Hi Beanie

Think you might find your question answered on this thread.
Some mixed opinions on this matter.

Debs

Thanks Deb, I like the option of being able to go topless...i usually go to the dom rep for my hols and there it isnt an issue. so many people do it...its not the strap marks there not an issue i just like an even all over tan. but i dont want to feel uncomfortable.

ok at the grand oasis in sharks bay in dec 04
plenty of ladies were going topless there was even 1 totaly naked around the pool fewer were topless at the beech i didnt hear any adverse comments but my wife kept her top on except a few times on the balcony of the room but allways kept a towel handy incase
now we go back in june for 2 weeks and il let you know what it was like there when i return
but in nama bay we dressed conservitaly and i think if my old failing memory serves that i saw a total of 2 females that wernt tourists or reps
gw

hi everyone, i have posted that on another thread and since i see there's a lot of conflicting information about the subject; i feel it's my duty to clarify things.

I'm an egyptian and a muslim, i have found this discussion by chance and i have read some conflicting views on the question of "to bare or not to bare on egyptian beaches" with some of you criticizing the others for the mere thought of wanting to go bare at all.
i myself believe this to be a matter of personal preference, some of us enjoy nudity some don't.. we should all have the freedom to decide and no one is supposed to patronize the others.

so as an insider, i would like to present an alternative egyptian point of view.

egypt is a vast country with so many people who have a large diversity of backgrounds, it's true the majority of egyptians do not approve of nudity for their women but they totally tolerate it for foreigners. so it's not true that they are terribly offended by topless sunbathers or thong wearers on hotel beaches.

another important point to put in mind; most of the people on these beaches would either be foreigners, or egyptians of a higher social class who totally understand what to expect. the hotel staff are totally used to toplessness and they never make anyone feel embarraced simply because they know tourists provide their bread and butter, and this is what really makes the difference to them as long as their women are not doing the same.

egyptian people and hotel workers would be much more offended if foreigners found they can not practice their freedom to wear whatever they like on their beaches and decided to take their leisure somewhere else.

in sharm, hurghada and some other places (mainly on the red sea) ladies from allover the world, and i assure you a few from egypt as well, sunbath topless and/or in thongs on the beach or around the swimming pool without causing any problem to anyone. of course there are some people who don't like it but those would have avoided going to beaches with nudity on them and would have headed to numerous other equally nice places to stay covered up and avoid seeing bare breasts and bottoms.
matter of fact, apart from the strictly religious that you wouldn't ever meet on those private beaches, no one really wants tourists to cover up.

so my advice is: forget this stupid thompson guide or whatever, if you are a lady and you are keen on having a nice tan; come to egypt, sunbath topless or wear a thong as you like, even go swimming topless in the sea (not the pool), feel free to walk around your area without your top on but whenever you are reaching the bar for a drink, it is "probably better" to put it on.
also put it on and use your sarong if you're wearing a thong only when you are heading back to your room.
avoid sensitive body parts nudity in cairo hotels or in beaches that have a bigger percentage of local families, simply because these are the places that people who find nudity severly offensive chose to go to so don't insist to offend them.
in streets of beach resorts and towns it is normal to wear shorts and micro skirts, and revealing clothes in general is acceptable, but don't go walking around town with your swimming dress (top or bottom) and while in cairo, alex or other towns that are not very tourist orientated, dress more modestly (you don't have to wear long sleeves or knee reaching skirt, just dress normally and skip your skimpiest skirt and see through gown)
as for men, you can wear your tiny monkini on egyptian beaches but i'm afraid wearing a thong is a different story; a thong is accepted for women by default but is a bigger taboo for men since it is associated with homosexuality! and although no one will directly confront you, you'd be doing something totally bizarre and much more shocking and provocative than female breasts.

if you stick to my precious advice you'll have your fun and will not offend anyone, people here are much more tolerant than some of the foreigners who wrote here think of them.

and.. enjoy the endless sun Smile

Very well said !

yes i agree, my thong is packed, and i'll forget my bikini top!

well said oldhippie!! Bit past thong wearing myself but good to have the perspective on this for people who want to make that choice!

Bit past thong wearing myself

i have to disagree with you sheba, you're never too old for a good tan

When we stayed at the Sonesta beach Resort last year, i never saw anyone topless around the pool, i did at Sonesta Club, the sister hotel to the Resort.

On the Sonesta Beach beach, there were several topless ladies, and i was one of them, but i pulled my bed right into the sea, as it was scorching. If no one else did, i wouldnt have done so. off the beach, kept covered up.

but i pulled my bed right into the sea

I suppose that's one way of wetting one's bed

it works brilliant as the tide is out at 8am and by the time its the hottest part of the day, the tide is up, so you can read a book whilst getting wet Keeps the drinks cool as well

I quite agree oldhippie, but I wouldn't want to be responsible for frightening any small children!!!

well said Oldhippie!!!!

That was a very sensible post / point of view.

My fiancee will be pleased to hear that the wicked weasel bikinis will be able to make an appearance.

i wouldnt do it.
they tend to not leave you alone, always coming and offering drinks, and looking at you, as if you had three heads....

so deffo a no.

I have been to sharm, Hurgarda and Taba in the past 2 years and
every visit I have gone topless every time and it has never been a
problem or frowned on.

i wouldnt do it.
they tend to not leave you alone, always coming and offering drinks, and looking at you, as if you had three heads....

so deffo a no.

you mean they shouldn't offer you any drinks on the beach just because you are sunbathing topless? so if you have been ignored by the staff and left thirsty that would have proven to you they were polite?

egyptians don't find westerners with bare breasts strange looking, they simply find any westerner strange looking and they look at him/her out of mere curiosity, this is my opinion!

however, hotel staff are almost invariably used to seeing westerners half naked, the other possibility is that you went to some newly opened hotel whose staff hasn't been in the business before, it happened to us once and they were even staring at me (i'm an egyptian male)

looking at you, as if you had three heads...

This is obviously because they are trying very hard to keep their eyeline up.

Lots of Shapley and less attrative women topless when we were there in May

Got to admit most of them were Russian but there were quite a few Brits bearing their all too

The hotel staff were totally oblivious to it all

I can't comment on other hotels in Sharm, but it is no problem at all for women to go topless at the Savoy's beach if they want to. My (Ukrainian) g/f and I went there in August last year (together with one of her friends); both went topless when sunning, as did over 90% of the women on the beach. Most were also topless when going for a swim or a stroll. I don't know if it is permitted when swimming in the Savoy's pools, though- we never used them.