Dahab in South Sinai
is a small Town 90km north of Sharm el Sheikh at the Gulf of Aqaba, which
belongs to the Red Sea.
Dahab means "Gold" in Arabic, coming from the fine yellow Sand you find at the
Beaches. Really, it is a quite natural Town. Since it was explored in the 1970s
the Boom of Tourism entered the Area only slowly..
The Bedouins are still
living in this Area and you will come in Contact with them when you arrive.
You will see the Bedouin kids selling bracelets on the Beach and around the
Area. In the 80ths there were a lot of Hippies to see here, right now it gets
more Infrastructure and Business. Since 2002 the prices for land increase
dramatically.
To get close to Dahab you'll have to stay here for some days and you will get
the Feeling of Dahab. It is quiet and with a view to Saudi Arabia you will never
forget.
Speaking about Dahab is not so easy, but personally I esteem a population of
3000, including of course the Bedouins. Most of the Egyptians you meet here are
original from Cairo, Alexandria or Upper Egypt.
The Salary in Dahab is not very high. So a normal worker gets something around
400LE that means 80$ in a month. When you give some tips everybody will be happy
about your support. But also think about the Islamic thinking, so a lot of
people will not take the money from the first time. You really have to offer it
sometimes more then once.
In the Mosbat Shopping Area you will see the Bedouin kids selling bracelets and
all kind of souvenirs. Do not be afraid if they come to you and ask you "Do you
like bracelets ", most of them are polite and will go away
if you say 'La a, Shokran" or "No thank you".
You will get some new friends if you take your time and talk a little bit with
them. Most of them can speak English and they will ask you where are you from
and what you are doing. Always remember, that they are Kids and all kids are
very happy when you can offer them some attention.
THE
AREA
is direct at the Red Sea and the mountains are only a few kilometers behind.
Dahab is divided in several Areas. (see the Map)
Azzalah is in the north and more natural. Here live the most part of the
Bedouins and also you'll find
there shops and services cheaper than in the Tourism Areas.
In Mosbat you'll find all the Bazaars, Shopping Places, Restaurants and many
kind of Entertainment opportunities.
Dahab City is the Area where you arrive when you'll come by bus. Usually, here
are the Egyptian workers together with their Families living.
Mubarak City is a new Area. Foreigners use to live here. They bought their flats
for living there during their holidays or they settled here forever.
In the Laguna Area you will find the most international Hotels, like Hilton,
Swiss Inn and Dahabeya.
Between Laguna and Dahab City there is the Hospital, the Main Police Station, a
Mosque and the Bus Station.
CLIMATE
Here you find an extreme dry desert climate with temperatures rising up to 40
degrees.
The Red Sea and the Mountains are close together, so the temperature can fall
down to 15 degrees in January and February. Mostly you'll find a temperature
around 27 degrees with a calm t wind, that chilles you up.
If you'll arrive in summer you should take easy clothes and something to cover
you against the sun. The Sun is here shining nearly the whole year without
clouds. For the Wintertime take some Jacket and a Pullover for the Evening.
High season is at Wintertime and around August/September.
Also in Wintertime it could happen, that the
"Flood" come. That is Rain for some Hours, but so heavy that the Mountains bring
enough Water down to the Sea, that it creates a big Flood, destroying a lot of
Things. For that reason the Bridge was build.
MEDICAL
For medical Help there are some doctors in Dahab and also a Hospital.
The next big and modern Hospital you'll find In Sharm el Sheik. It is build up
like a Pyramid and is nearly one hour away from Dahab.
If you only need some medicines, you can go to the good sorted Pharmacy within
the AliBaba Center situated in the middle of Mosbat.
PRICES
Dahab is famous for its Low Budget Places. So you can find a Camp for around
10LE (1.5 $) a Night. Also if you are not a Bag packer there are some
international Hotels like Hilton, Swiss Inn and Iberotel. Of course the prices
in this Hotels are different and rise from 50$ up to 180$ per Night.
Food you will find in a lot of Restaurants. One famous Place is the "King
Chicken" where you get a half Chicken with a lot of Rice, Soup and Vegetables
for around 20LE only .
TRAVELING
With Buses you can reach Taba, Nuweiba, Sharm el Sheikh and Cairo every Day.
There is also the possibility to fly from Sharm el Sheikh to Cairo or Hurghada.
