Dahab 7-day itinerary

Arrive in Dahab from Sharm el-Sheikh airport (1 hour, transfer E£200–400) or by bus from Cairo (8–9 hours, E£200–350). Check into your hotel or camp — Dahab has everything from E£150/night camps to E£2,000+ resorts. Walk the waterfront to orient yourself — the main strip runs along the coast from the Lighthouse to the bridge. The vibe is immediately apparent: flip-flops, dive shops, and shisha everywhere.

Start with the Lighthouse reef — Dahab's signature site and accessible right from the waterfront. Wade into the warm, clear water from the sandy entry point and you're immediately over coral gardens teeming with reef fish. The gentle slope makes it perfect for first-time snorkellers. Expect to see butterflyfish, parrotfish, moray eels, and blue-spotted stingrays within metres of shore. Snorkel rental from any dive shop E£50–100/day.

Dinner on the waterfront — Dahab's social hub. Restaurants line the coast with cushioned seating right on the beach. Ali Baba is a backpacker institution with good fish and endless shisha (E£80–150). Everyday restaurant has the cheapest meals (E£40–80). The waterfront is where you meet other travelers, plan dives, and hear stories. Saudi Arabia's mountains are visible across the gulf in the fading light.

Head to the Blue Hole (8km north, taxi E£100 or minibus E£20). The 100-metre-deep sinkhole is visually stunning even from the surface — a dark blue circle in the turquoise reef shelf. Snorkel around the rim over spectacular vertical coral walls. Certified divers can explore the Bell (a chimney at 30 metres opening to the reef wall) — one of the most exhilarating dives in the world. The Bedouin cafes on the rim serve grilled fish and tea with unbeatable views.

Drive 15 minutes north of Dahab to the Canyon — a narrow underwater fissure that drops from a shallow coral garden to 30 metres. Divers descend through the narrow canyon with cathedral-like light filtering from above. At the bottom, a sandy garden opens with coral bommies and large fish. Snorkellers can enjoy the shallow coral gardens at the top. Two-dive trips with equipment E£1,000–1,500.

Dahab nightlife is low-key but social. The waterfront restaurants turn into bars after 10pm — Tota and Funny Mummy have the liveliest scenes. Shisha and drinks are cheap (beer E£40–60, cocktails E£80–120). Some places have live music or DJs on weekends. The vibe is international and relaxed — divers comparing their day's encounters, backpackers planning onward routes, and Bedouins sharing stories.

Start a PADI Open Water certification course (E£7,000–10,000 for 3–4 days) — Dahab is one of the cheapest and best places in the world to learn. Day 1 covers theory and confined water skills. If already certified, take a camel trek (E£300–500, 1.5 hours) along the coast to Ras Abu Galum — a protected marine zone with the Blue Lagoon. The trek passes rocky headlands with Red Sea views. Snorkel the pristine lagoon in complete peace.

PADI students continue with pool sessions and theory. Everyone else should snorkel the Ras Abu Galum lagoon — shallow turquoise water over white sand and coral, with fish life that includes pufferfish, parrotfish, and occasional turtles. The isolation (no roads, no buildings beyond basic Bedouin shelters) makes the snorkelling feel wild and pristine. The Bedouin tea service on the beach is simple perfection.

If staying at Ras Abu Galum overnight (basic Bedouin shelter E£100–200, sleeping bags provided), the evening is magical — no electricity, no noise, just the stars and the sea. The Milky Way over the Gulf of Aqaba is extraordinary. If returning to Dahab, walk or camel back and enjoy the waterfront. Dinner at Shark Restaurant for the best seafood on the strip (E£150–300).

Book a jeep excursion (E£400–600 per person) to the Coloured Canyon — a narrow sandstone gorge 30km inland. The canyon walls display natural striations in red, orange, yellow, and purple from millennia of mineral deposits. Walking through involves scrambling, squeezing through narrow gaps, and climbing down rock faces — moderately adventurous and visually extraordinary. The drive through the Sinai desert landscape is dramatic — rugged mountains and dry wadis.

