Dahab

Dahab is the zen and bohemian antithesis of Sharm el-Sheikh, 90 km north on the same Sinai east coast. A former Bedouin fishing village (the name means 'gold' in Arabic, referring to the sand colour), Dahab was discovered in the 1980s by the first backpackers and divers heading between Europe and Asia. Forty years later, it has managed to preserve — unlike Sharm — a relaxed, alternative atmosphere deeply linked to local Bedouin culture. Here, no giant resorts, no fenced private beaches, no thundering nightclubs: the Mashraba-Masbat coastal promenade lines up beachfront cafés-restaurants where you dine barefoot on cushions, human-scale dive centres, Bedouin souvenir shops, and modest hotels (3-star maximum for most) directly facing the sea.

Dahab is above all a world-renowned diving destination. The Blue Hole, 8 km north of the village, is one of the most mythical (and controversial) diving sites in the world: a perfectly circular underwater shaft 130 metres deep, opened to the sea by an arch ('The Arch') at 56 metres depth. For recreational divers, it is a spectacular and accessible site from shore (free entry from the beach, gradual depth). For deep technical divers, the 'Arch' has unfortunately cost more than 200 lives over the decades — hence the site's sulphurous reputation. More prudently, the Canyon (spectacular underwater fault 5 km north of the village) and the Lighthouse (coastal reef 100 m from the centre, ideal for beginners and night dives) are accessible on foot from shore. Beyond diving, Dahab is also one of the world's best windsurfing and kitesurfing destinations: the Masbat Lagoon south of the village offers exceptional conditions with constant thermal wind in the afternoon and shallow water ideal for learning. Several international schools (Harry Nass, Dahab Surf Lodge) train hundreds of beginners every year. Finally, Dahab is the starting point for several unique desert excursions (Mount Sinai and Saint Catherine Monastery 2h away, Coloured Canyon 1h30, Bedouin desert dinner) and is a top stop for those who want to combine diving, water sports, desert and relaxed atmosphere.