All of Russia goes on holiday to Sharm el-Sheikh, large quantities— Ukraine, Poland and Italy, to a lesser extent — the rest of the CIS and European countries. Residents of other European Union countries prefer to choose other places for their holidays, despite the fact that Sharm el-Sheikh is recognized as a European level resort, and residents of the European Union, like Russia, Ukraine and some other countries, can visit the resort without a visa. The so-called “Sinai stamp” allows you to stay for 15 days in the Sinai Peninsula as a whole, and also allows you to visit Jordan and Israel. If you need to stay in Sharm el-Sheikh for more than 15 days, or you want to take an excursion to Luxor and visit the Pyramids, then you will have to pay $25 at the airport for a tourist visa, which allows you to stay anywhere in Egypt for 30 days .

In fact, the resort in Sharm el-Sheikh is very hot and dry in the summer, but the heat is easier to bear on the beach, near the water, which you can plunge into when the heat becomes unbearable. The water on the local coast does not get colder than 20 degrees Celsius even in winter, and in summer it even rises to 28. average temperature air in the summer months fluctuates around 30 degrees, and sometimes reaches 45 in the shade. But the sea, the sea - it smoothes and softens everything. Sharm el-Sheikh has many beaches, access to them is free, and sometimes there is even free bus transportation. In addition, almost every hotel for tourists is equipped with an indoor pool so that you can cool off without moving to the Red Sea, and swim without special slippers that protect you from cuts on the sharp edges of the corals.

There are also many of the usual resort entertainment, such as numerous excursions, quad biking and camel riding in the desert, diving, countless water attractions for children and adults - in general, a lot of pleasures. There are also shops that are necessarily present in places where the resort crowd gathers, to give them the opportunity to splash out some of the money they have saved for their vacation. Otherwise, the vacation will simply not be real.

Duty free stores

In the city, of course, there are bazaars. The sellers at the counters are well versed in the flow of customers, and prices for foreigners are kept high. After all, not all visiting guests know how to bargain as the eastern market requires, and not every woman inspecting the goods is Aunt Sonya from Odessa, so the main income of local traders, of course, comes from holidaymakers. Therefore, bargain with confidence, knowing that the prices are probably inflated many times over. This is the only way you can moderate your expenses somewhat. And, if you notice that you are good at bargaining, then you can safely shop at the bazaars, this will give a significant financial result. And if you yourself like to be at the market, wander around in the crowd, get into arguments with sellers, then this will help you not only find the product you need, but also choose it by price and quality - you know the basic rule market: do not buy from the first seller.

If you are not a fan of market exotics, or you need to buy branded goods or expensive booze, then you need to go to the shops. Here, as a rule, there is no haggling, but you have more confidence that you are not buying a fake, but exactly what you wanted. It may be a little more expensive than a similar purchase on the market would cost you, but the quality is worth it.

And if you visit duty free stores, you won’t go wrong with the price. There are several such shops selling duty-free goods in Sharm el-Sheikh. There are two duty free shops in Soho Square, at the Old Market, at the airport, and in the Naama Bay area. By the time you go around all five stores, you can shop quite well and buy much of what you planned. And, since no duties are charged to you, the prices in these stores are much lower. You just need to pay close attention to the fact that You only have two days, during which you can visit duty free shops. If you miss, you will be left without goods at low prices.

True, there are only a few groups of goods on sale here: alcoholic beverages, perfumes and confectionery, mainly chocolate and candy. For alcohol, there is a limit on the sale of goods to one person, and this limit is different for different stores. And prices for the same type of goods can vary significantly depending on the store in which the purchase is made. In the most expensive duty free store located at the airport, the limit is 4 bottles per person. In other stores they will sell you cheaper, but only 3 bottles - this is their limit. Roman Kartsev’s crayfish immediately comes to mind: “But in threes...”

Here are the approximate prices for alcoholic beverages in local duty free stores:

— whiskey, from 20 to 60 dollars per 1 liter;
— rum, 20-25 dollars per bottle;
— gin – from 13 to 25 dollars;
— tequila, from 15 to 30 dollars per bottle;
— wine, prices vary, but on average 20-27 dollars.

The duty free stores, which you can find in the Naama Bay area or within the Old Market, have a somewhat expanded range, and you can see some small technical goods. Maybe choose some item for yourself, because the price, as it should be, is very low.

And when the allotted two days are up, you, having escaped duty stores free, start exploring all the local shopping establishments, which are more expensive than duty-free shops, but also much more interesting. You will have to visit large shopping centers, walk along intricate streets, look into small shops and street stalls, where you can buy interesting trinkets for souvenirs for friends and acquaintances for a dollar or two. And for educational purposes, this is of interest - it will allow you to look “behind the scenes”, to see with one eye how the people who serve you every day in casinos and hotels live.

