Resort Dahab in Egypt
Back in 1980, a small fishing village was located on the site of the resort of Dahab, and now there are hotels, shops and rich houses. All this city of Dahab is obliged to unique natural conditions, which also identified the specialization of the resort. About everything in order.
Features of the resort Dahab
Two natural factors determined the fate of the resort Dahab. The first is that there is almost always the wind. Full calm is an unimaginable situation for Dahab, and this happens 1-2 days a year. Strong wind, convenient for yachting, windsurfing and kiteboarding, blowing about 300 days a year in the area.
The second factor is the proximity of the opposite shore of the Arabian Peninsula, it is only 25 kilometers from here. There is no big waves, and the sea is always calm.
Dahab is a resort for water sports, it is his specialization. From this fact, all other features that need to be considered when choosing a tourist trip.
Dahab City is located on the Sinai Peninsula, 80 kilometers from Sharm El Sheikh (see. Card Peninsula Sinai with resorts and airports). 80 kilometers is a straight line on the map, and the winding road here has 90 kilometers in length. Tourists travel from the airport by bus just over an hour.
The main contingent of vacationers is windsurfers, divers, sailing lovers and kiteboarders from all over Europe. Russians There are few here, and, accordingly, not a lot of people from the staff of hotels speak Russian.
The whole life of the resort Dahab "spins" around the fans of water sports. The "All Inclusive" system did not get distribution. At the time of updating this article in 2021, from 32 large hotels in the resort, only 5 provided services for AI system.
The most popular accommodation formats in hotels here are BB (breakfast only) or HB (breakfast + dinner). It is logical, because the yachters and windsurphs do not need lunch, they spend all day in the sea. Pay attention to our little photo galleries, there are almost no people in photos from hotels.
Of 32 hotels in Dahab, only 2 "fives" and 6 "fours". Most of the hotels here are 3 stars, and even there are hotels 1 or 2 stars, which is uncharacteristic for Egypt. It is also logical, as water sports amateurs perceive the hotel as a place to sleep and no more.
However, Dahab has the second specialization, it is one of the best places for diving in Egypt. Some call him even the best in the country, because there are several very famous places for dives. The most famous is a "blue hole", recognized as the most dangerous place for diving in the country. About diving we will tell in detail a little later.
Coral reefs are located in Dahab very close to the shore, and divers dive straight from the beach. Divers do not need to hire a boat that heavily saves the budgets of travelers.
A lot of "free divers" comes in Dahab, that is, people diving without accompaniment at their own risk. For them, this is the most convenient resort in Egypt.
More than 50 diving centers operate for organized dives in the city. You can only count them in the cities of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. Now the scuba diving industry in Dahab is at the peak of its development, but she is predicted by a fast sunset. The reason is simple – coral reefs die off.
Many corals tear the divers themselves, hoping to take them as Egyptian souvenirs. Many corals tear off and dry the locals to then sell tourists as well as souvenirs. The activity of yachts, boats and kiteservs do not contribute to the calm life of marine animals and corals.
The history of the development of Egyptian resorts is always the same. First, they attract tourists with the virgin nature of coral reefs, then tourists themselves begin to spoil these reefs and destroy.
Some resorts have introduced strict environmental restrictions on human activity, and it seems to avoid this fate – El Gouna, El Cousar and Mars Alam. We wish them good luck, but about Dahab we can say that he has already risen on the destructive path and will not go with him, and sorry.
Is it worth going here a beach tourist?
This is a very interesting question that we cannot definitely answer. On the one hand, the answer "no" is obvious. Almost does not occur the "All Inclusive" system, so Favorite Russian tourists.
And even if you set up in one of five hotels, where AI exists, then there is not much sense. There are no snack bars here, and the usual beach bars offer a couple of drinks, and there are not always alcohol among them.
Lunch here is prepared, but in a very simplified version, most guests spend all day in the sea, and they do not need lunch. Dining you will have to be in the local restaurant, and these are extra expenses.
Drinks will have to buy separately, except for a liter bottle of water, which is issued in many hotels for free.
There are almost no animation and entertainment programs in Dahab, as they do not need them for most guests. Tourist infrastructure is not developed, there are no water parks or attractions. Maximum children’s entertainment looks like.
There are no historical attractions in Dahab, and where are they here, if another 35 years ago, only fishermen and Bedouins lived here? The nearest historical place is Mount Sinai, on which the Prophet Moses received signs with Divine Commandments, and the monastery of St. Catherine next to this mountain.
Some sources write that the region of this resort itself is an important historical place, as it is mentioned in the Bible as one of the places where the Jews stayed on the way to Canaan after the exodus from Egypt. But, there is no exact evidence to this, it is only an assumption.
The only thing that Dahab boasts exactly, is the richer vegetation and nature, compared with other cities of the Sinai Peninsula. The proximity of the mountains gives this place a softer climate, from here and more greenery.
In Dahab, practiced trips on camels and safaris in the desert on jeep and quad bikes (see. Photos with prices Page 1 and Page 2), which is quite standard entertainment at all resorts of Egypt. From unusual pastime, you can mark sandboarding (see. Photo). On this potential attractions for a beach holiday in Dahab end.
