Bikinis and Booze are OK in Egypt

Sure, they may be booting sexy men out of Saudi Arabia and banning Speedos in parts of the United Arab Emirates, but Egypt wants to make clear that skimpy swimsuits and alohol are still allowed in that country, Reuters reports.

Egypt’s tourism minister Hisham Zaazou spoke to reporters in the UAE on Sunday in response to calls from radical Salafi Muslim groups to ban alcohol and wearing swimsuits.

“Bikinis are welcome in Egypt and booze is still being served,” he said. “We had talks with these Salafi groups and now they understand the importance of the tourism sector, but still you have some individuals that are not from the leadership saying these things.”

Bikini, Speedo, or business attire, the U.S. state department's LGBT Travelers Page warns that consensual same-sex relations are illegal in Egypt and that penalties—including fines and/or imprisonment—are frequent but rarely reported. Check here for more information.

(Photo courtesy of Flickr user omnia_mutantur)