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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Dumyat
دمياط
Half a day to a full day: walk the Corniche, see the Amr Ibn Al-a'as Mosque, eat domyati cheese and leave. Not a base.
Dumyat (Damietta) is a Nile Delta city where the river meets the Mediterranean. Egyptians come for the beaches and the cheese; travellers use it as a short stop between Cairo and the coast. The old mosques and the Corniche are the main draw, and the city is quiet compared to Alexandria or Port Said.
- Country
- Egypt
- Local name
- دمياط
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowded with Egyptian holidaymakers, hot)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 500–800 excl. bed · Mid EGP 800–1,500 excl. bed · High EGP 1,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (local café) | EGP 15–30 |
| Koshari (street food) | EGP 20–40 |
| Domyati cheese (per kg) | EGP 60–100 |
| Taxi ride within city | EGP 20–50 |
| Ferry to Ras-El-Barr | EGP 5–10 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CAI · Cairo International
- About 3 h by road; check for direct buses or hire a taxi.
Typical fares
- Taxi Cairo → Dumyat
- about EGP 400–600, about 3 h (check)
- Train Cairo → Dumyat
- about EGP 100–150, about 5–6 h (check)
- Ferry Dumyat → Ras-El-Barr
- EGP 5–10 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Taxis and tuk-tuks cover the city; walking works along the Corniche. For Ras-El-Barr, take a local ferry or a short taxi ride.
See and do
Known for
- Domyati cheese
- Amr Ibn Al-a'as Mosque
- Corniche along the Nile
- Ras-El-Barr beach
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ras-El-Barr | Ferry or taxi from Dumyat centre, about 15 min | 20–30 min |
| Port Said | Taxi or microbus, about 1 h | 1–1.5 h |
| Mansoura | Taxi or microbus, about 45 min | 1 h |
Sleep
- Corniche area
- Closest to the river and the main sights; limited mid-range options.
- Ras-El-Barr
- Beach town across the river; popular with Egyptian families in summer.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | بكام؟bi-kam? |
| Delicious | لذيذlaziz |
| Where is the toilet? | فين الحمّام؟fein el-hammam? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer weekends: Ras-El-Barr and the Corniche are packed.
- Train from Cairo takes 5–6 hours; a coach or private taxi is faster (about 3 h).
- Domyati cheese is sold in local shops; ask for a taste before buying.
Quiet and safe for a Delta city. Watch for traffic on main roads; baksheesh is expected for small services.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Dumyat yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Domyati cheese
- Amr Ibn Al-a'as Mosque
- Corniche along the Nile
- Ras-El-Barr beach
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Dumyat, revision 4416760 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4416760
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/dumyat). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.