Bodrum

Currency

Spain's official currency is the Euro (EUR). One Euro is dividedinto 100 cents. Money can be exchanged at bureaux de change andmajor hotels, but banks give the best rates. All major credit cardsand travellers cheques are widely accepted at most hotels,restaurants, and shops. ATMs are widespread and are generally thecheapest and most convenient method of obtaining money.

Time

Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October). The Canary Islands: GMT (GMT +1 in summer).

Language

Spanish is the official language, but English is widely understood in areas frequented by tourists. Catalan, Galician and Basque are spoken in the relevant areas.

Climate

Ibiza has an ideal climate for holidaymakers with little rainand average temperatures kept below 86ºF (30ºC) even inmid-summer. Temperatures remain nice in the spring and autumn andeven in winter rarely drop below 50ºF (10ºC), though rainis more likely at this time of year. Water temperatures range from64ºF1 (8ºC) in May to 79ºF (26ºC) in Augustmaking Ibiza ideal for watersports.

Shopping

El Dahar, the old part of Hurghada town, has a traditional Egyptian bazaar with a variety of shops selling tourist souvenirs. Bargaining is expected and prices will generally be better than inthe resort village shops. The best buys are papyrus or traditional'shisha pipes'.

Nightlife

With its growing reputation as a party town 'par excellence', Hurghada boasts a lively nightlife with numerous clubs, discos,pubs and trendy lounges, and a variety of entertainment that includes beach barbeques, karaoke evenings, foam parties anddivers' parties. Popular are Papas Beach Club and Calypso, whileAlf Leila Wa Leila is famous for belly dancing and Arabicfolklore.

Activities

Hurghada is renowned for its variety of watersports that includes sailing, fishing, kitesurfing and windsurfing. Offshore underwater gardens and coral reefs make this an internationally recognised location among divers and snorkellers, and for the less active many hotels offer glass-bottomed boat excursions to admire the corals and marine life. Hotels and resorts also offer water activities such as banana rides, pedal boats and canoeing, as well as trips to the Giftun Island Marine Park. On land there are beautiful beaches, golf courses, horse riding, and desert excursions, which include camel rides, hiking, 4x4 or quad safaris.

Restaurants

Hurghada has a variety of restaurants serving food from aroundthe world, from Indian or French to Thai, Mexican and Japanese. ElDahar (downtown) offers a wide choice of authentic Egyptianeateries, including street stalls and inexpensive restaurants, andfast food chains such as KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonalds are alsoavailable. Most local places don't serve alcohol. Hotels all havetheir own restaurants, which serve up a variety of local andinternational cuisine.