EG
Dahab
The Blue Hole & the Bedouin Shore
The Blue Hole & the Bedouin Shore
The Blue Hole is a 130m-deep circular shaft in the reef 7km north of Dahab — the world’s most famous freediving site, where the 56m Arch passage between the hole and the open sea has claimed over 200 lives. For snorkellers, the view into the Blue Hole from the rim (3–8m depth) is one of the most dramatic in the Red Sea. Scuba diving to the top of the Arch (26m) is permitted for certified divers.
💡 The Blue Hole at 7am (LE 25 entry; 7km north by taxi LE 30–40) — the vertical light into the 130m shaft is at its finest in the early morning before the Sharm dive boats arrive at 9am.
The Mashraba is Dahab’s pedestrian waterfront promenade — 2km of wooden-platform beach restaurants, Bedouin tea houses, dive shops, and seafood cafes, all connected by a sandy path with no cars and no concrete. The finest stretch of any Red Sea village seafront, best walked from the Blue Lagoon in the south to the northern end at dawn.
💡 The Lighthouse dive site (shore entry; 3–25m; before 6am when the dive schools arrive) has the finest reef fish diversity in the Gulf of Aqaba — blue-spotted stingrays, mantis shrimp, and pipefish at 12m.
The Sinai mountains behind Dahab (Jebel Barqa, 1,279m; Jebel el-Ahmar) are the finest half-day trekking in the Sinai Peninsula — the ridgelines give simultaneous views of the Gulf of Aqaba, the Red Sea, and the Saudi mountains. All walks require a Bedouin guide, available at the Mashraba tea houses.
💡 Jebel Barqa trail (Bedouin guide; LE 100–150; 7km round trip; 3–4h) gives a simultaneous view of the Gulf of Aqaba, the Red Sea, and Saudi Arabia across the water. Start by 6am.
The Blue Lagoon kite-surfing spot (2km south of the Mashraba) has the finest combination of consistent north wind and flat shallow water in the Middle East — the IKO-certified kite schools offer 3-day beginner courses (LE 2,500–3,500) on the lagoon where depths of 1–2m and a sandy bottom make learning safe.
💡 The Mashraba waterfront at dawn (the wooden-platform restaurants setting up; the divers heading to shore sites; the Sinai mountains turning red) is the finest free hour in Dahab.
Dahab has the most informal and the most international food scene of any Egyptian town: the seafront restaurants (the cushion mat tables overhanging the Gulf of Aqaba; EGP 50–150 for a full meal; the grilled fish — the Red Sea catch of the day; the hammour; the emperor fish; the most specific seafront meal in Egypt — eaten barefoot on the water with the Saudi mountains across the gulf), the falafel sandwich (EGP 10–20 from any of the Mashraba village stalls; the most common Dahab street food; the 7am falafel before the morning dive is the specific Dahab breakfast), the hummus and the mezze (the Lebanese-influenced mezze at the better seafront restaurants; EGP 40–80 for the full spread), the fresh juice (the mango-banana; the guava; the mixed tropical; EGP 15–25 from the juice bars on the Mashraba seafront), the Bedouin tea (the sweet black tea with the mint or the sage in the small glass; EGP 5–10 from any Bedouin camp or wadi guide; the most specifically Sinai refreshment), and the Aladin restaurant (the most celebrated long-running restaurant on the Dahab seafront; the candlelit cushion tables on the water; the grilled fish; the pasta; EGP 80–150 pp; the first table to arrive at for the sunset position).
Dahab is a town that is meant to be walked: the entire seafront from the Mashraba to the Lagoon is 2km and takes 25 min at the Dahab pace (the deliberate slowness; the stop for the mint tea; the conversation at the dive centre; the pause at the Blue Hole turn-off sign). The bicycle (EGP 30–60/day from the guesthouse front desks; the road to the Blue Hole 8km north is flat, well-surfaced, and has almost no traffic before 10am; the bicycle is the correct Blue Hole transport; lock the bicycle at the Blue Hole camp while diving or snorkelling) is the recommended range-extender. The shared pick-up truck (the local shared transport; the driver picks up passengers along the main road; EGP 5–15 per person depending on distance; wave one down on the main Dahab road) is the cheapest option. There is no public bus within Dahab.
