Dahab Activities

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 windsurfers 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 Snorkelling

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 introductory dives.

The most beautiful of the Dahab dive sites are:

The Blue Hole and Eel Bells (North of Dahab centre, 8 kilometres)

The Canyon (North of Dahab centre, 5 kilometres)

The Eel Garden (In the town of Dahab, North of Lighthouse 1 kilometre)

The Lighthouse (In the town centre)

The Islands (South of the town centre, 1 kilometre)

Napoleon Reef (South of the Islands, 9 Kilometres)

Moray Garden and The Three Pools (South of Dahab, 8 Kilometres)

Golden Blocks (South of Dahab, 9 kilometres)

The Caves (South of Dahab, 15 kilometres)

Gab El Bint (South of Dahab, about 15 kilometres), accessible by shore only at low tide, otherwise accessible only by boat.

Currents and Wind                                                                                

Whilst the dive sites are great for snorkelling 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 are strong winds or strong currents.

Also, less competent or experienced divers should 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 can ask local hotel or restaurant owners who are well aware of the dangers and can advise if 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 windsurfers. Dahab is becoming famous amongst windsurfers around the world due to the regular wind conditions, particularly from Autumn to Spring.

Dahab now hosts regular windsurf competitions attracting professional surfers from all over the world.

Kite Surfing

Kite surfing has also started to gain much popularity in Dahab in recent years. There are several kite surfing 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 a run of the coastline, 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 provides 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 studios 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.

Safaris, 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, they are less than an hour’s 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 bird’s 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 the 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.

There 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 unforgettable 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 regularly 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 artwork.

There are regular art displays and exhibitions around the town at various times during the year.

There are also several craftspeople and artisans living in the town.

Childrens Activities

There are several day centres and activity centres for children. The 4 and 5 Star resort hotels all have children’s day centres. 

Close to Assalah Square, there is a children’s day centre 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, there is a new children’s mini bungee jump called ‘Wild Thing’ which is open most days and provides a bit of bounce and fun with amazing views for children 60 kilos 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 a short journey and 10LE to the town centre.

Prices increase with passenger numbers. These prices are a guide for one-person journeys only.

Taxis

Dahab has a large number of taxi’s thankfully (unlike in Nuweiba); however, the majority of them are unmarked and unlicensed. The licensed taxis are white with orange edges, but they are very few and far between.

The next type of taxi is known as a double cabin, which is are four-door vehicle with a pick-up style back section, which is handy for luggage. These types of taxis are OK too.

Finally, you will also find jeep taxis and single-cabin pick-up taxis.

Whilst these are mostly safe, they are not recommended for tourists by the local authorities (only double cabins and licensed taxis are supposed to transport tourists in Dahab); however, this is mostly ignored, and the majority of the Dahab taxis are perfectly fine.

They will usually beep when they are ready for a 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 an average of 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 take 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 on a price before you step into the car.

The taxis also like extra money if they have to drive on non-tarmac roads (for example, The Lagoona).