Having only been to Egypt, I can't really help with prices, but I have a good friend who has been to both countries, and she'd pick Egypt every time!

I have never been to Bulgaria but I have beento Egypt loads and can really recommend it as a good destination.
Prices are good but you will get a better exchange rate if you change your currency over there rather than over here.

Thanks for replies, Im still really unsure which to go for?!

Ive been told that Egypt is quite expensive, the hotel is all inclusive so would only need money if going off the resort or any excursions, not sure how close it is to beach/town etc so may need to use public transport aswel...any ideas on how much roughly I would need to go to Egypt.

Money aside ashtonsmum, what time of year are you hoping to travel?

Hi, We're going the first week of July-its a last min sort of decision

Sarah

I'm assuming that if you're considering Egypt for July that you enjoy the blistering heat. Although you should get decent weather in Sunny beach at that time of year it can't be guaranteed. I know you'll get lots of posters coming on now and telling you that they had fab weather in Sunny Beach but when we were there in August (a few years ago) the weather was tempremental.

Never been to Egypt, but I agree with shirley, we went to Bulgaria in July a couple of years ago, and come 12 noon, is was overcast every day, and also had torrential rain.

Wouldnt return wasnt my cup of tea

I am hoping for some lovely weather which is why Im favouring Egypt. My friend went to Bulgaria in 2007 in June for a week and she said it was 32 degrees all week apart from one day where it rained.

Im not taking my 4year old this year and have always wanted to go to Egypt but of course that sort of weather for children would be unbearable, his skin is very white so imagine he would burn to a crisp! Just myself and partner will be going, I love the sun but havent been anywhere as Hot as Egypt-any recommendations for that sort of weather???

Plenty of suncream!

Sarah xx

Hi Sarah - there's plenty of chat going on in the Egypt forum at the moment if you fancy a read. Although Egypt will be very hot at that time of year, and yes high factor suncream will be the order of the day, it is a dry heat, so the sweat isn't continuosly running off you.

depends if you want to be ill the wholeholiday and possibly several weeks later? If yes - choose Egypt. I wish people had been more honest about the levels of illness suffered there before we went in dec 2010!

I have been to both and would choose Sunny Beach over Sharm.
I stayed in Nessebar about 4 miles south of Sunny beach and it was beautiful.
Our money went a long way and we struggled to spend it!
My friend has an apartment at St Velas just outside of Sunny beach and she told me yesterday that it cost £9 for a 3 course meal for 2 which also included a few drinks.Knowing my friend it will have been more than a few.
After speaking to her I really fancy going back but I am going to Rhodes on Wednesday so will be looking out for deal when I get back.
The strange thing is when I first stepped out of a taxi in Naama bar I thought it looked similar to the centre of Sunny Beach where the Kuban hotel is.
Have a look at the AI Riu hotels in Sunny Beach as they are a fantastic chain(Spanish owned)
The benefits are a shorter flight,no hassle and resort is compact compared to Sharm.
The only thing better about Sharm is the fantastic marine life.

Thanks for that reply! I think I may look more into Bulgaria! Its a shame as I fancied Egypt because it would be nice and hot and the beaches look gorgeous! My partner wasnt keen on Sharm as he said the fact the hassle you to go into shops etc would be a major annoyance.

Whats it like in Bulgaria shopping wise? Are there any excursions you would recommend? Would go you self catering or all inclusive?

Sarah!

We went half board and were only there for 1 week.(June 2006)The hotel was brand new so the food wasnt that great but as it was a buffet there was always something we liked .We had lunch in a small cafe in the old town.
We were quite happy wandering around the old town of Nessebar both day and night.
We walked to Sunny Beach and also caught the bus there a few times.
If you ask on the Bulgarian forum some of the regulars may advise you on trips and if B&B or AI is best.
I didnt do much shopping,apart from buying things for my grandchildren, but the shops looked lovely.
We went with Kwik Travel off teletext and flew with Thomson,transfers were with hoteltransfer.com and the hotel was booked with Balkan and we saved £200 each on the Balkan holidays price.
We have been to Sharm,both times at the end of November for 2 weeks and it was too hotel for me at times!
Last December we went to Hurghada and liked it better than Sharm.

