Dahab, Egypt
Dahab is one of the most attractive beach resorts in South Sinai, located half way between Sharm el Sheikh in the south and Nuweiba in the north. The shoreline here is a fine golden sand which may be the root of its Arabic name: "Gold". It is a relaxed, laid back sort of place - ideal if you want to get away from the more developed resorts further south. There are a good range of hotels and restaurants to suit every budget.
Dahab consists of two bays. El Qura Bay and Ghazala Bay. In the latter one the Bedouin village El Assalah is located. In the seventies and eighties Dahab was a stop along the "hippy trail" and a favourite hangout for young travellers from all over the world. Over the years the area has developed into a tourist centre with camps, motels, restaurants, and bazaars. The newly constructed beach promenade is the core of Dahab's activities, where holidaymakers meet in a lively atmosphere exchanging experiences and travel stories in numerous restaurants and cheap accommodation. The resort has still not quite lost its hippy spirit.
In the southern bay of El Qura is the town centre, and the new hotels are built around the beach below. Even further south near the entrance to the Nature Protectorate of Nabq new hotels are built offering luxury in a most stunning location. Like on much of the Sinai coast, development is spreading out in either direction and an asphalt road now connects Assaleh to the Blue Hole. Along the road more hotels are being established with spectacular coral reefs just in front.
Due to the strong wind, Dahab is an excellent place for water sports and a perfect location for windsurfing. Dahab is famous for its deep dive sites such as the Blue Hole and the Canyon but there are other shallow ones like the Lighthouse.
Dive Sites:
Unlike other Red Sea resorts, all of the diving in Dahab is done from the shore rather than from boats. This is because the drop offs are very close to the shore here, easily accessible, although the seas can often be choppy. Because of the shore diving, some dive operators still operate camping safaris to Dahab which can be very economical.
The Blue Hole
One of the world’s famous dive sites, the Blue Hole is 200m in diameter and plunges deep. It is a dive that needs to be treated seriously - many have lost their lives here, disoriented by narcosis. It has been explored to a depth of 195m but is believed to be deeper than 300m in parts. There is little or no coral of fish life inside the Blue Hole. Quite apart from the abyss itself there is a tunnel leading from the Blue Hole out to the sea at around 56m which has the appearance of a brilliant blue window.
Unless you are a trained technical diver with all the proper equipment and preparation, the dive should concentrate on the outer walls. It normally starts at Bells, following an open crack in the wall down to a small chute that pops out onto the best wall dive north of Ras Mohammed, then exits through the Blue Hole.
The Canyon
Another of Dahab’s world class dive sites. This is a beautiful deep dive that takes you through a fissure in the rocks into a huge cavern under the sea bed. The Canyon is also an incredible night dive, especially with the full moon. Located about 6 km north of Dahab, The Canyon runs North to South from the shallow reef just offshore to depths of around 50m on the reef slope further out. Entry is easily made via a lagoon which brings you out to a gently sloping bed of coral and sand and around 15m. As you go further from the shore the slope turns steeper and turns into a drop off that goes well beyond 65m. Most dives exit at 12m via the "Fishbowl" – so called because of the swirling shoals of glassfish that fill it up. Outside the canyon, the reef has good coral cover but within there is little if any coral growth.
Eel Garden
Named after the colony of eels that populates its sandy slopes. A gentle, shallow dive where schools of Barracuda and many hard and soft coral are encountered.
Abu Helal
Abu Helal means Bay of the Crescent Moon. Beautiful coral formations that roll over gentle hills and have formed amphitheatre shaped valleys abundant in sea life.
The Hutts (Abu Telha)
Exciting topography at 25m, as well as abundant marine life and massive corals in the shallows. Possible to drift dive to Abu Helal. A site often ignored.
The Islands
Another recognised world class dive site. Three underwater coral islands, where you swim through corridors of colour, teeming with fish life. Schools of Yellowtail Barracuda and Twinspot Snapper.
The Lighthouse
Dahab’s first reef, and a beautiful place to learn to dive. Home to many, many species, including the very hard to spot Frog fish.
Desert Divers Bay
The bay just in front of Desert Divers, between Lighthouse and Mashraba reefs. This area is a mix of coral formations and seagrass, perfect for baby and juvenile fish. It's also one of very few areas in Dahab where you find seahorses, and rare ghost pipefish.
Mashraba Reef
To the right of Desert Divers, beyond the nursery and beautiful shallow corals (perfect for a snorkel), you find Mashraba Reef. Some of the finest table corals the area has to offer and teems with life day and night. Excellent night diving.
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Dahab gives a flavour of what the Sinai was like twenty years ago but it is fast becoming developed itself. It is a resort that will suit keen divers and young holidaymakers perhaps more than those looking for an upmarket, sophisticated resort. The proximity to truly world class dive sites and the availability of shore diving are very attractive to hardcore divers, however it is a place where you can also learn to dive. Technical divers will find plenty of sites here to keep them interested.
Diving Dahab by David Dixon
Shore Diving at Nuweiba by Jon Gunns
Training the Kids at Nuweiba by Jon Gunns
Ras Mohammed and Nabq Dive Safari by Paul Geiss
Funky Town
Ships of the Desert
Dog Days in Dahab
Diving in the Desert
Happy Days
Diver Town in Depth
The Cave That Swallowed a Road
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