Glitz lights hard core clubs, prostitution and drugs, the changing face of Sharm

[JDT]

Bucket and spade tourism and the changing face of Sharm el Sheik.

Having spent many years living in Sharm I have seen it change from a divers Mecca to the now so-called Red Sea Rivera.

Under all the glitz and lights of Sharm there is a darker side emerging. Gone are the days when you could leave your apartment open theft is on the rise. But the biggest change and most worrying change that I have seen is the rapid growth in the prostitution and the growing hard drug culture.

Cannabis has always been around in the Sinai smuggled in by the Bedouins, but the thing that concerns me the most is the rising addiction to hard drugs. Just the other day I was walking home when I passed three used syringes on the street and this is not the first time.

Some weeks ago a body was found the on the out skirts of Sharm, a young Egyptian shot to death allegedly over drugs. Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident.

Glitz lights hard core clubs, prostitution and drugs, the changing face of Sharm
;-(

On the up side I did manage to dive with a tiger and some hammerheads this week !

James

www.mydiveproductions.com

[Houseplant]

it's a shame. i wasn't aware of these problems, but can believe it given the difference i saw between sharm last year and when i first went there in 1998, had a great two weeks though. think LA will be the only way for me now.

[nigelH]

Originally Posted by JDT

On the up side I did manage to dive with a tiger and some hammerheads this week !

Well at least that is something on your list I couldn't promise you in Brighton.

[steveharriss]

Well thats 10.53% of the forum you haven't put off

[JDT]

Its was not my intention to put any one of but rather report the facts objectively

If reporting the facts puts people off so be it !

James

www.mydiveproductions.com

[Loctite]

I'm looking into buying a villa there.

Mmmmm maybe it'll be Hugarda after all

[Janos]

I remember going to the Red Sea five years ago and pretty much everyone on the plane was a diver. I think Diver mag even put a free copy on every other seat.

When I went last year I reckon maybe 5% were divers. Plus in Sharm the sellers assume I am Russian which really annoys me.

Janos

[endoman]

Originally Posted by Janos

I remember going to the Red Sea five years ago and pretty much everyone on the plane was a diver. I think Diver mag even put a free copy on every other seat.

When I went last year I reckon maybe 5% were divers. Plus in Sharm the sellers assume I am Russian which really annoys me.

Janos

I went with a Thomson flight, bought Diver in Manchester Airport, and then there was a free copy on every other seat, gutted! I'd say 5% divers was about right, lots of plonks though. Fortunately I only saw divers all week so all was fine.

[divingdancer]

this is what happens when the 'oik' population discover great dive places......we should have codewords for best unspoilt dive sitesand not yet resorts places.....that way we can keep these places just for the diving community!

any suggestions?

[Janos]

Originally Posted by divingdancer

any suggestions?

I seem to remember that Sharm was referred to as "Hull" for a while on YD. As in "I'm off to Hull for a week"

Janos