Traveling to the Middle East

[Antilogic]

Hola CFCers,

As it turns out, I am traveling to Saudi Arabia this January for business. I used to fly British Airways to Bahrain and then cross the causeway into Saudi Arabia, since all of our business was along the east coast of the country. However, I haven't flown there since the unrest in Bahrain started, and our center has advised us to completely avoid that country. Thus, we will be flying into Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Given budgeting and other constraints, I'm going to be flying on at least one of the Middle Eastern airlines (Royal Jordanian, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, or Etihad). Does anyone in our community know which of these are safe and on-time choices?

 

[Lillefix]

Don't know about the others but Qatar was voted to be the world's best airline this year at the Paris Air show.

 

[Rulle_Kebab]

I've flown with Qatar and Etihad. On time, decent service, above average food(compared to KLM and SAS) and had ok space(I'm tall).
And this on the regular class... no business or 1st class as Im too cheap.
Have a nice trip!

 

[Antilogic]

A few of my friends are flying Qatar in (and it fits the schedule!), so that looks like a winner. Going out, I think I might be flying Lufthansa to save some money (their ticket is $900 something while Qatar is over $1200).


EDIT: I should mention my most-flown airline (and basis for comparison) is Delta. Not because they are the best airline in the world, but because my family seems to congregate around Delta hubs, so flights are usually cheap and flexible.

 

[Maniacal]

Qatar air seems fancy, but I`ve never flown with them just seen a LOT of ads for them on AJE. I had a great experience with Lufthansa last year when I was in the middle east. The food was actually pretty decent, and the staff all had wonderful german accents

Also free beer.

 

[JollyRoger]

Just a cautionary tale for traveling in the Middle East:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=206648

 

[Maniacal]

I can confirm that Cairo sucks, although we weren`t robbed.

 

[Ramius75]

Just a cautionary tale for traveling in the Middle East:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=206648

lol, yes, im was planning a trip to egypt, but got turn off by the Arabs Spring....

 

[Tee Kay]

lol, yes, im was planning a trip to egypt, but got turn off by the Arabs Spring....

You are contributing to the collapse of the Egyptian economy thereby enabling autocrats/Islamists/foreign interests to hijack the Revolution.

 

[TheLastOne36]

Due to that mess during that Iceland Volcanic Ash incident, an Etihad plane was 'borrowed' by Polish LOT on my trip from Warsaw to Madrid. It was LOT staff&Pilot, and Polish food so I can't comment on that, but the plane itself was excellent.

 

[Ramius75]

You are contributing to the collapse of the Egyptian economy thereby enabling autocrats/Islamists/foreign interests to hijack the Revolution.

I hope they have night clubs in Egypt too...im willing to spend my money.

 

[Rulle_Kebab]

I hope they have night clubs in Egypt too...im willing to spend my money.

They have hundreds... from seedy bars to high scale nightclubs.
If you guys need tips on Cairo I will gladly share some, I spend many years in that city and I love it. And I was never robbed either

 

[Ramius75]

They have hundreds... from seedy bars to high scale nightclubs.
If you guys need tips on Cairo I will gladly share some, I spend many years in that city and I love it. And I was never robbed either

oh, thats great. im looking for advice to the middle east too.

so how safe is Cairo and Egypt ? is it safe walking in the street with professional camera?
any scams to watch out for ?

Im afraid of losing my pants too.

 

[Rulle_Kebab]

The most unsafe places in Egypt right now I reckon would be around Tahrir Square(where the demonstrations are centered). The rest of the city is pretty safe, except for traffic ofcourse.
Since the revolution and the retreat of the police it has become more unsafe ofcourse.
But from what I gather from friends down there is that it is more or less like it used to be before the revolt.
There aren't many turists around now so the industry is hungry for visitors and you should be able to get some good deals as well.
Many people bring their camaras and I think it is safe as long as you are not filming the army & police beating and killing demonstrators.
Same goes for Alexandria and the polling stations, if you are there while elections are taking place.
The resorts by the Red Sea are unchanged, there hasn't been any demonstrations worth noting, escept for Suez(but thats more of an industrial town not a resort)
Try not to go driving the desert roads or big highways late at night(24:00 and later) because there might be some unofficial check points set up to rob people.
Besides that I don't know. Don't think it is worse than any other major city.

Regarding the nightclubs and nightlife, there is discos in the big hotels and some scattered around Cairo, mainly in the Zamalek ares, close to downtown. Seedy bars are found all over more or less and the cabarets with belly dancing and hasheesh hookahs are found on the Pyramid Road, they are Legion(from dirt cheap with nasty dancers to very expensive with nice dancers)

As for accomodation I recommend The Cairo Marriott, which is an old palace made into a hotel(With the block buildings containing rooms next to it), Sofitel Cairo on the tip of Zamalek or the Oberoi Mena House which is also an old palace just beside the pyramids(There is a nice golf course there).
For cheaper accommodation there is various 1-4 star hotels around cairo. There should be some decent places for around 10 USD a night in the downtown area.
By the red sea you have many many 5 star resorts with tonnes of pools and restaurants so there it is easier.