But, since the wrong side of life is never attractive, you need to quickly return to its front side - to your hotel, to the beach, to the usual and so attractive resort life.

Egypt has been occupying a leading position among the most popular countries for modern tourists for quite some time. of Eastern Europe. Here you can relax relatively inexpensively and get so much pleasure that it will last for more than one year. This, however, is not even strange, since the local climate is completely different from the one you are used to - the hot sun, the famous waters of the Nile, simply endless sand dunes, caravans of tireless camels…. Add to this the warm sea, pretty beaches with unusual gazebos and endless shopping opportunities - isn’t this what you imagined when you dreamed of a paradise holiday? Undoubtedly, the lion's share of travelers will give a positive answer. One of the most popular resorts in the country - Sharm el-Sheikh - will be able to impress them.

Shopping Opportunities

If only there was money, there would certainly be a use for it here. At the same time, you need to take into account one of the main rules of local shopping - the possibility of bargaining. Without this, especially in markets and bazaars, there is simply no way. That’s the way it is here - as soon as the top of a foreigner’s head is visible “on the horizon,” prices immediately “skyrocket.”

By the way, it’s best to “leave shyness at home” - immediately “cut” the price in half and “dance” further according to the circumstances. You can be sure that the results will be very noticeable and you can save quite a decent amount on each item. If you take into account the fact that all of the country’s trade “rests” on the bazaars, you can only imagine how much money you will be able to save, having a “suspended” tongue.

However, there are a few “buts”…. Usually the markets of Sharm el-Sheikh are quite crowded and you will have to spend a decent amount of time in order to “dig up” the right thing. In addition, here it is better not to buy any branded goods or, for example, expensive alcohol - you can easily fall for a fake. What's the solution? Shops, for example. Of course, you won’t always be able to bargain here and the prices, in most cases in such retail outlets are higher than market prices, but there is more “confidence” there. If you wish, you can save money here by visiting several duty-free stores in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Duty free shops: where to look and what to buy?

It’s worth immediately making all travelers happy – duty free Sharm El The Sheikh placed it in several places. Two of them can be found in the popular Naama Bay area, one each in Old Market and Soho and another at the airport. I mean, that's five at once unique opportunities purchasing goods without any duties, and this is much cheaper than in all other stores.

However, one must not give too much to the boundless happiness that North Africa opened my arms to you, because this is how you can “click” the opportunity to visit duty free in Sharm el-Sheikh. The thing is that you only have two days to purchase the goods you like here.

You shouldn’t expect any indescribable variety in the dutiks – the main assortment here consists of perfumes, chocolates and alcohol. But there is so much of this goodness here that, believe me, you can make the most unexpected gift for every relative. True, it is worth somehow calculating the volume in advance, since each store has its own limit on the alcohol sold. So, for example, in a store at the airport, which, by the way, is also the most expensive, they will sell you no more than 4 liters of intoxicating drinks. In all other stores this figure is three liters.

You can base your prices on the following indicators:
- a liter of whiskey will cost $20-60;
- tequila can be bought for $15 – 30;
- wine will cost on average $20 – 27;
- gin will cost $13 – 25;
- rum usually costs $20 – 25.

If you wish, you can also look for some small equipment, but for this you need to go to Old Marche or Naama Bay - there are such opportunities here. Sharm el-Sheikh has supplied these duty free with a fairly large assortment, so that you can definitely find something interesting, and cheap, of course.

Of course, duty free shops alone will not be able to reveal to you all the delights of shopping in Sharm el-Sheikh. To do this, you just need to find time to leisurely wander through the intricate streets, look into the eyes of ordinary people and look at at least a couple of trinkets for a dollar and a half - they will reveal the whole “soul” of Egypt.

I apologize for the quality of the photos, as they were taken with a phone.

Let me start with the fact that the DUTY FREE duty-free store at Sharma airport, so dear to the heart of a person of any nationality (not only Russian, according to my observations), is significantly smaller than a similar store at Hurghada airport, in Egypt.

Moreover, he also turned out to be expensive Khurgadinsky. The difference in prices for a bottle of cognac (for example) was an average of $10. And the chips (I wanted to nibble on the plane) cost 2 times more than in the city itself. Also, the packaging is 2 times smaller than those sold in the city. This is downright amazing when it comes to duty free shopping.
However, if you compare prices in our supermarkets and alcohol stores (for elite alcohol), it still turns out to be much cheaper than in stores in the Russian Federation. The more expensive the product itself, the more noticeable the difference. For example, the price for a liter of Remy Martin cognac in gift packaging (which increases its cost, of course) is approximately 1.5 times less than for the same (exactly the same) bottle in the OKEY hypermarket.

Naturally, prices are fixed, bargaining is inappropriate. The price tag, by the way, is in dollars. the assortment was even somewhat meager in my opinion.

