Where to get small dollar bills for tipping in Hurghada, Egypt
Based on 2 discussions with 2 participants · Last activity: 1 day ago
TL;DR
For tips to waiters, bartenders, housekeepers and porters, keep small $1-5-10 bills — exchanging $20 at a time is safer than breaking a $100 bill. Outside official exchange points, rates are often terrible (1:1), so change your main cash into Egyptian pounds at banks or official exchange offices.
What the community said
Exchange rates vary a lot by location: shops and hotel-organized excursions often offer a terrible 1:1 rate. It's smarter to exchange dollars for Egyptian pounds at an official bank or exchange office at the real rate.
1 day ago Official bank exchange rate
For tipping hotel staff — waiters, bartenders, housekeepers, luggage porters — use small bills; they always have change on hand, so even $1 notes work fine.
1 day ago $1-5 bills for tips
It's more convenient to exchange money for tips in small amounts, like $20 at a time, rather than breaking a $100 bill at once — this makes it easier to track tipping expenses.
1 day ago Exchange $20 at a time