Taxis (70% Pickups, 30% Jeeps) are mostly easy to find and you 'll charge for them around 10LE for one
way in Dahab.
SAFARI
There are a lot of different Safari Offices here in Dahab and it will not be
easy for you to choose. Most of them offer the same trips but with different
Equipment, Experience and of course Prices.
The same Trip you can get at one Place for 10$ and on another Place for 50$.
If you're looking for a trip I personally can advise you to go to the Moses
Hill. There is also the St. Catherine Monastery, which you can visit on several
days, except Fridays and Sundays. When you are interested to climb up to the top
of the Hill you need some good Shoes, you'll climb around 3 hours, or you can go
choose a good way by riding a camel. If you're climbing at Night you'll stay on
the top for 2 hours and then you will be surprised by a Sunrise, which you'll
never forget.
After a trip of 1 1/2 hours you can visit "Rasa Shaitan", that means, the Head
of the Devil.
This place looks like Dahab 10 Years ago. Clean Beach and only a few Camps.
If you like to relax you will find here the best Conditions. This Area is also
famous to the Israelian tourists.
If you like it more natural, there are also a lot of other possibilities to
spend the free time by riding horse or camel .
There are also trips into the heart of thew Desert even up to 10 days if you
like. You can go by Jeep, leaded by Bedouins and combine your Safari with
Diving, Snorkeling and Relaxing.
OASES
10km away from Dahab into the Desert up to 600m you will find Wadi
Connection (Wadi means Oasis).
Here at this Place you'll get not only a beautiful view over the mountains at
daytime, specially at night you'll see much more stars, because all the city
lights are far away from you, being covered by the mountains.
At daytime you can swim in the Swimming pool, yes right, there is a 4*r Swimming
pool in the middle of the desert. Also this place is good if you like to
organise some Parties with or for your friends, eating Bedouin food and enjoy
Bellydancing in the big Bedouin Tent.
Also Wadi Gnai is very near to Dahab and you will find there a Bedouin offering
you Tea (Chai) and you can walk through the Palms around the Canyon.
There are some more small Oasis you can easily reach if you ask at the Safari
Offices.
BEDOUINS
Dahab belongs original to the Bedouins which live here since a long Time.
The most Bedouins live in Azzalah, the Area in the North of Dahab.
You will find a lot of Bedouins driving Taxis or selling land, because the have
the best contacts. But keep care, some people had problems when the bought land
directly from the Bedouins, because some of them did not have the Oficial
Document issued by the Government. So if you like to buy land, check this with a
lawyer in order to be safe.
Bedouins' culture is based on strict laws on their tradition. So they consume
Water sparingly and respect the Nature. To assist the Wildlife they also
construct some water reservoirs at the hillsides. At all their doing also in
fishing, they take care on the corals and understand of course also the fishing,
so the damaging of the reef is limited. Their laws also say that it is strictly
forbidden to cut a green tree. If it is done by someone, so the penalty is up to
three young Camels
or an penalty equal to this. Bedouins say, that killing a Tree is like killing a
soul.
The Living Area is almost in the Sinai. In special restricted protected Areas
the came back to their traditional right. Now the EEAA is looking to keep their
rights not to damage their habitats. Some of the Bedouins work in the National
Parks as Rangers or other Services to this Areas.
CORALS
Corals Reefs exist on our Planet since approx. 450 Million years. Geologists
checked out, that the ancient reefs were as complex as the modern reefs today.
The Reefs today are one of the most productive natural Systems in the World like
the rain Forest System.
Both Systems need our full protection to do their work for us.
The Reef is living and can be destroyed easily. Sometimes the divers use too
heavy equipment and touch the Corals and destroy them. Some places are still not
the same like ten years ago. They enter the site with all their Stuff and walk
like elephants over the Corals. I saw this once while I was snorkelling and was
really shocked.
But fortunately, not all divers are like this and a lot of them take care about
it. Without Protection the Corals can be easily eaten by other creatures and
came infected by bacterial attack and disease.
Think about; it took hundred of Years to grow up as you like to see them , only
one fingertip can destroy the sensitive harmony of the Corals and the Sea.
A Reef with corals is one of the largest living Systems in the World. It is a
combination of small coral animals and fishes also polyps and algae living
together.
The Information of the National Park of Egypt tell us, that their are 137
different Species of corals found at the Red Sea.
