Dahab, Red Sea, Egypt

Photos: Jane Morgan Photos: Jane Morgan Photos: Jane Morgan Photos: Jane Morgan Photos: Jane Morgan

DAHAB the golden sands

Pack your BC, beachwear and Birkenstocks and prepare yourself for the warm, relaxed atmosphere at the palm-fringed Egyptian Red Sea diving destination of Dahab. A Bedouin settlement situated on the southeastern coast of the Sinai, Dahab is approximately 100km northwest of the bustling resort of Sharm El Sheikh.

This seriously mellow town has grown considerably since its days as a tiny fishing village, with tourist development increasing year on year. Thankfully, however, the mountains of the Sinai desert, which enfold the area, naturally restrict resort building here. And no matter to what extent the developers muscle in, it is hard to imagine the place ever losing the chill-out spirit ‘Dahabitants’ have nurtured since backpackers marked out Dahab as a must-stop on Sinai’s dusty traveller trail.

Whatever you are looking to get from a trip to Dahab, you can’t help but give in to the virtually horizontal attitude to life here. You can experience luxury in five-star resorts such as the Hilton on Dahab’s lagoon, in your own hammock; backpack from basic lodgings on the Assalah cushion-strewn seafront; or chill out of town and watch the sun rise from the rich blues of the Red Sea and set behind the desert mountains. There are many top eating spots along the main sea front, as well as a good mix of bars where you can party-hard or simply chill until the camels casually saunter home.

DAHAB DIVE SPOTS

There are essentially three types of divers who come to enjoy Dahab’s sites. Trimix tekkies come here to reach the deep diving of the Blue Hole and Canyon; free-divers come to don their mono-fins and Zen-out in the big blue; and the rest come here to simply enjoy hassle-free, current-free shore diving. While it’s rare to find the profusion of big life found in the current-abundant waters to the south in Sharm, Dahab diving has its own rewards.

Its shores offer a rich combination of coral gardens, arches, canyons and caves, with a huge diversity of reef fish, life-encrusted hard corals and a mass of macro subjects to keep photographers attached to their viewfinders.

All of Dahab’s sites are accessed by shore, which means most can be dived at any time of the day depending on wind conditions. It is possible to arrange dayboat dives to the more current-action sites of Gabr El Bint, 30km south of the town and even this site can be reached by jeep and then camel if you prefer to avoid boats.

Most of your diving will involve a short, bumpy hop by jeep to the many natural entry points across the entire stretch of Dahab. Entry points have been clearly marked out and there are plenty of dive site information signs to help orientate you and prevent you from walking on the fragile reef. Onshore winds can make entering some of the sites particularly challenging – however, even in the worst weather there are plenty of sheltered sites to explore.

Blue Hole

One of the most famous dive sites in the world, the Blue Hole has witnessed many world-record diving attempts, drawing crowds of technical deep divers and free-divers from across the globe. Sadly, however, it has also seen many fatalities, with inexperienced divers pushing well beyond their limits in this 300m-plus deep hole.

For recreational divers, the Blue Hole acts as an entry and exit point for the life-encrusted, sloping reef outside. The best way to dive this site is from The Bells site 100m north of the Blue Hole. The dive begins at a small crack in the reef table. You descend directly down an 18m-long narrow chimney, which ends at a small cavern that slopes out at around 28m and leads you into the blue. The reef wall is plastered with life and you will often find fish, such as barracuda, cruising by in the blue. The dive ends at the Blue Hole, which is accessed by crossing the ‘saddle’ at 6m, with extremely colourful hard coral. There is not much life in the Blue Hole itself, which spans approximately 50m-across, but you will have plenty of tank-heavy tekkies and free-divers to peer at as you make your way back to shore.

The Islands

Cruising through the crack of the reef at The Islands is like entering a secret underwater garden. The coral pinnacles scattered across the sandy floor here are like something out of a Roald Dahl story. The condition and colour of the hard coral here is like nothing else in the Sinai. The area is densely covered with hard and soft corals and a multitude of macro inhabitants. No two dives here are the same – look away from the intricate coral structures and at one moment you may see a mass of barracuda, snapper, and triggerfish, and at another you’ll see wrasse and turtles. You may even catch a glimpse of a potato grouper, measuring up to 1.5m-long.

