Egypt - Planning a trip with diving...
 

It looks like I can get 2 weeks in Egypt. I want to maximize my intercontinental stays and get plenty of nice diving in.
I would fly into Cairo and options include
EGYPT

* Cairo - CityStars
* Cairo - Semiramis
* Hurghada - Abu Soma
* Hurghada - Resort & Casino
* Marsa Alam
* Taba Heights

any way to structure a 2 week trip to stop by all (or almost all those places? Anything worth while to see/do beyond diving? I like to sitesee.
I have a feeling it will be very hot as I'll be going end of June...

If you are going to Egypt (and have not been before), it is more than worth your while to take some time to see the sites. You could spend all 2 weeks doing as much and not miss out...

But given you are there to dive (which is great; there is plenty of good diving in the Red Sea), here would be my "must see" list in Egypt:
1) Pyramids (d'uh)
2) Abu Simbel
3) Valley of the Kings
4) Siwa Oasis
5) Cairo Souqs
6) Egyptian Museum in Cairo
7) Siwa Oasis (maybe not a "must see," and to the west, but surreal.

Yes, it will be blasted hot in June. Drink lots of water.

Well I'm planning about 4 days in Cairo to see all the sites and take it nice and easy...
I got a day tour to the PYRAMIDS, SPHINX, MEMPHIS AND SAKKARA already booked.
What would be the best route to do? Is there a express train or flight to get to the other sites (2/3/4) my geography is a tad rusty of Egypt and/or a good tour company to recommend?

I think from there I'll fly to HRG to get some diving and maybe a few days in Taba Heights. I have to ask a diving friend who used to work in the area where it is worth while to go diving.

I answered some of you Cairo questions on the IC pages.

A couple of highly subjective opinions on the Egypt trip. Given the shortish time available, I'd limit my visits to Upper Egypt to Aswan - a trading city packed with charm on a very picturesque part of Nile: Abu Simbel can be reached from there by an air or road excursion. You can get to Aswan by air, or by overnight train (much cheaper, plus saves a hotel night).

Luxor is tourism central, and the Valley of the Kings (across the river from Luxor) is a horror prospect for June. If you WANT to visit Luxor, you can get there from Aswan by road (an hour or so) or by a longer felucca trip on the river (thats the local sail boat - you negotiate the trip with any of the felucca captains in Aswan: moving WITH the river, its an easy trip).

Taba is a bit weird, almost on the Israel border, no town to talk of, just hotel life. There's an IC there, nice AND cheap, but no real reason to make the treck unless you enjoy swimming pools. There may well be diving, but I thought under-water life centred on Sharm.

For touring in and around Cairo you could negotiate a taxi for the day - the hotel doorman will help here, but might inflate the price: just insist you want a taxi and not a hotel car, and make sure you understand the deal.

Pyramids are easy. You'll see them from the Semiramis if it's a clear day. Picking the right time of day to visit is trickier. I'd suggest getting a guide or joining a tour: it will save hassle. An alternative is spending one night at the Mena House, across from pyramids, which will mean very easy access first thing in the morning (the best time to visit), and constant views of the Pyramids.

Siwa is not do-able on your itinerary, and I know nohing of Hurghada so will not comment.

And please - get yourself a map!!!

If diving is your priority, you will have no problems filling 2 weeks with dives just in the Sinai, without even needing to go to the African side of Egypt (Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor etc.). Between Dahab and Sharm El Sheikh in the Sinai, that ought to cover 2 weeks pretty good. In the meantime between dive days, you could still do quadbiking, camel safaris (there are even camel safaris from Dahab to dive sites such as Ras Abu Galum or Gabr el bint), horseback riding etc. In Dahab, you can even spend 2-3 days picking up boardsailing/windsurfing which is second to diving as the watersport activity there. If you really want to go rustic Bedu style for a couple of days, Nuweiba is another option with half-decent diving (it's between Dahab and Taba). Would suggest that you miss Taba. Mediocre diving at best there relative to Dahab and Sharm. Unless you're flying into Taba (a real hole of an airport), and even then, it would probably better for you to fly into Sharm (SSH) which has more flights anyway than Taba. Moreover Dahab is nearer to Sharm than it is to Taba.

I haven't dived Hurghada, but I seriously doubt that it's better than Dahab and Sharm. In my incomplete and biased opinion, Red Sea diving is really about the east coast of Sinai from Dahab down south to Sharm and Ras Mohammed.

I spent two weeks diving and snorkelling in Marsa Alam. Having dived in the Seychelles and all along the African east coast, I have to say that nothing I've ever seen tops Marsa Alam. You could spend two weeks diving from there and leave wanting more. Everything from reef dives, beach dives, shallow and deep water, turtles, sharks (oceanic white tips if you're lucky/unlucky depending on preference!), sea snakes, Lion fish, and everything in between. It's simply incredible, and the resorts over there are superb, with great diving facilities.

What about tipping? I read that you tip everyone there basically. whats the tip for a bellman that brings you bags? What about a maid? What about a day tip for diving? Who do I tip? the whole staff, or just my guide? and how much?

Also, can I bring a knife and gloves into hurghada, but not use them for diving?

I have short hands and tight fists, so I rarely tip even in the US. :p As for luggage, I've almost always lugged them myself at any hotel that I stay in. The dive operators that I've use in Dahab and Sharm tend to be European run mostly with European counter and dive staff (and a sprinkling of Aussie and US), so the usual tipping/baksheesh phenomenon in Egypt doesn't seem to apply. They have a token one or two Egyptian DM/guides, but those at the dive operators I use never ask for tips and do not seem to expect it. In fact, I've found them no different than the European staff in that regard and equally pro. For the diving, when in doubt, ask the dive operator manager. Personally, if you want to tip, I don't think you need to tip more than your DM/guide. Maybe include the boatman if you're like the only passenger. Liveaboards might be different, but again you should check with the dive operator.

If you go to Egypt to dive you really need to do the Sinai.

diving in Egypt
 

i have used Sinai Divers in Sharm el Sheikh 2 years ago they are the best
also there Sun divers in Hurgahada, Honest Diving Club in Soma Bay
but the reall intersting Dive would be in Alexandria monuments under the water