FISHES
You will find a lot of different kind of fish. Lion fish, Clown fish and if you
are lucky also Dolphins (but do not call them fishes, they are not). Specially
at the Area of Dahab and Nuweiba you sometimes can see a family of Dolphins
passing the coast.
If you dive or snorkel, please do not feed the fish. The fish can become
aggressive and also there were some cases when fish died after the divers forgot
their plastic bags and the fish eat them or were swimming into it.
Many of the nice fish are to be found in a deepth of 5 to 10 meters. So you can
see them also easyly while snorkelling.
SPORT ACTIVITIES
Extreme Sport is coming more close to Dahab and offers a lot of possibilities.
So there is also the attraction to surf not only the waves. At the "Dune" you
can surf down the Desert Sand Dune and check your surfing skills.
The Safaris and Extreme Sports are some of the last adventures you can do during
your time. You get a deep view in the historical roots and oriental lifestyle.
If you meet the Oasis and the Bedouins living there, respect there Area and do
not overtake their guest friendship.
DIVING
In Dahab are some of the greatest Diving Areas around the world. Here at the Red
Sea you'll find famous Diving Places like Blue Hole with 203-foot drop off, the
Three Bells, Canyon and Lighthouse.
Especially the Blue Hole is weel-known to the Divers, because there were more
than a few people gone into the sea and never came back due to the nitrogen
narcosis.
But not all Diving Sites are dangerous, so the Reefs you find here are
incredible and also reachable for people that only like to snorkel.
You will find here corals, fans, eels and dozen of different fish species.
SNORKELLING
If you like to snorkel, then one of the best places to do this is "Lighthouse".
There you have an easy entry and only after few Meters you have the most
beautiful view of the corals and a lot of Fish species. In other areas
snorkelling is fine as well, but the entry sometimes is very difficult. Think
about to take some Water shoes with you, so you do not walk on sticky Stones.
At this Place I really like to please you, take care on the Nature. The corals
are very sensitive and you can destroy them easyly with your fins. So do not
touch them and of course do not try to take a piece of it for yourself. It is
highly forbidden.
Just enjoy the moment beeing in this place and take care. So your friends and
maybe your children can do the same.
SWIMMING
For Swimming you will love Baby Fish. There you can walk 150m into the Sea and
the Water is only 50cm deep. The Beach is with golden sand and you'll get real
Holiday Feeling.
WINDSURFING
The Area of Dahab has mostly a steady Wind, so that's great for Windsurfing.
Laguna has some Windsurfing schools and special areas you can windsurf at best
Conditions..
Special a lot more Surfers come here to test also Parasailing, jumping up to 3
Meters high.
This is a little bit dangerous but as Fun Sport it comes more into the Trend.
ENTERTAINMENT
In the evening a lot of pPeople use to go to "Tota". It's a disco built as a
ship, where you can enjoy the time dancing or having food . At "Adams Bar"
you'll get the cheapest beer from Dahab and also they have a huge flat screen,
where you can watch the football games.
GLASS BOAT
To go with a Glass Boat is funny for the whole family. You can enjoy the
travelling with the Boat over the Sea and at the same time you can see what is
happening under you. Also it is a good way to see the corals and a lot of fish.
You can make photos and the trips are not even expensive.
QUAD
RUNNERS
This Bikes with four Wheels are something you can enjoy in a lot of places. A
trip lasts around 2 hours and the guide will bring you to several places. Be
sure that you do not go on own ways or ride on Corals at the Sea area or Sand
dunes. You can disturb a lot of animals. If you keep this in mind you will see
some special places.
BEAUTY
For the Ladies, and of course also for Men, there is a Beauty Salon in Dahab.
There you can have nice nails'paintings and Massage. If you like to have
Manicure, Pedicure, Facial Treatment or Hair Cut you'l get all these there too.
MONEY
There are some Banks in Dahab and also a few ATM Machines where you can get
money. Also there is a Western Union Office to get Money transferred. But you
can not send money from this Western Union Office. You can change also Money in
some Hotels, but keep care about the right Exchange Rate..
HELP
Of course if you or some of your friends like to go to Dahab and have a look for
accommodations you can write me a short email.
If I am in Dahab I can help you to make bookings in the hotels for fair prices
and conditions.
Feel free to contact me at:
infodahab@guruk.com