickers off of everything (yes it is the same cr@p you get all over the world)

The downside is that they seem to have managed to get the wrappers that go round the fake 200 packs of cigs off to a very high standard so it's hard to tell what you are buying if you buy from one of the supermarkets or stalls,

thanks to doe and derwentrocker for the information. did'nt know egypt had a lot of fake goods,i always go to goa where everything is genuine(NOT) !!!!!!! will keep my wits about me and try not to be ripped off but being a newby they will probably see me coming . thanks again ,pam xx just got to get my head round the money now !!!!!!!!!!!!

You will be fine provided you get them at the airport or one of the official duty free shops that are around. yep loads of dodgy stuff, perfume I think and so called GHD hair straighteners. At the end of the day it's a third world Country really with all that goes with it. You just wouldn't realise it when you are wandering around all the end to end five star hotels with multipule swimming pools and restaurants lol.

Have a great holiday

omg, dont buy ghd, my friend bought some, first time as well from the chemist, they blew up :/

Cigs bought from supermarkets are fine, we have bought them. But i agree with Doe, if you want branded ones you are used to, buy from UK duty free, or the aircraft which are cheaper.

i agree i always get mine on the plane as they usually have good deals on 400 packs.. esp bensons/regal

Agree with everything above... bought what appeared to be 200 B&H from what appeared to be a legit shop in city.... tasted like Camel $h1t!!



Never again..

ATB,J.

Must admitt I would stick to the plane as well, I'm sure there was a shop in Soho Square at one point that kind of set itself up as a Duty Free shop but it actually wasn't trouble is they can make these places look so genuine, they were even checking people's passports ( flippin cheek)to make it look ultra convincing but of course it assisted with the s c a m. I think though that it went out of business or got shut down.

Doe