The Blue Hole (7km north; LE 25 entry; the 130m circular shaft; snorkelling permitted on the rim) is most atmospheric at 7am before the dive boats arrive from Sharm &mdash.
The Lighthouse dive site (in front of the Mashraba; shore entry; 3–25m; all certification levels) is the finest shore-entry dive in Dahab &mdash.
The Jebel Barqa trail (7km round trip; 3–4h; guide from any Bedouin tent in the old quarter; LE 100–150) gives the finest view of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Saudi mountains across the water.
Dahab’s Blue Lagoon (2km south of the Mashraba) is the finest kite-surfing spot in the Middle East &mdash.
Wadi Gnai (12km north of Dahab; 4WD to the wadi entrance; 3h walk through the canyon to the coast; guide essential; LE 150–200) is the finest half-day desert walk in the Sinai &mdash.
The Canyon dive site (3km north; shore entry; 26–30m average; PADI Advanced minimum) descends through a narrow canyon entrance at 18m into a bowl at 30m, then exits along a reef wall at 12m.
Year-round destination. Sep–Nov is the finest (26–28°C water; best visibility; fewest tourists). Mar–May has the best kite and windsurfing conditions. Dec–Feb is the long-term backpacker peak. Jul–Aug is the hottest and most crowded.
Three days: Blue Hole diving and snorkelling, the Canyon dive, the Wadi Gnai morning walk, the Lagoon kite lesson, and the seafront sunset ritual every evening.
Blue Hole at 7am (the vertical light into the 130m shaft; snorkelling on the rim). Lighthouse dive site or Canyon dive in the afternoon. Mashraba seafront for dinner at sunset.
💡 Dahab is the most relaxed destination in Egypt — the lack of cars on the Mashraba, the walkable village, and the shore diving (no boat needed) make it the easiest Red Sea base. 3 nights minimum.
Jebel Barqa mountain trek (6am start; Bedouin guide; 3–4h; the Gulf of Aqaba panorama). Return to the Mashraba for the afternoon. Kite lesson or wadi walk in the late afternoon.
💡 The Canyon dive requires PADI Advanced minimum — the Dahab dive schools offer the Advanced course in the Canyon itself (2 days; LE 800–1,000) using the site as the deep dive training location.
Ras Abu Galum day trip (18km north by camel or 4WD; the finest undeveloped snorkelling in the Sinai; Bedouin tea at the settlement). Return to Dahab by sunset.
💡 Dahab to Sharm takes 1h by taxi (LE 200–280) or 1.5h by bus (LE 30–40 from the Dahab bus station near the lagoon) — the bus is the local way and departs regularly from 7am.
Dahab is the most affordable dive destination in Egypt and one of the most affordable in the world. The PADI Open Water (EGP 3,000–5,000) and the daily dive (EGP 400–800) are the main costs; the food and accommodation are extremely cheap. Per person per day.
The PADI Open Water course (EGP 3,000–5,000; 3–4 days; the internationally permanent qualification; conducted in the 24°C crystal-clear Gulf of Aqaba; the cheapest PADI certification in the world at a world-class reef) is.
The daily 2-dive package (the morning Blue Hole dive + the afternoon Canyon shore dive)
The PADI Technical diving path (Tec 40 + Tec 50 courses; EGP 8,000–20,000 for the full technical certification; the prerequisites to safely attempt the Blue Hole arch at 56m; the only legitimate route to the arch; Dahab’s technical)
Dahab dive shop locator and PADI certification verification — use to find Dahab’s 30+ registered dive centres.
Free
DAN Divers Alert Network emergency app — the Sharm recompression chamber is 100km south; response time matters.
Free
Windfinder for Gulf of Aqaba wind forecasting — essential for kite-surfing session planning.
Free
Dahab restaurant and beach camp discovery with Mashraba waterfront and Blue Lagoon filtering.
Free
Sinai trek guide booking and Colored Canyon 4WD tour reservation from Dahab.
Free
Download the Dahab and Blue Hole offline map before arrival — the road to the Blue Hole has no mobile signal.
Free
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