Language: Arabic is the official language although English and French are widely spoken, especially in the tourist areas.
Currency: The unit of currency is the Egyptian Pound (EGP), which is divided into 100 piastres. Most credit cards are accepted in major hotels and restaurants. Visitors are advised to take travelers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds to avoid additional exchange rate charges. Banks are usually closed on Friday and Saturday, but private exchange bureaux, called 'Forex', are open daily and banks in major hotels are open 24 hours. Cairo branches of the Egyptian British Bank and Banque Misr now have ATMs available that accept Visa, MasterCard and Cirrus and are quite common in the main tourist areas.
Time: Local time is GMT +2 (All the year).
Electricity: Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are standard.
Communications: The international access code for Egypt is +20. The outgoing code is 00 followed but the relevant country code (e.g. 0027 for South Africa). The city code for Cairo is (0)2. There are high surcharges on international calls from hotels; it is cheaper to phone long-distance from the 24-hour Post, Telephone and Telegraph (PTT) offices that are available in the major cities. For international directory phone enquiries dial 120. The local mobile phone operators use GSM 900 networks and have roaming agreements with all major operators. Internet cafes are available in the main tourist areas.
Don't wear anything too revealing around most places in Egypt. Make it conservative unless you welcome the attention that skimpy clothing will garner. People in some cities and rural areas are not used to seeing a lot of skin (even with men), so please cover up unless you're on the beach in a coastal resort like Sharm El-Sheikh or Hurgada where this is more the norm. In areas like Islamic and Coptic Cairo you should respect local custom by wearing more conservative clothing.
Do have a guide with you when exploring archeological sites in the desert. You can get lost and that isn't funny.
Do stay with your guide at all times as some sites are in critical condition and have areas that are in danger of collapse.
Do wear a hat or scarf and sunscreen to protect your self from the sun when visiting in summer.
Don't climb on or touch any of the monuments.
Don't take photographs where you're not supposed to - the flash from your camera may cause irreparable damage.
Ladies... do sit next to other women on public transportation.
Ladies... do enter the car assigned for women only (first two cars) on the metro, as other cars may be too crowded.
Do bargain the amount you will have to pay the taxi driver before getting in as some take advantage of tourists (but no fighting, please).
Do shout out the name of the location that you're going to when hailing a taxi.
Do look both ways before crossing the street even if the sign says, "walk".
Don't get on overcrowded buses. It's anything but comfortable.
There are a number of health risks associated with travel to Egypt and travelers should check that their inoculations are up-to-date before leaving. Typhoid, Hepatitis A and polio immunization is recommended. Come prepared to beat the heat with a high factor sunblock, and drink plenty of water to combat dehydration. Drinking water in the main cities and towns is normally chlorinated but it is advisable to only drink bottled water. Traveller's diarrhoea is the most common form of illness for travelers; visitors should only eat thoroughly cooked food and fruits they have peeled themselves. The waters of the Nile are contaminated and should not be consumed or bathed in. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travelers over one year of age coming from infected areas. Medical treatment can be expensive and standards vary so insurance is strongly advised, including evacuation. Medical facilities outside of Cairo can be very basic. Cases of bird flu have been reported, and human fatalities have resulted, and although the risk is low for travelers, all close contact with caged, domestic and wild birds should be avoided, and all poultry and egg dishes well cooked as a precaution.
Egyptian cuisine is excellent, combining many of the best traditions of Middle Eastern cooking, and there are both large hotel restaurants and smaller specialist ones throughout the main towns. Some of the larger hotels in Cairo and its environs have kitchens serving top quality cosmopolitan dishes. In the center of Cairo, American-style snack bars are also spreading. Restaurants have waiter service. Although Egypt is a Muslim country, alcohol is available in cafe-style bars and good restaurants. The legal drinking age is 21.
Do be prepared for unwanted attention especially if you're traveling alone. You'll probably be hissed or whistled at in the streets on a fairly regular basis. If you just ignore, there shouldn't be any problems. Egyptians just like to have fun.
Do try not to walk by yourself, always have someone with you, especially if it's down a dark alley. Crime is extremely rare but, just as should always be the case, why take unnecessary chances.
Don't act too friendly toward men you barely know as it could be misunderstood.
Don't talk back to attempts by strangers to talk to you - simply ignore them.
Do feel free to walk arm-in-arm or, at most, holding holds. (Same sex couples should be even more discrete as homosexuality is far less accepted in Egypt as it is in Western countries)
Don't hug or kiss in public as it may cause problems. Again, holding hands should be as far as you go in public.
Don't be surprised if you see Egyptian men walking arm-in-arm or holding hands as a sign of friendship.
Ladies... do wear swimming suits on beaches, but survey your surroundings a bit first. Some places are not used to seeing that many tourists and that quick glance around will let you know if others are wearing bathing suits.
Do wear sunscreen at all times - the Egyptian sun can be merciless at times.
Don't sunbathe topless - it is not common in Egypt and it may cause too much attention.
Don't swim wherever there's a black flag up as it means the water is too rough. In the north coast the sea can sometimes be quite dangerous.
Do wear sunscreen lotion.
Do stay with your guide, it's not fun getting lost underwater.
Do bring an underwater camera so you can share the amazing things you see with your friends when you get back home.
Don't touch the fish - not all are friendly or harmless.
Don't break, take, or remove any of the coral.
Don't drink and dive!
Don't feed the fish.
Don't fish.
Don't go off the beaten track without a guide. There are still some landmines buried out there in some parts of the Sinai and the North Coast and not all are marked.
Don't go too far without a guide. The desert here is vast and you can too easily lose your bearings.
Do use common sense.
Do exchange your money in banks or exchange offices.
Do carry around a lot of change: it can be useful when tipping and bargaining. (Only tip when you feel that the person deserves it - just like back home.)
Do use traveler's checks and credit cards - they are accepted in most tourist areas.
Don't carry around a lot of money. Theft isn't common, but one can never be too sure.
Don't put your money or wallet in your back pocket when entering busy or crowded places.
Don't show that you have money.
Do take lots of film or extra memory cards - you'll want to take pictures of everything you see.
Don't take photographs of military areas, bridges, embassies, or airports.
Don't use flash photography when photographing ancient monuments.
Don't photograph crowded areas or packed buses or street litter, as some people can be offended.
Don't take your cameras where you won't be using it - entrance fees for cameras cost more than for people.
You may bring in modest amounts of anything for personal use, except, obviously, illicit drugs, weapons and items of an obscene or subversive nature. Up to one liter of alcohol, 200 cigarettes and a reasonable quantity of perfume is permitted.
In addition, you may purchase one liter of alcohol upon arrival at Cairo International Airport Duty free shop and another 3 liters along with 3 packs of cigarettes within 48 hours from any of the duty free shops around Cairo.
Duty Free Shops upon departure offer shoppers a reasonable range of spirits, cigarettes, perfumes and gifts. Alcohols and cigarettes are cheaper than all European Duty Free prices.