We stayed in the Riu Helios Palace AI and it was a brilliant hotel in a fantastic location. We weren't intending to go All Inclusive as food and drinks are so cheap there but we had such a good price for the Riu that we'd have been daft not to book it. We still ate out on a couple of evenings and yes it was cheap! I'm going back a good few years now so I'm not sure about recent costs.

depends if you want to be ill the wholeholiday and possibly several weeks later? If yes - choose Egypt. I wish people had been more honest about the levels of illness suffered there before we went in dec 2010!

Hmm...really sorry you were ill, but I am not sure I can agree with your comment about levels of honesty regarding illness. In fact, I think it is quite a negative comment.

I have been to Egypt several times and only ever once had a dose of the Pharoah's revenge..and that was on the last holiday when half the boat had it. There is an entire thread on the Egypt forum advising people how to take precautions to lower the risk of getting a dose of pharoah's.
Heat, change in climate, change in diet etc all contribute to upset stomach's and it is not just down to poor levels of sanitation etc. The hotels in Egypt are generally clean and there are many people who travel through Egypt over and over and never experience problems.

Please do not let this put you off deciding to travel to Egypt. It is a wonderful country, it has a diverse history and culture and there is much to do.

The Red Sea is beautiful and is renowned for some of the best diving in the world...even if you want to snorkle. The chances of you getting eaten by a shark are squillions to one..do not beleive everything in the media ( we were in Egypt at the time of the shark thing and we carried on diving as soon as the ban was lifted). The people are lovely and welcoming (ok.sometimes too welcoming) but they will do everything they can to help your stay be a pleasant one.

Whilst trips can be expensive, it is cheap to eat out and taxi's are cheap. There is an abundance of Tat to be had at cheap prices..even cheaper if you barter..and most people who visit Egypt vow to return.

I cannot comment so much on Bulgaria as I have never been...but then again, I have had no desire to.

Thank you for you reply. The comment about the sharks was a joke-I am quite an unlucky person so if it would happen to anyone it would be me!

Where in Egypt have you stayed, any recommendations?

If we were to stay all inclusive and only do abit of snorkelling (may buy our own gear back at home) and not go on any expensive excursions how much would you recommend taking spending money wise? we are non smokers and probabely wont bring any alcohol back either.

Sarah x

Hi Sarah - the only money we spent was on tipping and the cost of a taxi into Soho Square and the price of 2 drinks. How much spending money you need will depend entirely on whether you are going to drop and flop on a lounger for the holiday, or if you're going to be going out shopping, sightseeing e.t.c.

I have stayed in Sharm, Taba and Hurghada...but these days tend to get straight on a dive boat and head off to sea for a week.

Taba is the quietest of the 3 resorts and everything is pretty much hotel based...I think you would end up spending money on trips just to alleviate theboredom..unless you are happy to drop and flop.

Hurghada,,,you would need a visa,,so that would set you back an extra few £ at the airport. Price is variable but usually about £15.

Sharm.Naama is heaving and there is an abundance of places to go when you are out at night.

If you are travelling AI, then you would probably only need taxi money, tipping money (£1 coins are popular) and maybe something to buy drinks with when you are out. I would buy snorkelling stuff out there..it is cheap and cheerful...I doubt you would use it when you came back home anyway...and it saves on space inthe case!

Ive seen a couple of excursions that we might do..Glass bottom boat cruise and coral reef veiwing is around £24 in total for us both and also the Tiran Island Cruise and snorkelling is around £60-£70 incl hiring snorkelling gear for us both. Not too bad!

Would you recommend either of these or have any other similar one's you have done?

Someone mentioned swimming with dolphins on the egypt forum-have you heard of that one?

Sarah xx