Dahab vs Sharm vs ?

[George Scherman]

Would someone give me a primer on the virtues of Dahab vs. Sharm vs. anyother resort on the Red Sea that you prefer. I just read something that made Dahab sound really good and very affordable, but how's a boy to know. Would like some land based desert stuff to sea, great diving without long boat rides, some local culture but no need for a party scene. Thanks for sharing your views.

 

[Seadeuce]

Dahab is laid back, relatively cheap, uncrowded, quiet, nearly 100% divers. Excellent divesites, with an option to go on excursions to Sharm/Thistlegorm. Camel safari nice.

Sharm is pricey, touristy, more non-divers than divers, plenty nightlife. Good sites, again - crowded! Coral damage. Trip to Mt. Sinai nice.

Hurghada is moderate, differing nos. of divers/non-divers. Good sites, access to even better ones (Brothers Etc.).

Marsa Alam, quiet, excellent diving - mostly shore. Uncrowded as yet.

There are others in between. But Dahab gets my vote.

Of course, if you want the middle ground, tourists/some nightlife/good diving/good excursions, then Aqaba would be a good choice too!

Seadeuce

 

[Mark Goodchild]

George,

Simple guide here to begin with:

http://www.zerovisibility.co.uk/Egypt%20feature.htm

I'm sure people will fill in the detail. I think it depends on the holiday you are after really. I went down to Marsa Alam last year and it really is quiet.

Very little to do apart from dive...no bad thing. The only slightly crowded site was Elphinstone. One day there was 5-6 boats there.

Other day boat sites never more than 1 or 2.

Hope this is of some help.

 

[DesertEagle]

Okay, here's my take:

Dahab- laid back, shore diving. Mostly hard corals and smaller animals. Limited number of sites, but you have the option of a day trip to Ras Mo or the Thistlegorm in Sharm.

Sharm- huge variety, sites like Ras Mo and Tiran are covered in soft corals. So many divers. Naama Bay and the old port of Sharm el Sheikh become a zoo every day when the boats depart and return.

El Gouna- (near Hurghada). Good location for wreck diving. Abu Nuhas is within reach (Carnatic, Gianis D and other wrecks). You can also do the Thistlegorm by day boat. Most of the regular reefs in the area are okay but not as good as Sharm. I mention El Gouna instead of Hurghada because it has better proximity to the wrecks.

El Quesir- I haven't been diving there. The port itself doesn't see very many tourists.

Marsa Alam- simply the most specacular diving in the area. The shore dives are better than Dahab. You can even stay at an inexpensive tent camp. I went 5 years ago and we were the only boat at Elphinstone. The reef is simply magnificent. Elphinstone is a much larger reef than the shark reef at Ras Mohammed. Even with more divers, it would be less crowded.

 

[Diversauras]

From Dahab you also have the opportunity to go to Ras a bugalum and Ras a Mamlach. I am sure my spelling is way off but I think Dahab is good for at least a week of diving. I never tired of the Bells and the caves south of dahab were awsome. I have probably said it before, but when I win the lottery I am moving there for ever and for good.

 

[t0by]

Dahab is a lovely place to get in the chilled, vacation mood, and Sharm, as the other posters have said is a zoo, but the diving is much, much better.

Day boats leave the marina in Sharm at the same time every day and arrive in huge groups at Tiran or Ras Mohammed. So you get to dive with 100 italians in designer wetsuits.

But. If you stay in Dahab and book a 2/3/4 day liveaboard locally - there's one company who handle business for most of the dive shops - You'll get to dive the beautiful Sharm sites without the crowds.

You can also get some good price deals on charter flights with accomodation from Europe - I use divernet.co.uk "Holiday" section.

 

[verona]

I have just returned from DAhab. Will post trip report in due course. But I can recommend it. Mostly shore diving but we also did a day boat trip with Sinai divers. Dahab is well located too for side trips (eg to Mount Sinai and St Katherine's monastery and also jeep rides into the desert canyons). Dahab town nice and laid back - there are tourists but it doesn;t feel too touristy. There is something for every budget from very cheap camp hotels to the Hilton. Main thing though was that diving didn;t feel too crowded., Our DM said that most days in Sharm it is a scrum at the jetty and you can get 20 boats at a site, each with 20 divers.

 

[mania]

Sharm is pricey, touristy, more non-divers than divers, plenty nightlife. Good sites, again - crowded! Coral damage.

That's not true - coral is much less damaged in sharm than in Hurghada.

Hurghada is moderate, differing nos. of divers/non-divers. Good sites, access to even better ones (Brothers Etc.).

Rarely anybody takes divers from Hurghada to Brother Islands - it's way too far. The farthest you go from Hurghada is Safaga - and the wrecks (Giannis D my favourite).

George - the closest to your request are Dahab or Marsa Alam. These are the most quiet places and the most local, mainly with divers.
But from Dahab you loose the chance to go diving more south - as it's too far for boats. Shore dives in Dahab are the majority.
Mania

 

[George Scherman]

Thanks all. This gives me something to save for. I'll combine it with a trip to see family in Europe.