The difference between a hookah and a shisha is probably way too hard to distinguish, especially if you really have no experience with both. Although, there’s no reason to feel shy because not many people can distinguish a hookah from a shisha. So how do you know which is which, and how would you know which one would be better for you?
First of all, if you’ve ever dabbled into any kind of traditional smoking method, then you’ve probably heard of hookah or shisha. Now, there are some people who can barely distinguish the difference between the two, but for those who are just starting out, then it could be pretty confusing.
There is a little bit of historical background in both, the term “hookah” was first used in the Indian subcontinent, and this was where people believed this smoking method was conceived. Then again, the term “shisha” was derived from a particular Persian word, “shīshe,” which means “glass” in English. So basically, these two words are derived from two very different cultures, which means two different things.
Hookah was also widely used in the Middle East, while shisha was a term to describe the water pipe instead of the substance you smoked. So shisha refers only to the glass base of the instrument that you smoke from, but not the actual device.
So how do you correctly call this “substance” in the United States of America?
Basically, if you’re shopping for flavored tobacco, then you can put it in your hookah. Then again, you’ll find the term shisha is most commonly associated with the actual substance and not the water pipe. Shisha comes with various flavors, and we suggest that you try a few of them.
We get how confusing some of these may be, but trust us when we say that you can try both of them. Visit us at Smoke Alley in Houston, Texas, to know more about hookahs and shishas and try some of the most popular flavors around!