Dahab
is the Arabic word for gold and the town takes its name from the color
of gold beaches. A combination of sand, beautiful blue water, and a
strip of lush palm trees is what attracts tourists to this picturesque
village en masse. Dahab, an oasis in the desert is a place where tourists
can indulge in the hot sun, lie on the soft sultry sand on Dahab’s
beaches or swimming to their heart’s content. A famous top diving
destination, Dahab offers excellent opportunities for diving to discover
the colorful underwater world of the Red Sea. Dahab, while maintaining
its charm of ethnicity, has all modern facilities necessary for a comfortable
stay. Dahab is divided into two sections: Assalah, a Bedouin village
and Dahab City. It is a backpacker 's paradise too .
LOCATION
Dahab, a former Bedouin village of fishermen, is a small village located
on the southeast coast of the Sinai peninsula.
HOW TO REACH
Dahab is located at a distance of 90 km from the Sharm El Sheikh international
airport which is an hour and a half by taxi or bus.
Things to do
Water sports
Dahab is famous all over the World for its windsurfing. Providing
reliable winds there is a dish of water in Dahab’s sand spit.
Beyond the sand spit, wavy conditions coupled with strong winds provide
excellent conditions for surfers alive. There are also opportunities
galore for scuba diving and snorkeling, with many coral reefs immediately
adjacent to the water front hotels.
Camel Safaris diving
Contrary to what its name suggests, it doesn’t 't mean that
one dives with camels, but rather that camels are used as transport
to reach remote unspoiled dive sites which cannot be reached otherwise.
Camel diving safaris are a specialty in Dahab and are an experience
not to be missed. These safaris, organized mainly by Bedouins, are
very comfortable and everything is loaded onto the back of these robust
animals, including tanks, weight belts, kit, and on overnight trips,
even a portable compressor. Most of these sites are immersed in a
protected area.
The places of interest
The Blue Hole
An internationally renowned dive site, the Blue Hole is a submarine
Pothole (a cave) with ~ 50 m wide and 100 meters deep which is wide
open and just under water. The hole itself and its surroundings have
an abundance of coral and reef fish. A haven for those seeking excitement,
the place is often teeming with bulls and reef sharks.
Assalah
Assalah, a charming village of Bedouins, with its thatched beach cafes,
colorful markets and tasseled parade of camels and white-robed Bedouin,
is an ideal place for tourists to explore. Nestled against the rugged
mountains and skyscrapers sparkling azure waters, it has a bohemian
feel. A vast conglomerate of palm trees, shops, campgrounds, hotels,
bars and restaurants along the shore of the Ghazala bay, Assalah is
an excellent alternative to the biggest tourist centers.
SS Thistlegorm
SS Thistlegorm is regarded as one of the world’s first wreck
dives. Cast by a German torpedo in 1941, in Sha 'ab Ali in the Gulf
of Suez, the wreckage was loaded with a train, trucks, jeeps, motorcycles
BSA, aircraft wings, tools and guns. Animated with marine life and
practically covered with hard and soft corals, SS Thistlegorm attracts
large shoals of fish of all shapes, sizes and colors.
Ras Abu Galoum
Managed as a protected area for natural resources, it is a small fishing
village whose landscape is dotted with large sand dunes, high mountains
and broad coastal plains. It is ideal for snorkeling and diving with
shallow reefs. The place takes its name from the Galoum trees that
grow at the base of the mountain.