The alcohol department (which also sells sweets, chocolate and halva) is separated from the perfume and cosmetics department (unlike our Duty Free in Pulkovo). These are 2 different stores, with different cash registers.

I also tried to shop at the perfume and cosmetics store, but it didn’t work out. The assortment is certainly decent, but there was simply not much that I was used to using and would like to purchase. Much of it raised strong doubts about the quality and shelf life, as well as proper storage.
For example, so dirty, worn out and falling apart boxes with sets of fragrances (such travel sets of miniatures, which I really love and sometimes collect) and sets of decorative items (also travel sets... or sets of 2-3 lipsticks or eyeshadows) - I have never seen it anywhere. I’m scared to even think how many years they’ve been there since they look like that. And under what conditions... I completely lost the desire to buy, but I was afraid of Egyptian fragrances in general - because their quality could also turn out to be Turkish-Egyptian or something else, which they sell around the city on trays for 10 dollars a 50-100 ml bottle.

In general, I didn’t take any risks. Moreover, nothing particularly outstanding was observed. There were no new collections. The decorative display stands are very old and dusty; they have not been cleaned for a very long time. There are gaping holes in the places where the product should have been, and there are a lot of them. That is, half of the in-demand products are simply not available and are not even available in testers. In particular, this was the stand of “Guerlain” and “Lancome”. The rest were only marginally better.

There is also a small counter with clocks. Everything is also mixed together - ancient collections along with more recent ones. It’s hard to say to what extent there are fresh models of famous watches there, everything is mixed up. Moreover, I saw similar items with the same high-profile brands in Sharma itself, and these were copies, at prices starting from $15. I don’t know how anyone, some unconditionally trust the fact that this is DUTY FREE and do not doubt the authenticity... About Egypt, I don’t have such confidence, especially when I see a picture of a product lying on the counter that costs less in the city than in "Duty Free" (I'm talking about chips, halva and other products, as well as souvenirs...
Alcohol (elite) in bottles is not sold in the city.

In general, if you don’t go into thoughts about the differences between all DUTY FREE in all countries, but compare only with Egypt and in particular with Hurgadinsk (I know that “duty” in quite detail), then the “duty” in Sharm really evokes sadness, although you can profit from something, but somehow without much joy and choice.

Although it is quite possible to get hold of banal gin, whiskey, and common well-known cognacs. The Hurghada Duty Free also has a selection of sunglasses from high-profile brands, some bags and leather goods (wallets, belts), and a collection of accessories (also branded). In Sharm there is no trace of this, only alcoholic products along with souvenirs (one department) and perfumery and cosmetics (another department), and, well, watches.

In general, for those who were not in the know, I advise you not to place too much hope on this “drink”... Well... unless you are interested in something other than cognac.

Oh yes... glasses, by the way, are sold at the airport. There are only a few models (very small selection), but this is no longer a DUTY FREE store. It was just a store, something like a simple stall. The products are beautiful, they are all big brands, there is no choice at all. But they don't look like a fake. It's off to the side, sort of located in a corner, separate from Duty Free, and of course at the same price as ours.
There, to the side, there are shops with silverware. Ugly, crude products, exactly the same in the city... this is also NOT “duty free” and not duty-free trade. These are just shops. The products, like almost all Egyptian ones, are of low quality and sloppy. Aesthetically not attractive... but the taste and color - depending on your taste.

The last time I visited this store was the end of November 2012. The last 2 photos show Sharm el-Sheikh airport itself.

Duty free is a chain of stores around the globe, and in Egypt in particular. The main feature of establishments of this type is that they are located right at the intersection state border, that is, on neutral territory. Most often they can be found in international terminals air harbors, as well as on sea or passenger aircraft.

Due to the fact that duty-free shops are located at the border, all goods sold there are not subject to any customs duties, excise duties or taxes. This makes it possible to sell them at a price significantly lower than in conventional retail outlets. Here you can buy tobacco products, alcoholic drinks, clothing, cosmetics, perfumes and souvenirs.

Duty free in Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada

IN city ​​of Sharm el-Sheikh there are two duty-free shops - at the international airport and in mall, located in the Naama Bay area. Hurghada has four such stores - in the arrivals hall and in the departure area of ​​the international airport, on Village Road (on the ground floor there is a huge selection of tobacco products and alcohol, on the second floor you can buy good cosmetics and perfumes) and on the facade of the hotel Sea Gull 4*.

Assortment and prices

Tourists flying to Egypt from Russia and the CIS countries focus primarily on cigarettes and alcoholic beverages - these are the purchases on which you can save the most. In addition, in duty-free stores you often find very high-quality goods that cannot be bought in our country, especially at such low prices.

