When going on your sharm holidays it’s always best to be well prepared, just in case the worst happens. For some of us when we are ready to go on holiday can’t be bothered to take out Travel Insurance, as we believe we’re not accident prone and therefore are never going to need it; but you should never say “never”, especially when visiting a foreign country.

Taking vaccines when going abroad is solely down to you and not compulsory, but taking them will definitely reduce the risk getting seriously ill and ruining your holiday.

Depending on what country or continent you decide to travel to there are different vaccines available to help protect you while on your holiday, here’s some information about the diseases and the recommended vaccines if you decide to visit the sharm.

Tetanus – It is recommended that you take the tetanus vaccination approximately 3 months prior to your holiday and then get a booster top up every 10 years. This disease can originate from unwashed cuts and scratches that have been contaminated by the Clostridium Tetani bacteria; this disease is also known to affect an individual’s muscles and nervous system.

Diphtheria – If you are from a developed country such as the UK or US, as a youngster you would have had a primary course of this vaccine; but this depends on the country’s health regulations. So it’s best to check whether you are fully vaccinated and protected before you fly. This disease is spread through droplet infection, whereby the Corynebacterium Diphtheriae bacteria is passed from one individual to another by drops of moisture; this can be through through sneezing, coughing or general close contact.

Polio also known as Poliomyelitis – For this vaccine it is likely that you also had this at a young age in 2 courses, the first one between the ages of 3 – 5 years old and a second between the ages of 13 – 18 years old. Polio is spread through contaminated food and water, when infected you are likely to suffer from a headache or core throat, it can also seriously damage an individual’s nervous system.

Typhoid – Vacinnations are normally given to individuals at a young age but like the Polio and Diphtheria shots; check your medical records to see whether you have completed the courses. This is another disease that is easily spread through contaminated food and water and causes Septicaemia, which spreads the bacteria through an individual’s blood stream causing blood poisoning.

Hepatitis A – This disease is also spread through contaminated food and water or by contact of human faeces and close personal contact. It causes an infection in the liver, which then causes inflammation of the live and jaundice (causes a yellowish staining of the skin).

When taking your Sharm el sheikh holidays all you would want to worry about is where you want to go shopping, what Egyptian food you will be enjoying or what attractions you will be exploring; so get your vaccinations out the way and get to enjoy your trip.

When taking your sharm holidays it’s always fun to get involved in the local culture and get a feel of such an amazing holiday destination. Like many countries in Africa there are many celebrations, festivals and event that have been around for centuries and some that have recently been created.

These are some of the popular annual events that are worth discovering and taking part in while on your holidays to Sharm El Sheikh.

Sharm Marathon – This is the Sharm El Sheikh International Half Marathon that’s held on 5 November. The route of the marathon pass through the National Park of Ras Mohamed, runners will pass through various terrains, some ranging from sand to fossilised coral. Runners are also very likely to come across local wildlife such as the Desert Fox and Ospreys. If you decide to get involved make sure you do some research into the requirements for participating in the marathon. For example ask yourself will you be able to run in temperatures as high as 28°C; and there are very strict rules to help protect the park, its inhabitants and runners.

TangoconSharm – If you love dancing, then you will definitely love TangoconSharm, it’s a vibrant and fast charged tango dance festival and it’s an annual event that takes place in November. You get to see performances from top tango professionals, as well get lessons. This festival takes place at the Domina Coral Bay Hotel, Resort, so why not send to the kids to 1 of its 3 children friendly swimming pools and get your dancing shoes on!

International Shopping and Tourism Festival – Every July there is a big festival to celebrate Sharm El Sheikh’s tourism and its amazing shopping experience, the event is primarily aimed at holiday makers and to help boost tourism to the region. You won’t want to miss this as all the shops and outlets offer discounts on practically everything from ranging clothes and jewellery to hotel rooms and tables at restaurants.

Nationala and International Fishing Competition – The National competition takes place in May and the International competition takes place in November. The International competition sees fishermen gather from all over the world to come to Sharm to take part in this annual event. So if you’re into fishing, be sure to get involved as your sharm holidays will not be the complete if you miss out.