Dahab sits on the Gulf of Aqaba in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, about an hour’s drive north of Sharm el-Sheikh. The name means “gold” in Arabic \u2014 some say it comes from the golden sand scattered along the coastline, others point to the copper-toned light that washes over the mountains every evening. Either way, the name fits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For centuries, Dahab was home to nomadic Bedouin tribes who used the region as a temporary settlement \u2014 especially in summer, when they gathered dates, fished, and escaped the desert’s extreme heat. After Israel occupied Sinai in 1967, the area began seeing its first outside visitors. When the region was returned to Egypt in 1982, Dahab started becoming a tourist destination \u2014 keeping its relaxed, bohemian spirit, unlike its more developed neighbours such as Sharm El Sheikh. Israeli soldiers on leave came first in the 1970s, followed by backpackers and hippie travelers a decade later who were drawn to cheap beachside camps and a pace of life that Cairo couldn’t offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today the town splits roughly into three areas. Masbat, in the north, holds the old Bedouin hamlet of Asalah \u2014 palm trees, simple guesthouses, and a waterfront promenade lined with caf\u00e9s where you can eat grilled fish with your feet in the sand. Mashraba sits south of that, a quieter stretch of beach restaurants and budget-friendly lodgings. Further southwest, the Medina area has a tighter grid of streets with small hotels, shops, and the Ghazala Market where locals stock up on groceries and camping gear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond the kite surfing and scuba diving crowd, Dahab is often overlooked in favor of more famous Red Sea holiday destinations like Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh. That’s part of its appeal. The Blue Hole \u2014 a circular sinkhole plunging over 100 meters deep just seven kilometers north of town \u2014 pulls in divers from around the world. This natural submarine sinkhole drops to a depth of over 120 meters, just a few steps from the shore, and its steep, vertical walls are lined with coral reefs. But you don’t need a tank and regulator to enjoy the water here. Shore reefs start within wading distance at spots like Eel Garden, Lighthouse, and the Canyon, where snorkelers regularly spot turtles, moray eels, and garden eels swaying out of the sandy bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With over 280 days of wind over 4 Beaufort a year and warm water all year round, Dahab is undoubtably the best place to windsurf in Egypt. Sheltered from the open sea by a long sandbank, Dahab offers clear, flat-water lagoons that are ideal for learning and progressing in kitesurfing, windsurfing, and wingfoiling. The lagoon on the south end of town is where beginners learn to waterstart, while more experienced riders head past Napoleon Reef for open-water swells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Off the water, Bedouin guides lead jeep and camel safaris into the Sinai interior \u2014 through palm-lined oases like Ain Khudra and narrow slot canyons striped in white, red, and ochre. Mount Sinai and St. Catherine’s Monastery are both reachable on a day trip. Dahab is a laid-back and open-minded place, and walking the promenade at dusk you’ll pass Bedouin kids selling woven bracelets alongside yoga studios, dive shops, and bakeries run by German expats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Long known as a laid-back, backpacker-friendly town, Dahab is becoming more developed, yet retains a casual vibe. Budget camps still line the shore near Asalah, while newer hotels and resorts have filled in along the Laguna area to the south. Prices remain far below what you’d pay in Sharm or Hurghada, and the Friday community market at Sheikh Salem House near Eel Garden \u2014 running every week from 3 PM to 7 PM \u2014 still feels more village gathering than tourist trap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dahab isn’t polished. Some roads are unpaved, power flickers occasionally, and don’t expect five-star concierge service outside the resort strip. But that rough-around-the-edges quality is exactly why people keep coming back. The water is ridiculously clear, the reefs are steps from shore, the wind blows nearly every day, and the whole town runs on a rhythm that makes it very hard to leave on schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
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