Most canyon trips include a Bedouin lunch in a wadi — bread, hummus, grilled vegetables, and sweet tea prepared over fire. The Sinai Bedouins (Muzeina tribe in the Dahab area) are semi-nomadic people with deep knowledge of the desert landscape. Some tours include a walk through Wadi Gnai or Wadi Khudra (the "Green Wadi" — a desert oasis with pools of fresh water surrounded by palm trees). The contrast with the bare desert is surreal.

Some jeep tours end with a Bedouin dinner in the desert under the stars. The Sinai interior has zero light pollution — the night sky is extraordinary. Bread baked in hot sand (fateer), grilled meat, and fire-brewed tea under the Milky Way. If returning to Dahab for the evening, the waterfront restaurants welcome you back with fresh fish and cold drinks after a dusty desert day.

Depart Dahab at midnight (jeep or minibus, E£300–500, 2.5 hours) for the Mount Sinai trek. Begin the 2–3 hour climb at 2–3am by headlamp — the camel path is a gentle incline for most of the route, with a final 750-step "Steps of Repentance" to the summit (2,285 metres). Watch the sunrise from the top — the Sinai mountains spread below in every direction, turning from black to purple to gold. The tradition says Moses received the Ten Commandments here.

Descend and visit St. Catherine's Monastery (free, open 9am–12pm, closed Fridays and Sundays) — one of the oldest continuously operating Christian monasteries in the world, built in the 6th century by Justinian. The Burning Bush (tradition says it's the original), the skull room (charnel house), and the library (second only to the Vatican in ancient manuscripts) are remarkable. The monastery sits in a dramatic desert valley below Mount Sinai.

Return to Dahab by early afternoon (2.5-hour drive). You'll be exhausted — take a nap, then reward yourself with a long waterfront dinner. Tota restaurant for celebratory seafood (E£200–400) or Friends for a budget but satisfying meal (E£60–120). The sunset over the gulf after a sunrise on Mount Sinai makes for a perfect bookend day. Shisha and cold drinks have never tasted better.

If you're still diving, try Moray Garden — a site south of the Lighthouse with sandy clearings surrounded by coral where moray eels peer from every crevice. The site also has excellent hard coral and large fish. If yesterday's Mount Sinai trek left you tired, sleep in and have breakfast at Ralph's German Bakery — the best pastries and coffee in Dahab (E£60–100). The backpacker pace of Dahab encourages lazy mornings.

Try windsurfing or kitesurfing — Dahab's afternoon thermal winds are consistent and strong. Harry Nass is the most established windsurf centre (lessons E£600–1,000/2 hours). Kitesurfing lessons start at E£1,500. The flat water of the lagoon area south of town is ideal for beginners. Or rent a SUP (stand-up paddleboard, E£100–200/hour) for a gentler water experience. The views from the water — Sinai mountains on one side, Saudi Arabia on the other — are spectacular.

Dahab has a growing yoga scene — several hotels and studios offer drop-in classes (E£100–200). Sunset yoga on the waterfront is offered at various locations. Or simply watch the sunset from a waterfront cushion with mint tea and shisha. Dinner at Lakhbatita for Bedouin-Egyptian fusion food in a garden setting (E£100–200) or El Fanar for upscale beachfront dining (E£250–500).

Return to the Blue Hole for a final morning session. Whether you're snorkelling the rim or diving the Bell, the Blue Hole rewards repeat visits — you'll see different fish, different light, and notice details missed the first time. The Bedouin cafes on the rim serve a perfect last breakfast — eggs, flatbread, and tea overlooking the impossibly blue water. Say goodbye to the reef that draws divers from around the world.

Browse Dahab's shops for souvenirs — Bedouin jewellery (silver and turquoise), hand-woven rugs, and Sinai-specific crafts. The shops behind the waterfront have better prices than the seafront stalls. Take a last swim at the Lighthouse or your favourite beach spot. Dahab's warm, clear water is something you'll miss. Pack your bags — Sharm el-Sheikh airport is 1 hour south.

Final waterfront dinner at your favourite spot — the fish that was swimming in the Red Sea this morning, grilled and served on cushions facing the gulf as the sun sets behind the Sinai mountains. Dahab is the kind of place that changes plans — many travelers arrive for 2 days and stay for 2 weeks. Transfer to Sharm el-Sheikh airport (E£200–400, 1 hour) for flights, or bus to Cairo (8–9 hours, E£200–350) for onward travel.