Many of us dream of a secluded vacation on the ideally golden shore of the blue sea, most of which will be spent on a sunbed not far from a small lurid bar with a sunny red shabby bar, and the soothing lines of the Bob Marley anthem: “No woman, no cry…”. Surprisingly, even in Egypt there are still such oases of peace, harmony and absolute freedom. Freedom from everything. And Dahab, which means “golden”, is guaranteed to become a precious grain of your vacation collection. Lovers of hermitage, water sports and young people who are increasingly paying attention to a secluded resort on the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba, 100 km from Sharm el-Sheikh, will especially rejoice.
Conventionally, the resort can be divided into two parts – a tourist center with a few but good hotels, and a “Bedouin village”, popular with tourists who prefer inexpensive and unpretentious accommodation and national restaurants. See citypopulationreview.com for weather information.
Hotels and campsites
This is probably the only place in Egypt where you can go “savage” without worrying about a preliminary hotel reservation, because modest boarding houses, campsites and small cozy hotels are one of the pleasant worldly joys of this Bedouin village. At Alaska Camp near Rami (1 USD per day) you can even count on a free bike. Individual rooms with air conditioning and amenities can be found for 10-15 USD, and individual boarding houses – for 20-25 USD.
Recently, a small hotel village nearby has grown somewhat. Democracy of life reigns here in everything, and the central embankment, a paradise of cafes and shops, cordially invites a tired traveler to take a nap on the silk sofas of a hookah bar, take a sip of refreshing mango tea and, finally, forget about everyday worries. Beach establishments, a canvas for hand-made creativity of local owners, look very colorful and colorful against the backdrop of a perfectly turquoise sea.
Entertainment and attractions
In addition to water pleasures, Dahab is ready to share its historical and natural wealth. The nearby national parks are a great opportunity to get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the local lands. In Gabr-Il-Bent you can ride on a ship, and on a camel, and on a jeep. If you can’t go anywhere without water, an exotic diving safari will completely fill your “thirst”. Ras Abu Galum Park is a place known for the fantastic scenery of the Sinai mountains, a collection of unique reefs and corals. Walking through the Bedouin villages, meditating on the beaches shimmering with basalt, once again seeing the stunning beauty of the Gulf of Aqaba – this is the little that you can do in a day of staying in this wonderful place.
It is worth making the path of Moses to Jebel Musa – the “place of power”, where he received the tablets of commandments from God. At the foot of the mountain is the Orthodox monastery of St. Catherine, where streams of tourists mix with endless crowds of pilgrims. The monastery has a burning bush, the well of Moses, a church and a mosque. The monastery is closed on Mondays.
If you climb on foot, it will take 3 hours, but you can always use the services of the Bedouins, who are ready to provide a camel at any time. It is better, of course, to go at night – the heat during the day will spoil the impression.
Colored and White canyons are amazing natural sights of Dahab. To see with your own eyes how the sandy giants cast in the sun with all the colors of the rainbow, and then walk barefoot on the soft white sand in order to plunge into the fresh water pool from the underground springs of the Ain Khudra oasis – everything suggests that this excursion deserves your attention. You can be convinced of the existence of settlements that can live without electricity and other joys of progress in the Bedouin village of Ras-a-Satan. A special atmosphere is created by hippie musicians who constantly play drums, jew’s harps and didgeridoos.
- Coast of Dahab
Diving and windsurfing in Dahab
Going to Dahab for a couple of days, knowing about the cheapness of local diving prices, is unforgivable stupidity, so it’s worth having more time in reserve, because here are the best places for diving.
Particularly extreme divers consider it a matter of honor to dive into the Blue Hole (Blue Hole), but this enterprise does not always end well, as evidenced by the monuments nearby. It is a 100 meters deep lagoon surrounded by coral reefs. The formidable rocks of the Arch hang over the seemingly peaceful expanse of turquoise waters. This is the most dangerous diving site in the world. You can get to Blue Hole only by jeeps, taking a taxi here is a utopia. The prices for diving in Dahab are really pleasant: 45 minutes underwater with equipment will cost about 30 USD, and a full PADI Open Water course (2-5 days, 4 dives, certificate) costs 350 USD. The best center is Aqua Mundi Dive Center (10 dives – 240 USD).
Windsurfing is no less popular here, it is not for nothing that many Europeans and Russian tourists reach out to the hot hospitable shores of Dahab to spend the winter on the Red Sea. Ideal for learning lagoon 15 minutes drive from the center. There are Russian instructors in the Lighthouse club (board rental – 50 USD per day, 300 USD per week, instructor – 40 USD / h), which is located at the end of the promenade and in the lagoon, as well as in the Narry Surf surf center, which is in the Ganet hotel Sinai. A five-day course costs 250 USD.
5 things to do in Dahab
- Observe during one of the dives the colony of dancing Eels Garden
- Put your favorite disc in the Rasta Shop, the owner of which will gladly do it.
- Swim in the Three Lagoons (Three Pools), the water temperature of each is significantly different. The lagoons are located about 15 km from Dahab.
- As an experiment, spend the night under the stars on the roof of a cafe, wrapped in a patchwork carpet. It costs 1 USD.
- Buy for 1 EGP bright homemade bracelets made of threads from Bedouin children, which will be a great souvenir for your loved ones.