And, of course, prices. With the same "star" hotels, holiday prices in Dahab are always 30-50% higher than in Hurghada or Sharma. The reason is simple, the demand for numbers from water sports lovers is always great. They are nowhere to go now, they need wind. And beach tourists begin to compete with them, creating additional demand, and, as a result, increasing price tags for rooms in hotels.
In Egypt, the mass of other resorts with beaches are no worse, but adapted to relax with an eye on the beach and the sea. Remember, at least, taboo or Makadi Bay.
Let’s look at the situation on the other side
What is the most annoying beach tourists in Egypt? The shortage of sun beds by the pool and on the beach, a place shortage in the pool and crowds of tourists in the sea, a lack of space in restaurants and bars, when all the tables are busy. And, of course, local arabs who behave too annoying, especially with the ladies.
Photo on the right we made in Dahab in winter. Of course, this is not a peak season, but still. See how many busy chairs have a heated pool. Of course it is sarcasm.
Lovers of yachts, diving and windsurfing pool is not interesting. They plunge into it only in the morning before leaving in the sea, and that "for the tick". Borrow sun beds by the pool or on the beach these people are also not inclined, they do not need it.
If we did a photo at the Hurghada or Sharm Hotel, then even in winter all the sun beds would be busy. To get a place, it would be necessary to take it in the morning before breakfast. Agree, this is a very dubious pleasure that spoils the rest of many.
In a small photo gallery on the left you will see the situation on the beach, there is also all free. You may notice that the sun loungers seem new ones, but it is not. They are simply exploited enough, and they look great.
Some beach tourists ride in Dahab precisely for this reason. Everything is free here, and in some moments you can even be in the personal pool or personal bar. You can put yourself in a row of a dozen deck chairs and get a "lying king-size", while the staff of the hotel does not have anything against such a deed.
As for annoying Arabs, they also have, as well as in other resorts. Just they are less annoying here. Although, often they strongly tire of suggestions to buy stimulating plants of plant origin, calling them Russian word "grass". On this, their knowledge of the Russian language ends.
As it turned out, these guys know the word "grass" in almost all languages of the world, including, for example, Finnish or Estonian. A striking case, like thirst for harvesters leads people to education. It is a pity that they only know one word so well.
History of the city of Dahab and its districts
The word "Dahab" translates from Arabic as "golden". There are several versions of the origin of this name. The first states that there were gold mines. This version is very dubious, because no mines or their trace archaeologists have never found.
The second version states that before once every 5-6 years, a landslide with water was condensed from the mountains, destroying everything in his path. This landslide brought yellow golden sand.
This second version is more believable, because in Dahab sandy beaches, and the sand really has a golden shade (photo on the right). However, tourists should not be rejoiced, corals in this sand are still found, and wearing special shoes (see. photo) strongly recommended to all vacationers.
There is a version that this sand was once golden, and here soap gold. In any case, now the gold is not mined here, and until the 20th century (when hotels began to build hotels in Dahab) only the village of Fishermen reached us.
The city of Dahab is conditionally divided into three parts. The northernmost part is called Missiba, and here is the village of Bedouins.
South is the area of Mashara with hotels, shops and restaurants. This is the city center, but there is no central shopping area here, for lovers of shopping Dahab fit bad.
In the south is the Medina region. In general, Medina is the Arab Center of the city, surrounded by a fortress wall. But the city district is simply called, no wall or old Arab city here is not in mom. This area is adjacent to the lagoon, which Windsurfer and Kiteboarders were chosen.
What to do in Dahab
Yakhting – This is sport. With the word "yacht", Russians immediately come to mind big luxury ships, on which rich people travel. In this sport Yakhting, small single vessels are more common.
In Dahab, you can rent single yachts "Laser" (in the photo on the right) and "Optimist". Reasonable prices. See photo Price List Page 1, Page 2 and Page 3.
If you are engaged in sailing, you can skip this paragraph. We want to warn others to engage in skiing on such vessels without preparation is not recommended. Special learning required. They are not so easy to manage, as it seems at first sight. You can just take out to the sea, and you will not be able to go back.
In Dahab clubs, you can take training. There are many Russians who have moved to Egypt for permanent residence, and problems with the language barrier during training will not arise. Learn to manage a simple yacht will have to go a few days. To be honest, you will need all vacation for studying and folding skills. But believe me, it costs time and money – dissect waves on a real yacht and feel the whole body, how do you tighten the wind.
The second important point is the wind. On the photo on the left you see an overview of the situation for months. In the central circle, the number of days with a weak wind is shown. The main direction of the wind is indicated by the arrockets.
Before entering the sea, it is recommended to examine the map of the lagoons and the adjacent marine space (see. Photo). Yachters need to be attentive to accidentally not get into the swimming areas of hotels or places reserved for kiteboarders.
For those who want to do yacht sports, it is possible to save well. First, it is advantageous to order a yacht rental or training course in advance, while you can quite count on a discount. Secondly, in Moscow there are several travel agencies specializing in this sport, and a tour with payment rent will immediately cost cheaper.