In addition to tobacco and alcohol products, it is very profitable to buy cosmetics and perfumes in duty-free - you can save up to 30% on them compared to prices in large chain stores. Here you can also find something that will never be sold in Russia and neighboring countries. There is one more plus - in duty-free you can often buy so-called travel sets - sets of several types of cosmetics packaged in samples. By purchasing a travel set, every girl can afford luxury cosmetics at a minimal price.

You can save about 15% on jewelry sold in Egyptian duty-free. The final price depends on the city in which you want to buy the product, the design and the manufacturer.

Duty-free stores in Egypt provide the opportunity to purchase various goods at a reduced price. But it is important to remember one rule - even taking into account all the cost reductions, goods in a city duty-free store will cost much less than in a similar store, but on the territory of the airport. When purchasing, pay attention to the price tags - on some the cost is indicated in dollars, and on others - in euros.

If we compare duty-free stores in Moscow and Egypt, then in Moscow prices are generally higher, and the choice is greater than that offered by duty-free stores in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, but this only applies to cosmetics and perfume products. As for alcohol and cigarettes, prices are lower and there is more choice, just like in duty-free in Egypt.

Can you tell me where the prices are better? Will it be possible to visit a detik in Sharm immediately upon arrival???

11 years ago 7 subscribers 14 replies

Best answer

Arrived on February 15 from Egypt.... visited 2 duty free in Borispol and in Sharm el-Sheikh.... and saw that in Sharm the prices are 2 times higher than in Kiev... I bought myself perfume, alcohol, sweets in Boryspil duty free and upon departure I saw that the charm had everything that I bought for 15-20 dollars. more expensive.... Next...

Good afternoon Tell me, upon arrival in Sharm, is it now possible to get into DUTY FREE at the airport? and how? How many times have I flown, I noticed that it is only available for those flying back. but I saw that our people were returning to the bus with purchases. tell me who was there recently. Thank you

9 years ago 9 subscribers 11 replies

Best answer

Some kind of strange DF... I walked in, there were 3 Arabs sitting there looking like they were doing you a favor. The choice is small and quite expensive. I wanted to buy local rum from the cheap one)) - it would be interesting to try. I paid in dollars, of course, but he said no change - ok? Instead of 1 dollar, he offered his 1 pound! I was sick of all this, I returned their stinking rum, turned and left. On departure there is a DF - also specific (empty, trial bottles of perfume, dirty cosmetics) The choice is small. The prices are normal. Good DF on departure from Israel (if... More...

Upon arrival in Egypt, is it possible to go to airport duty-free or only on the way back?

7 years ago 7 subscribers 9 replies

Best answer

Upon arrival, there is a small shop where they often buy whole packages of German beer and it’s not expensive. But upon arrival there is little time, and somehow everyone forgets in the bustle - the hassle of going through customs, immigration, buses, etc.. You just want to get to the sea as quickly as possible. Further...

Good afternoon! I would like to know how the information I have seen on various sites about the possibility of purchasing alcohol in the city Dute free within 24 (or 48?) hours upon arrival in Sharm is implemented in practice: we will probably stop at Shark's Bay, -tell me where this store is located, how much a taxi costs to get to it, and are there any restrictions when purchasing? I’m also interested in how much and what kind of alcohol Egyptians allow into the country without hindrance (info on different portals, again, is contradictory, but in the past year in Eilat, it was unpleasant when they took away 3 Baileys, adjusting it to “strong” alcohol. Since reviews almost unanimously state that drinking local swill is not only disgusting, but also unsafe, I would like to buy a normal product myself right away. Thank you .

7 years ago 5 subscribers 7 replies

Best answer

We bought alcohol in Duty Free in Sharm on Soho (you can visit it within 48 hours). 2 bottles per person. If that’s not enough for you, come back later again (they don’t put any marks). Don’t forget your passport with you. I have cigarettes I bought them both in the second and third weeks of vacation, they sold them, and alcohol only in the first 2 days. In Moscow at Duty Free on departure they took “in moderation”, but there were people who took a lot, and no one had anything in Sharma didn’t take it away. The Egyptians don’t even pay attention to who has “what” and “how much.” Next...

Please tell me the prices in duty in Soho are higher than in Moscow for alcohol and if perfumes and cosmetics? Thanks for the answers

6 years ago 4 subscribers 7 replies

Best answer

Buy everything in Moscow. Duty in Soho is if you need to buy something in the first 2 days. The selection is small and alcohol, perfume and cigarettes. And the store itself is small. Prices are the same as in Moscow. When leaving at Sharma airport, prices for alcohol is much higher. About cosmetics....-in Moscow. Further...

I read in reviews that Sharma has dummies in which you can stock up for 3 days from the day of arrival, there are some like this near the hotel, or in general, who has been to one of these, tell me where they are... thank you

8 years ago 5 subscribers 7 replies

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