Dahab is packed with activities and things to do including a wide variety of water sports, treks, even yoga and dance. This is a guide to the main activities in Dahab.
Dahab has much more wind than other parts of Sinai, making it very popular for wind surfers and kite surfers. Free diving is also very popular in Dahab due to the reef drop offs which are close to the shoreline and easily accessible.
Dahab Activities:
Diving and Snorkeling
There are over 15 dive sites easily accessible in Dahab, all are close to the shore so boats are not required for diving in Dahab. The majority of the sites are also suitable for snorkelers. Dahab is popular for people learning to dive as the shore entry makes it easy for beginners and for introduction dives.
The most beautiful and stunning of the Dahab dive sites are:
The Blue Hole and Eel Bells (North of Dahab centre 8 kilometers)
The Canyon (North of Dahab center 5 kilometers)
The Eel Garden (In the town of Dahab, North of Lighthouse 1 kilometer)
The Lighthouse (In the town centre)
The Islands (South of the town centre 1 kilometer)
Napoleon Reef (South of the Islands 9 Kilometer)
Moray Garden and The Three Pools (South of Dahab 8 Kilometers)
Golden Blocks (South of Dahab 9 kilometers)
The Caves (South of Dahab 15 kilometers)
Gab El Bint (South of Dahab about 15 kilometers), accessible by shore only at low tide, otherwise accessible only by boat).
Currents and Wind
Whilst the dive sites are great for snorkeling and diving at most times of the year, care must be taken. The sites to be careful at and not to attempt to snorkel when there are strong winds and currents are The Canyon, The Eel Garden, The Islands and Napoleon Reef when there is strong winds or strong currents. Also less competent or experienced divers should also avoid these dive sites at these times. Some warning signs have been put up near the entrance points but they are often ignored and lives have been lost. If in doubt you ask local hotel or restaurant owners who are well aware of the dangers and can advise if they it is safe or not.
Wind Surfing
Wind Surfing is a popular as diving in Dahab. Almost all of the Wind Surf centres are based in the bay of the Lagoona, known as Dahab Bay. The area is suitable for beginners and experienced wind surfers. Dahab is becoming famous amongst wind surfers around the world due to the regular wind conditions particularly from Autumn to Spring. Dahab now hosts regular wind surf competitions attracting professional surfers from all over the world.
Kite Surfing
Kite surfing has started also to gain much popularity in Dahab in recent years. There are several kite surf schools and places to hire equipment. For beginners the options are restricted to the small bay at the lagoona, but it is enough of an area for beginners to practice. It has a soft sandy bottom so it is an ideal learning site.
The more experienced kite surfers basically have run of the coast line finding their favourite areas for kite surfing.
Note you must be very experienced at Kite Surfing to ensure you don’t fall on the coral reef. Some of the shallow reef areas can be very dangerous to beginners.
Free Diving
Dahab’s first Free Diving school opened in 2006 and this water sport has also become highly popular in Dahab. The depth of the reef drops and the easy access provide excellent conditions for experienced free divers.
Many competitions are held annually at the Blue Hole which drops to 112 meters. World records have been broken here and many professionals in the field live in Dahab, or are in Dahab for part of the year.
Yoga and Holistic Activities
Many people first visit Dahab to enjoy the quieter and more spiritual side of the area. Many people like to come and practice yoga here and there are many great locations on the beach or custom built yoga studio’s with sea views around town. Classes are generally daily morning or evening and held at a variety of different hotels and venues.
If you are interested in a yoga holiday in Dahab you can contact us and we can provide more information.
Dance Classes
Dahab is rich in culture for its small size and there are several different types of Dance classes to be enjoyed. From ballet, to Oriental Dance to street dance, there are regular classes for anyone who loves to move to the music.
Safari’s, Treks and Tours
Dahab has long been one of the most popular places in South Sinai for organising desert trips, safaris, treks and tours. Due to the proximity of St Catherine and Mount Sinai, as well as the Coloured Canyon and some other amazing desert sites are less than one hours drive from Dahab.