Gabr El Bint

This site is located approximately 30km south of Dahab and can only be reached by boat or camel. Unpredictable and sometimes strong currents along this sheer wall have attracted a vast array of life. The wall starts at depths of around 10–20m, which slope down well beyond 50m. Highlights here include the huge gorgonian fans and forests of soft corals. A wide, sandy lagoon at the top of the reef is home to a variety of macro life, as well as rays and crocodilefish.

The Canyon

The other signature dive site of Dahab is the Canyon, but as with the Blue Hole, it can be crowded. The site takes its name from the long, narrow canyon which runs north to south from the reef to depths of around 50m. You enter the site through a crack in the coral table. The site can be dived in various different ways from north to south, depending on your experience and interests. The classic dive starts from the canyon entrance at around 12m, which is enclosed to 30m and ends at around 50m. Unfortunately, the Canyon has also seen many diver fatalities – again, with inexperienced divers venturing beyond their limits.

To avoid the trails of divers and bubbles streaming out of the Canyon, head left or right and explore the sloping reef wall. If you plan a drift dive, you must have good enough air consumption to reach the exit points, approximately 45–60 minutes away. Always follow the advice of a good local dive guide. Strong winds and high swell make this a difficult entry and exit.

GETTING THERE

The majority of Dahab visitors fly into Sharm International, the closest airport, which is just over an hour’s drive through the stunning, golden granite mountains of the Sinai desert (a more direct road is currently being built to cut transfer times by a third). Visitors who wish to avoid the crowds altogether have the option of flying into Taba airport and travelling two hours south by road.

MEDICAL ATTENTION

Hyperbaric chambers

There are two hyperbaric chambers operating in Dahab, one is government-owned and the other run entirely on voluntary donations. Dahab’s recently opened chamber was set up by Sharm’s chamber director Dr Adel Taher.

Pharmacy

Tourists tend to get charged a much higher price for pharmacy goods than locals. To avoid paying over the odds, ask your hotel or dive centre to arrange for a local to buy what you need.

WHERE TO STAY

There are plenty of accommodation options in Dahab, scattered from north to south along the coastline, with hotels to suit just about every budget and taste. Here is a selection of popular diver spots:

Bedouin Moon

An extremely friendly, three-star hotel, offering basic but comfortable, good-value accommodation. It is home to one of the most established dive centres in Dahab, Reef 2000. With the mountains directly behind and the beach in front, all rooms offer fantastic views. Its pool overlooks Dahab’s coast and the hotel has its own yoga room, which has been built into the mountain. The food here is extremely good value and of a high standard.

Hilton Dahab Resort

At the top end of the hotel market in Dahab, the Hilton has a private beach and top-class restaurants.

Nesima Resort and Dive Centre

Situated in the main hub of Dahab’s beachfront, Nesima Resort and Dive Centre offers basic but comfortable accommodation. Attractively designed, the hotel is made up of a number of small buildings which are linked by alleyways, stairs and small gardens. The beachfront restaurant is famous for cooking the ‘best steak in Dahab’.

Dive Urge hotel and dive centre

A ten-minute walk from the main centre of Dahab, Dive Urge is found in front of the famous Eel Garden dive site. A chalet-style, relaxed hotel in the mid-range price bracket.

Daniela

Like the Bedouin Moon, the Daniela is further out of town towards the Blue Hole. In fact, it is the furthest north of all Dahab’s hotels. The four-star family-run hotel is built in Bedouin-style with large swimming pools, and ocean views from all its rooms.

EATING OUT

The quality of cuisine in Dahab is excellent. You can eat in a different restaurant every night and sample some top meals, with everything from Italian to Indian. Alcoholic drinks are not served at most of Dahab’s restaurants, although wine and beer is available to diners at most hotels.

Dia Pescatori

A top-quality restaurant situated in the town of Assalah, with classy but mellow decor. If you like well-cooked Italian food, this place is a must. Although it’s expensive compared to most restaurants in Dahab, it is still extremely good value, with a three-course meal costing as little as £10–15.

Lakbatita

The décor in this cozy restaurant is best described as Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings meets The Pirates of the Caribbean. You could spend hours checking out all the strange objects scattered around the place, from jars of pickled vegetables to antique clocks. The menu here is mixed, with its speciality being seafood. Tasty meals and friendly service.

