People of Suez
Suez can easily be visited on a day trip, it's around 100 kms from Cairo, and is quite easy to get around in by car or even on foot. People in Suez are so friendly and more than willing to help with tips and directions. In fact, when I asked for directions to a fish restaurant the man offered to lead me to it, literally, which was just great. One of the things that you notice is that people living in the provinces outside of Cairo are generally more pleasant and helpful. Some attribute that to easier living conditions given Cairos intensity.
Seafood lovers haven:
Suez is considerably cheaper than Cairo; the fish meal we had cost us half of what it would have cost in Cairo or Alexandria. In spite of that we ate in the biggest fish restaurant in Suez, and the most expensive one. They had meals that work for families where you can get by the kilogram of fish, but also individual dishes with a little bit of everything. We highly recommend the plate with a little bit of everything; grilled fish, fried calamari and grilled shrimp. Of course a fish meal wouldnt be complete in Egypt without Tehina, Babaghanough dips and some fresh arabic bread.
We have a saying in Egypt Fish like to swim which means drinks are important with and after seafood. Right underneath the seafood restaurant there is a typical Caf or as Egyptians like to call it, Ahwa. You can go there have some tea, coffee, soda or juice. You can also play dominos or backgammon. The staff is very helpful and friendly.
Pre-war houses
Another interesting sight to see in Suez is the area where the British and French used to live before the war. This area is still preserved until now and is occupied by some families who are living in these houses. The houses all look identical - brown with green windows and all within the same distance from each other. Even the streets are filled with identical palm trees! They are surrounded by modern concrete buildings on both sides and a main street and the seaside on the other ends.
Shopping & Downtown:
Downtown Suez is very interesting to take a walk in. In terms of shopping, there isn't really anything out of the ordinary to shop for. However, it has a socialist feel to it. You hardly see a taxi around, mostly microbuses. Most cars look the same. You don't see the difference in social class as you do in Cairo. It all seems quite standard. Also, there is an amusement park by the seaside on the way to downtown. The safety of the rides cannot be guaranteed but it could be an interesting alternative activity as well.
Swimming and dipping:
Suez is not exactly a beach destination as the water is not fit for swimming. You can smell the petroleum just by getting near the water. However, the city is surrounded by water, which adds the aesthetic pleasure of the scenery. The best thing to probably do in Suez is to sit and watch the ships go by wondering what sort of goods are being transported and reflecting on its importance in Egyptian history. The best place to do this would be near Port Tawfik. You can't enter the actual port without the proper credentials for security reasons but you can sit by the canal just next to it and enjoy the view.
Some history:
At the time of the Israeli occupation of Sinai, Suez was the city on the border, which gave it a huge historical magnitude and major role in the 6th of October war. You can still notice the post war feel from the bullet holes that are still left in the buildings that haven't been fixed till now.