It is possible to do some great mountain treks in Dahab, we recommend using an experienced local guide who knows the area well. From the higher mountains surrounding Dahab are some truly amazing views of the town. Well worth a couple of hours one afternoon or morning to admire the location and see the town from a birds eye view.
There are many trip and tour operators in Dahab, however many are not licensed or approved by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism. All visitors should request the license number from an operator before booking to ensure not only quality of service but also safety. Non licensed safari operators may not have insured vehicles for example.
Bedouina Tours and Travel has been operating in this region for many years and combining our Bedouin knowledge with our long running experience working with tourists in the region we can promise a desert experience or tour not to forget.
For more information about our safaris, treks and tours see our tours section of the website.
Dahab Bedouin Dinner
No trip to Dahab is complete without a delicious Bedouin dinner in the mountains. An evening to relax, admire the stars and enjoy the silence of the desert and the mountains. Bedouina has its own desert camp which is a perfect place for a relaxing evening.
Horse Riding
Horse Riding into the valleys or along the beach to the Lagoona is possible. Their are well managed stables in Dahab that can organise horse riding by the hour. The price is 100le per hour with a reputable stable.
Camel Trek
A camel trek at Sunset to the Lagoona can be an unforgetable experience and a real feeling of being in the Middle East. Or we can organise for you the popular camel trek safari to Ras Abu Gallum. Check our day tours section for more information.
Learn Arabic
Anything is possible in Dahab, even Arabic language holidays next to the Red Sea. There are regular scheduled training courses throughout the year. Or it is possible to find a teacher when you arrive and start to learn.
It is a difficult language to grasp, so a few lessons and some good practice with the locals would help you a lot during your stay in South Sinai or Egypt.
Art and Crafts
There are several artists in Dahab, offering a variety of types of art work. There are regular art displays and exhibitions around the town at various times during the year. There are also several crafts people and artisans living in the town.
Childrens Activities
There are a number of day centres and activity centres for children. The 4 and 5 Star resort hotels all have childrens day centres. Close to Assalah Square their is a childrens day center called Habiba and there are several more around the town. They all offer painting and play activities and are well managed and organised.
Close to the town centre of Dahab their is a new Childrens mini bungy jump called ‘Wild Thing’ which is open most days and provides a it of bounce and fun with amazing views for children 60 kilo’s and under.
Bus Station
Dahab bus station is located in the Dahab City area and it is also not so far from the Lagoona area. To get to most areas of Dahab a taxi is required from the bus station. Depending on your destination expect to pay around 5le for short journey and 10le to the town centre. Prices increase on passenger numbers. These prices are a guide for one person journeys only.
Taxi’s
Dahab has a large number of taxi’s thankfully (unlike in Nuweiba) however the majority of them are unmarked and unlicensed. The licensed taxi’s are white with orange edges but they are very few and far between. The next type of taxi is know as a double cabin, which are four door vehicles with a pick up style back section which is handy for luggage, these types of taxi’s are OK also.
Finally you will also find jeep taxi’s and single cabin pick up taxi’s. Whilst these are mostly safe they are not recommended for tourists by the local authorities (only double cabins and licensed taxi’s are supposed to transport tourists in Dahab), however this is mostly ignored and the majority of the Dahab taxi’s are perfectly fine. They will usually beep when they are ready for customer or shout ‘taxi, taxi’ at you when they are passing. Sometimes they can be very annoying but you get used to them!
Taxi rates are not fixed in Dahab but generally for tourists for a short ride (5 minutes or less) 5le is appreciated. Then by average 1le per minute, so 10le for a 10 minute drive is usually fair and so on. However if you plan to make the driver stop and wait and other detours or shopping stops expect to pay more. If you are unsure of what a fair price should be or you don’t want an argument later agree a price before you step into the car.
The taxi’s also like extra money if they have to drive on non tarmac roads (for example The Lagoona).