El Dorado

Similar to Dia Pescatori in price and quality, Italian-run El Dorado offers beach views and classic Italian dishes. Situated close to the Blue Beach Club.

Nirvana

Cheap, authentic Indian dishes served up in a beachside restaurant. It is worth noting that the word ‘mild’ is unheard of in this establishment.

Carm Inn

This Dutch-owned restaurant in the heart of the beachfront has a relaxed atmosphere, and offers a wide variety of vegetarian options and mix of meat and fish dishes. Extremely good value.

ON THE TOWN

Rush

For a taste of pumping tunes, bongos and dancing, check out Rush on Wednesday and Friday nights. A real Balearic open-air feel, with a large iron dream-catcher gate, which acts as its entrance. The club closes when the last person leaves.

Blue Beach Club
(Furry Cup Bar)

This bar shows all the major sporting events and serves up cheap beer, making it popular during happy hour. It’s a bit smoke-filled, but has an airy conservatory area at the side. Good-quality bar food is available.

Totas

Probably the most garish building in Dahab, this boat-shaped bar attracts the party crowd every night of the week. It is located close to the bridge. Not a place for those who want to chill out quietly.

TOPSIDE ATTRACTIONS

Desert excursions

Many divers who spend a night in the desert often find themselves questioning why they have never done it before. To get the true natural desert experience, it’s best to arrange personal tours with local Bedouins. One Bedouin who has lived in Dahab his whole life, Sweilam Shtewei, offers one to three-day trips to the desert by jeep or by camel. Sweilam is an excellent cook and he is more than happy to share his fascinating stories and vast knowledge of the desert. Trips with Sweilam can be organised through local resident Barbara Gordon by phone on 00 20 10998 7402.

Windsurfing

Windsurfing is the other main pull of Dahab tourism. The wind conditions here are perfect for wind and kite surfers, and Dahab offers perfect sheltered conditions for learners. There are plenty of windsurfing schools based along the lagoon.

Massage

Massages and alternative therapies are on offer all over the town of Dahab. To give yourself a real treat, go along to the Sudanese Spa sessions at the Alf Leila Hotel and Bakery. To book an appointment phone all  00 20 010 693 5669.

Yoga

Yoga is hugely popular in Dahab, with classes being run daily at hotels such as the Bedouin Moon with Barbara Gordon (tel: 00 20 10998 7402).

St Catherine’s

Both Mount Sinai and the world’s oldest monastery, St Catherine’s, are just over an hour’s journey from Dahab. Excursions can be arranged at most hotels.

TOUR OPERATORS

Crusader Travel
020 8744 0474
www.crusadertravel.co.uk

DIVE Channel
0870 880 2848
www.divechannel.co.uk

Geo-dive 020 8755 6873
www.geo-dive.com

Goldenjoy Dive
0871 226 8701
www.goldenjoydive.com

Longwood Holidays
020 8418 2570
www.longwoodholidays.co.uk

Oonasdivers
01323 648924
www.oonasdivers.com

Peltours
0870 774 3000
www.peltours.com

Regal Dive
0870 220 1777
www.regal-diving.co.uk

Werner Lau
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www.wernerlau.com

DAHAB

DIVE CENTRES

Daniela Diving Resort
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www.daniela-diving.com

Emperor Divers
00 20 12 2340995
http://www.emperordivers.com

Fantasea Dive Club
00 20 69 3641373
www.fantaseadiving.net

Fish and Friends
00 20 69 3640 720
www.fishandfriendsdahab.com

Octopus Divers
00 20 10 0325241
www.octopusdivers.net

Orca dive centre
00 20 65 3555850
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Poseidon Divers
00 20 69 3640091
www.poseidondivers.com

Sub-Aqua Dive Centre
00 49 89 38476933
www.subaqua-divecenter.com

Sinai Divers
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www.sinaidivers.com

South Dive Club
00 20 69 3640465
www.southdiveclub.com

Sub Sinai
00 20 69 3641317
www.subsinai.com

Happy Life Village
00 20 10 1781274
www.happylifehotel.com

Reef 2000
00 20 69 3640087
www.reef2000.org