This is Part 2 of the series “Middle East 2024” which took place in Alexandria in November 2024.

Entering Egypt

With the in-flight entertainment apparently not working, I managed to catch some rest on my flydubai flight to Borg El Arab International Airport which is around an hour outside of Alexandria. Alexandria is my first stop of my solo trip to Egypt.

After deplaning before immigration, it was straightforward to get the visa sticker for US$25 (seemed to be cash only) at the visa-on-arrival counter. I also changed some USD where I got a thick wad of Egyptian pounds. Frankly, there is no need to change so much as there are quite a lot of ATMs in the cities which don’t charge any ATM fees. Perfect for withdrawing many times with YouTrip as long as the total monthly amount withdrawn is less than S$400.

I just passed the visa sticker to immigration and proceeded to baggage collection uneventfully. While waiting for my luggage, I got a physical SIM card from the Etisalat counter (aka e&) with 25GB of data for 457.98 EGP which I used card to pay. We then had to clear security before reaching arrivals. It was thankfully a quick and fuss-free process.

Getting to the city centre

I avoided all the taxi touts outside arrivals and waited in a sheltered waiting area as I had booked my Uber. I selected card but my Uber driver asked me to pay in cash. To ensure safety and that everything happens through the app, I cancelled the ride and then booked the cash option. I still got him as my driver. The ride was thankfully smooth-sailing and I safely reached my hotel at around midnight.

How does ride-hailing work in Egypt?

There are several ride-hailing apps available in Egypt such as Uber, Careem and InDrive. Uber is not available in Luxor and Aswan. I personally did not end up using Careem or InDrive. The ride-hailing experience was generally safe and reliable where drivers did not overcharge (other than not giving change).

I try to use card whenever I can (think of the sweet 4mpd!) but it seems that when taking the Uber in Alexandria, one should opt for cash. Using card was okay in Cairo though.

Furthermore, in Egypt, it’s best to pay with exact change, the drivers often somehow don’t have change (despite insisting on cash payments!). You can raise a request in the Uber app to get back your change in Uber Cash. Sometimes, honest drivers who don’t have small change will give you back your change through Uber Cash.

The Ubers that I took all had their windows open, even Comfort, which may get dusty with fumes from the streets. Those who are more sensitive to dust should consider booking a driver with a more premium air-conditioned vehicle.

Miramar Boutique Hotel

I booked this hotel along the Corniche as it looked like it had the fewest poor reviews while still being accessible.

The entrance of the building was actually at the small lane beside it which was a little scary at night since it was dark. Another tourist taught me how to use the lift where we need to somehow push a few doors. The reception was thankfully working round the clock so I could check into my room quickly.

The room was clean and comfortable with a hot shower that I really needed. The only issue was that my mobile data somehow couldn’t work in the room so I had to connect to their Wi-Fi. I had a really good sleep, was probably drained from the flights and my overnight stay at the desert.

Starting the day along the Corniche

This was my one-day itinerary around Alexandria which I started at 9:20am (or maybe 11:30am if we count the start as Catacombs) and ended at around 4:30pm. I took Uber everywhere where the time spent waiting for the Uber and in the jam added up. Maybe I should have asked last night’s Uber driver to be my dedicated driver.

I started my only day in Alexandria by taking a stroll down the Corniche. Watching the waves crash on the rocks with everybody going about their own day was so calming. There were some young men who took photos for 20 EGP per photo. The price is negotiable so pay what you’re comfortable with! As a solo traveller, I could only take selfies so I didn’t really mind paying for photos as long as the prices aren’t too outrageous. 

I had brunch at Murano that had great views of the sea and spent more time than expected just relaxing. This was my only meal in Egypt, I wished I tried the seafood too. Sometimes, we just need to take things easy, if not can it be called a vacation?

Purchasing attraction tickets in Egypt

Tickets to the various attractions across Egypt can only be purchased using Visa or Mastercard. (your mileage may vary for cash). You can either purchase them physically on the spot or online at Egymonuments.com (it’s legit!) where you will receive the tickets via e-mail. Personally, I bought most of my tickets online to skip the queues. It would have been nice to hold physical tickets as mementos though.

Do note that such payments code as MCC 9399 (Government Services) so you will not receive credit card points on almost all cards. Previously, since there were no rewards, I used those cards with low FX fees for such transactions. Well, you can earn some miles now!

