Dahab

Dahab sits 80 kilometres north of Sharm El Sheikh on the Gulf of Aqaba. It runs on a slower clock than mainland Egypt, where paved seafront walkways replace car lanes and dive sites begin right from the gravel shore. You move around on foot, by bicycle, or in shared pickup trucks. Strong northern winds and low-key Bedouin hospitality define daily life here.

Dining in Dahab happens on floor cushions right above the high-tide line. Fresh fish is displayed on ice outside water-front spots in Masbat; you choose the specific catch and pay by weight. Bedouin tea flavoured with habek mint finishes almost every meal.

• Fish by weight

  Inspect the eyes and gills of fresh red snapper or parrotfish at Masbat grills. Agree on the total price after weighing.

• Falafel in Assalah

  Head to Sheikh Ali in Assalah square for fresh ta'ameya served hot in Egyptian flatbread for a fraction of tourist strip prices.

• Bedouin dinner trips

  Book a dinner in Wadi Genai. You sit in a mountain canyon under stars eating slow-cooked goat or chicken.

Dahab originated as an isolated Bedouin fishing village settled by the Muziena tribe. Its name means gold in Arabic, referencing the yellow sand washed down from Sinai desert canyons. Israeli occupation in the 1970s brought basic roads, followed by backpackers in the 1980s who established the shore-diving culture that remains today.

1. 13th c.

   Muziena Bedouin settling

   Nomadic Bedouin tribes establish seasonal fishing camps along the Gulf of Aqaba coast.

2. 1967

   Israeli Occupation

   Infrastructure grows around a small Israeli settlement named Di-Zahav before Sinai returns to Egypt.

3. 1982

   Return to Egypt

   Egypt reclaims Sinai under the Camp David Accords. Independent travellers start arriving.

4. 1990s

   Diving Boom

   International dive operators open permanent shops along the Masbat bay shore.

Choose your location based on your main activity. Divers and long-term remote workers stay in Masbat or Assalah to walk everywhere. Windsurfers and families choose the Lagoon resort hotels for direct sandy beach access.

• Windsurfers & FamiliesLagoon Area — Self-contained resorts with calm shallow water and sandy shores.

Dahab has no public city buses or meter taxis. Movement relies on shared pickup trucks locally known as pick-ups, rented bicycles, or walking along the pedestrian strip.

• Flag down any Toyota pickup on the main road. Rides within town cost 20–30 EGP per person.

• Most guesthouses rent single-speed bicycles for around 150 EGP per day. Check tire pressure before leaving.

• Drivers do not accept cards or foreign currency. Keep small denomination EGP notes ready.

Dahab remains cheaper than Sharm El Sheikh, but dive fees and imported gear match international standards. Daily cash spending goes to food, taxis, and marine park permissions.

• Guided shore dive: 1000–1400 EGP

  Includes tank, weights, and dive guide fee.

• Seafood dinner: 400–700 EGP

  Price per person for fresh fish, salads, and rice by the ocean.

• Blue Hole entry fee: ~300 EGP

  Protective area environmental fee collected at the roadside checkpoint.

• Bedouin tea glass: 20–30 EGP

  Standard price at local tea stalls across town.

• ATM shortages

  Withdraw cash whenever you see a working machine. Machines frequently go empty on weekends.

• Reef footwear

  Wear sturdy booties or water shoes. Sharp coral and sea urchins line shallow shore entries.

• Sinai visa rules

  The free 15-day Sinai stamp covers Dahab. Get the full Egyptian tourist visa if travelling to Cairo.

• Dehydration risk

  Dry desert winds mask sweat loss. Drink bottled water continuously while out on the water.

• Checkpoints

  Keep your passport or a clear printed copy with you when travelling in pick-ups outside town.