 

[Rulle_Kebab]

Hehehe been watching some egyptian tv...
So regarding going out in Cairo you might wanna go soon as it looks like it will be a coalition of Muslim Brotherhood(not so bad) and the Salafist parties who are going to win the elections...

 

[warpus]

Make sure you don't accidently smuggle any drugs into the country.. or kiss anyone in public.

I would read over the rules and laws of the country 20 times. You never know what bs they could arrest you for.

Also be careful when consuming bacon..

 

[Rulle_Kebab]

Make sure you don't accidently smuggle any drugs into the country.. or kiss anyone in public.

I would read over the rules and laws of the country 20 times. You never know what bs they could arrest you for.

Also be careful when consuming bacon..

Bacon is sold in shops owned by christians in Egypt.
There is a really nice pizza place called Maison Thomas that has both bacon and ham pizzas... There are christian butchers as well selling it. There is or was even a butcher called The German butcher where I was able to get a pork roast for christmas there.

And regarding drugs, then yeah dont get caught smugling but I've been caught smoking a spliff in a car with a british friend and the cop relighted our joint before he went...

Dubai or the Emirates have shops with pork as well altho drugs is a nono in the Emirates!
4 years for a spliff... so better not take the risk and wait till you are out with getting stoned!

 

[warpus]

I have a friend who works in Qatar. He says they have "bacon fridays" and alcohol isn't a problem if you drink it in "the right areas".. Making out in public.. big no no, especially if it's with someone you're not married to.

Saudi Arabia is probably a lot more strict than that.

Quadruple check your bags.. all the pockets.

 

[Ramius75]

The most unsafe places in Egypt right now I reckon would be around Tahrir Square(where the demonstrations are centered). The rest of the city is pretty safe, except for traffic ofcourse.
Since the revolution and the retreat of the police it has become more unsafe ofcourse.
But from what I gather from friends down there is that it is more or less like it used to be before the revolt.
There aren't many turists around now so the industry is hungry for visitors and you should be able to get some good deals as well.
Many people bring their camaras and I think it is safe as long as you are not filming the army & police beating and killing demonstrators.
Same goes for Alexandria and the polling stations, if you are there while elections are taking place.
The resorts by the Red Sea are unchanged, there hasn't been any demonstrations worth noting, escept for Suez(but thats more of an industrial town not a resort)
Try not to go driving the desert roads or big highways late at night(24:00 and later) because there might be some unofficial check points set up to rob people.
Besides that I don't know. Don't think it is worse than any other major city.

Regarding the nightclubs and nightlife, there is discos in the big hotels and some scattered around Cairo, mainly in the Zamalek ares, close to downtown. Seedy bars are found all over more or less and the cabarets with belly dancing and hasheesh hookahs are found on the Pyramid Road, they are Legion(from dirt cheap with nasty dancers to very expensive with nice dancers)

As for accomodation I recommend The Cairo Marriott, which is an old palace made into a hotel(With the block buildings containing rooms next to it), Sofitel Cairo on the tip of Zamalek or the Oberoi Mena House which is also an old palace just beside the pyramids(There is a nice golf course there).
For cheaper accommodation there is various 1-4 star hotels around cairo. There should be some decent places for around 10 USD a night in the downtown area.
By the red sea you have many many 5 star resorts with tonnes of pools and restaurants so there it is easier.

Great info, thank you.

im probably not interested in resort. but i like to explore the small alley ways and backyard.

not to mention i like old antique shopping

 

[Maniacal]

Cairo is okay for seeing a few of the old areas of town, the Egyptian Museum (which unfortunately is adjacent to Tahrir Square) and the Pyramids (not just Giza), but the air quality, while not thw worst, is still pretty awful. It is also an extremely busy, large and overpopulated city.

The small tourist town of Dahab on the Red Sea is really chill and relaxing though, we found a great restaurant next to our (cheap and slightly rundown but had an excellent, friendly and very helpful manager) hotel-thing, and the nearby Blue Lagoon (iirc) is great for snorkeling.

Luxor was really cool too, the roof of the Morris hotel has an amazing view of the Nile and temples that I'll never forget (and wonderful pool).

Aswan was okay but mostly just because we could see Abu Simbel, load up on gifts and hookahs to take home, and take a felucca down the Nile.

I don't recall seeing many nightclubs or places offering alcoholic beverages in Luxor or Aswan though, in fact I only knew of ONE beer store in Luxor. Also don't stay at Happy Land, the name is deceiving and the management is full of their past good reviews.