How do I get miles with such usually-excluded transactions?

For Singapore readers, good news! You can earn miles on all transactions (yes, even usually excluded ones like government services, insurance and education) except quasi-cash or e-wallet top-ups. The FX rate is also similar to those low-FX cards.

Apply for the Chocolate Finance debit card linked to HeyMax to get 2 Max miles per S$1, up to S$1,000 per month (0.4 mpd after that)!

These are the steps:

1. Link your Chocolate Finance Visa debit card to HeyMax to enjoy 2mpd! You can also see the MCC of each transaction on HeyMax.
2. Sign up for HeyMax using this link where you can shop through HeyMax to get Max Miles and see which is the best card to use for different transactions.
3. Sign up for Chocolate Finance using this link where you can top up the account to earn some interest as well as to apply for the Visa debit card.

Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa

The Uber ride from the Corniche took almost half an hour. This burial site is essentially a blend of Pharaonic and Graeco-Roman styles from the 2nd century. It was rediscovered in 1900 when a donkey fell into the access shaft.

The spiral staircase that was carved directly into the bedrock connects the sunny ground to the three levels. It honestly did not feel as mysterious due to the lights in the catacombs. There were many interconnected rooms and corridors which felt like a labyrinth with some areas having no other tourists in sight!

I spent around an hour walking around the premises which included the catacombs and the other areas above-ground such as Tigran Tomb. The slideshow of photos with captions explains more.

Serapeum of Alexandria & Pompey’s Pillar

My walk from the Catacombs to Serapeum took less than 10 minutes where I got to see how people lived their lives. There were some pesky boys whom a few older men helped to shoo away. The kids there can be scary.

As the Serapeum was destroyed and plundered, it is mainly ruins with the main attraction being the towering Pompey’s Pillar. The column was covered in scaffolding. It must have looked really grand when it was first built.

I spent half an hour walking around the complex and went underground too.

Anfushi Tombs

The Uber ride was half the distance of that of Corniche to the Catacombs but still took as long due to the terrible traffic. There was no other tourist at the site.

There are five interconnected tombs carved out of limestone rock where we can see Graeco-Roman influences. Some of the tombs were closed. You will need quite a lot of imagination to imagine how it was like millennia ago. 15 minutes would suffice for this attraction which I only visited because it was between the Catacombs and Citadel of Qaitbay.

Citadel of Qaitbay

I had seen the sites pertaining to the Graeco-Roman period of Egyptian period. I then visited the sites built during the Islamic period. The citadel was built in the 15th century to defend Alexandria from the Ottoman Empire. The Lighthouse of Alexandria (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) used to be here.

On my way to the citadel, a tout approached me to go on a boat ride which I paid 100 EGP for. It helped that there was already a local family on the boat so we could start immediately. Most people enjoy the view of the sea from the citadel but I could enjoy the view of the citadel from the sea! The boat ride took around 20 minutes and was a good break from rushing from site to site.

This place is best for the views of the city and the sea, I would have stayed to watch the sunset.

Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque

My last stop was Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque which was built in 1307 over the shrine of the eponymous Sufi mystic and extensively rebuilt by Italian architect Mario Rossi in the 20th century. It was a 10-minute walk from Citadel of Qaitbay. It was a really quick visit.

Rushing to Cairo International Airport

I wanted to visit the modern version of the Great Library of Alexandria. but it was already 4pm and I had to rush to Cairo to catch my 10pm flight to Aswan. I rushed back to the hotel to collect my luggage and then booked an Uber to Cairo International Airport. The first driver did not want to fetch me as I selected card and he said the ride was too long (won’t he know this beforehand though?). Thankfully, the second driver picked me up without any comment.

I paid 2,031 EGP plus some tips for the driver who had to drive 243km for 3 hours. For Singapore readers, this is essentially a ride from Singapore to Melaka! The check-in for the EgyptAir flight to Aswan thankfully did not take long. I was allocated to an emergency exit row seat which was a nice touch.

Epilogue

Alexandria was a great first stop for my trip and is my favourite city in Egypt. In retrospect, I wished that I booked the early morning flight from Cairo instead so that I could at least spend the evening in Alexandria.

I can imagine spending all day walking along the Corniche, reading a book in Bibliotheca Alexandrina and having some seafood. I hope to visit again in future in a much more leisurely fashion, perhaps with a friend where we can just stroll down the streets and take the tram.