While walking is fine for getting around Ed-Dahar, transport is needed to reach Sigala or anywhere further south. Locals rely on private minibuses , which run from the centraal telephone exchange on Tariq en-Nasr out to Sigala (50pt), the Sheraton (£E1) and as far south as the Jasmin Village (£E5), 21km away. Running from 7am to 11pm, at virtually one-minute intervals for most of the day, they can be flagged down at any point along their route.

 

Alternatively, private taxis are happy to oblige. Expect to pay £E5-10 for a ride in Ed-Dahar, £E10 to Sigala or the Sheraton, and £E15-30 to the holiday villages further out. The cost is bound to increase once the last minibus has gone - long before the discos close. Should you need to rent a taxi for the day, £E120 seems to be the going rate for five or six hours, assuming that you don't drive any further than Port Safaga.

Some tourists scoot around on rented bicycles , which are OK in town if you can handle the traffic but are not up to trips down the coastal highway, which is often buffeted by strong crosswinds. There are lots of places around the bazaar renting bikes for £E10-20 per day; rates in Sigala are slightly higher. To really get around you could rent a car. Local car rental firms have lower prices than the bigger firms, but their deals tend to be for limited mileage on poorly maintained cars.

If you're into posing, El Hanouf, in front of the Marriott, and Seti First Travel near Shedwan Beach both rent out US Hummers, with drivers, for expeditions into the desert.