Windsurfing – This is a riding on a board with a sail. This is a simple view of water sports, and many tourists master it even without an instructor. Although, one hour of the briefing is desirable to order to learn how to collect the board (see. photo) and understand how to put it correctly (see. Photo).
Rental and training prices much more affordable than in Yachting. Click to see Prices – Page 1 and Page 2.
In the lagoon in the medina area, a small depth, which makes this place extremely convenient for the training of Windsurfing. The absence of waves further simplifies the process of mastering the sailing board.
The main thing, do not accelerate strongly, as windserf can be much faster than it may seem. The modern speed record on the sailing board has already reroxed the bar 90 kilometers per hour. Fall from the board at such a speed – scary.
In the photo on the right, the process of training a novice windsurfer in Dahab next to the shore is shown.
Windsurfing is at any resort of Egypt and Turkey, but the quality of the equipment is often "lame". In Dahab, everything is perfect, all new and clean. Do not be surprised, this is "Mecca" windsurfing in Egypt. In proof of this approval, see a small photo gallery below.
The photo is made in the Club of Water Sports "Five Squares", here the Egyptized Russians have been working, already mentioned by us earlier in this article.
Kiteboarding – This is a skating on a blackboard with a special air snake. This snake is called the word "kite", hence the name of this sport of this sport.
This is a very dangerous sport (see. photo prospectus from the club), and you can not only suffer yourself, but also bring harm to others. Therefore, kaitsurfing training is required. It’s not fast and expensive. Click here to see prices. About time, get ready for the development of this sport all vacation.
Kiteboarding is now only gaining popularity, and in Egyptian resorts rarely meet clubs with training and opportunity to rent equipment. In Dahab for the needs of kiteboarding, a part of the lagoon is highlighted, it can be called an "exclusive" for Egypt resorts.
See a small photo gallery of kiteboarding in the resort of Dahab in the gallery below.
Think, decide whether to devote to kiteboarding your time and money, or better switch to anything else, for example, diving.
Diving – This is a dive to the depth of the scuba. Snorcling – Diving on the depth of the tube. Fridayving – This is a diving without the use of technical means only on breathing delay.
The proximity of coral reef gives you the opportunity to dive straight from the beach, which saves money and time. This is the main advantage of the resort Dahab.
If you decide to do diving organized, then more than 50 diving centers at your disposal, you only need to present a certificate, or you can get trained and get it right here. Click here to see prices.
In Dahab there is a diving zone, which is called the most dangerous in Egypt, it is called a "blue hole" ("The Blue Hole"). According to official statistics, more than 40 divers survived. The greater the number of this statistic, the more you want to get here.
Adrenaline lovers fly to Dahab like a moth. There is even a suspicion that this figure is artificially overestimated for advertising and PR. The fact is that the complete list of these poor people does not exist, and only a few cases are officially known. For example, if we talk about the rise to Everest, also a very dangerous event, then there are definitely known the names of all dead climbers.
Such places are also called "vertical caves". Depth of this funnel at sea of about 130 meters.
It is difficult to navigate it because of optical effects and weak lighting, there are several submarine currents that divers are required to consider.
A small error, and nitrogen poisoning, inadequate behavior of the swimmer, and inevitable death.
If you communicate with the employees of the diving centers in Dahab, then many will say that the figure is 40 people, on the contrary, is multiplying several times. Egyptian CWDS (Chamber of Diving and Water Sports) even released a resolution allowing tourists to dive into a blue hole only accompanied by a graduate guide. Special Police Patrol follows.
Of course, there are 25 more interesting places for diving (see. card) who are not as dangerous and interesting to their rich underwater world.
Events in the resort of Dahab 2006
It is no secret that terrorist acts against foreign tourists occur in Egypt. Local radicals consider foreigners to be the main obstacle to the construction of a real Islamic state in Egypt.
An unpleasant events took place at the Dahab resort. On April 24, 2006, three explosions occurred during the national holiday of Egypt Sham El Nessim.
The first of them thundered near the restaurant "Nelson", the second near the cafe "Alladin", and the third gazal on the market.
28 people were killed and 80 injured. Most of the dead were the Egyptians. One Russian died in this attack.
If you are in these places, you will honor their memory at least small silence. We hope that such events in Dahabe will no longer happen, and this resort will delight you with good weather, clean and warm sea and water sports.
More useful advice
– Despite the abundance in Dahab of divers and surfers, cases of attacks of sharks on people here are not fixed here. But in the neighboring Sharm el-Sheikh were a lot. Details in our article "Sharks in Egypt";
– Another advantage of Dahab and the entire Sinai Peninsula is that you do not need to pay for an entry visa. Instead, put the stamp "Sinai Dolley". Details in our article "Does the Visa in Egypt" need ";
– in Dahab feed in a cafe or food from shops. To know prices, read our reviews "Product prices in Egypt" and "How much money to take to Egypt".
To learn more about Egyptian resorts, read our other articles about this country (Links below).
