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Destinations · Red Sea & Sinai

Dahab

Schematic map of Egypt locating the destinations: the Mediterranean coast and the Western Desert in the north and west, Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel along the Nile, and the Red Sea and Sinai coasts in the east
Dahab · the Gulf of Aqaba, in Sinai

Is Dahab right for my client?

Dahab is a small, laid-back town on the Gulf of Aqaba, about an hour north of Sharm El Sheikh, where the mountains of Sinai come down to the sea. It grew from a Bedouin fishing village and has long drawn divers and independent travellers.

It is not a luxury resort. It suits clients who want its reefs and its easy pace, with a private dive guide and a hotel chosen with care, or who want a quieter base for Mount Sinai and the mountains.

  • The Blue Hole
  • The Blue Lagoon
  • Mount Sinai
  • St Catherine's Monastery
What to do

Reef, Lagoon & Mountain

A reef at the water’s edge, and the mountains of Sinai behind it.

The Blue Hole

A deep sinkhole in the reef just north of the town, its rim a snorkelling site of great clarity. Its depths are for trained technical divers only; for everyone else, the reef around it is the draw.

The Blue Lagoon

A shallow lagoon up the coast, reached by boat or 4x4, with calm water that makes it a place to learn kitesurfing.

Mount Sinai & St Catherine’s

About two hours inland: the night climb to see the sunrise from the summit, and St Catherine’s Monastery at the mountain’s foot.

  • The Blue Hole from the air, a dark circle in the reef below the Sinai mountains
    The Blue Hole
  • A beach of thatched shades on the Gulf of Aqaba below the Sinai mountains
    The Gulf of Aqaba
  • The walls and church of St Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai
    St Catherine’s
  • A boat on a Sinai beach before turquoise water and mountains
    The Sinai coast
How it fits

Dahab, Privately

Its charm is its informality; the private arrangements are what make it work.

Dahab has no grand hotels, and we will say so. What it has is the easy pace of a small town, reefs reached from the shore, and the mountains close by. With a private dive guide, a private vehicle and a hotel chosen for the client, it suits divers, active couples and returning visitors who have seen the Nile Valley.

For clients who want a resort, Sharm El Sheikh is an hour to the south, and Dahab can still be a day from there.

Before you brief your client

Dahab for the Trade

Getting there
Through Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, about an hour south by road.
Time needed
Three nights, or one or two as a base for Mount Sinai.
When to go
All year. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable; winter nights on Mount Sinai are cold.
Brand fit
Laid-back rather than luxurious. We brief it honestly, and suggest Sharm El Sheikh for clients who want a resort.
Pairs with
Sharm El Sheikh to the south and Taba to the north.
Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dahab suitable for luxury clients?

For some. It is a laid-back town rather than a luxury resort, with no grand hotels. It suits clients who value its pace and its reefs, with private diving and a carefully chosen hotel. Clients who want a resort are better based in Sharm El Sheikh.

Can non-technical divers dive the Blue Hole?

Not its depths, which are for trained technical divers only. The reef at its rim is an excellent snorkelling and recreational dive site with a private guide.

How far is Mount Sinai from Dahab?

About two hours by road. The usual way is a night climb for the sunrise, then St Catherine’s Monastery in the morning.

Discuss Your Brief

Tell us who is coming to Dahab.

Share the travellers, the dates and what they want from Dahab. We will come back with how it fits their journey.

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Speak With Our Team

Planning for yourself? Triways works through travel professionals; your advisor can bring the brief to us. Or write to info@triways.travel.