Dahab...Yea or Nae?

[Crayon]

I am looking for your opinions on Dahab guys. I am not just talking diving, I'm talking everything. Are there any centers of note? Any centers to avoid? Must dive sites? Must do things?
Be honest...be brutally honest.

Looking forward to some varied replies!!!!

Thanx all.

 

[stefo2]

I have been coming to Dahab at least once or twice a year for a few years now, and while it is changing (not for the better in my opinion), I think it's still a very unique place.
It's laid back and friendly with a minimum amount of hassle compared to the rest of Egypt, it's very cheap and the scenery of the Sinai is stunning if you feel like spending a day out of the water. A day trip to the Coloured and White Canyons is amazing, as is a night out in the desert, or simply chilling out in one of the quieter waterfront restaurants with a sheesha (waterpipe, not talking illegal substances here) in the evening after a day diving.
I have done loads of dives there and I still manage to find "new" sites or dive the same sites again in a slightly different manner (direction, depth, day or night). The marine life may not be as great for big stuff as other places, but there is plenty of reasonably healthy reef with a variety of life.
There must be about 30 or more dive centres in town and only very few have a dodgy reputation now, most are well run and safe. That used to be different, apparently. Just take your pick when you get there. I have always dived with Fantasea Divers and they are great, but so are others.
The most (in)famous dive site in Dahab is the Blue Hole, where every year divers die, but there is absolutely no reason why anyone with some sense should die there - it's simply people diving too deep, trying to prove something, namely that they can find the passage way to the outer reef at 60+m. Many do, but some don't. The dive that is usually referred to as the Blue Hole dive, however, is in fact a wall dive from a place called The Bells, finishing in the Blue Hole, and is one of the great dives and nothing to worry about if you can resist the deep blue of a bottomless dive...
The Canyon is another famous dive, if you get the chance - do a night dive there, it's incredible, but not often done. One of the advantages of being a regular is that I can put in requests... Other great sites are The Islands and loads more!
Anything else you would like to know?

 

[DJ69]

We allways use Club Red dive center. very good and very professional.

Must dive sites:
The kanyon, The belles, The light house (in the city itself), Islands, The Hat's and Abu-Hillal.

 

[Louie]

Hello!

Went to Dahab last year and was quite impressed with the overall experience.

I don't know what expectations you have or what other locations you are using as points for comparison but I feel you can really enjoy the place.


Strictly speaking of the dives, most - if not all - the dives you'll do will be shore-based. A lot of the coral are in relatively good shape and there is interesting sealife. If you want prolific sealife, it doesn't compare to sites in the Southern Red Sea for sake of comparison.

If you want variety, you can probably do a daytrip to the Thistlegorm or dive Ras Mohamad.

My personal favourites were: Blue Hole and the reef in front of the Bedouin Moon hotel.

But the place is nice. It's laid back - as mentioned by previous responders - and although I've heard it's modernising rapidly, you'll probably still have fun chilling in town - smoking pipes, eating in one of the outdoor restaurants etc. Depending on how long you plan on staying, you might want to do a tour of the surrounding area in the Sinai. It is indeed rich in history and an interesting opportunity for history or archaeology buffs (just remember, you may be going up to altitude on some of these trips so you have to give yourself a timegap window between diving and tripping).

One minor down side I found: Sharm airport is airport from hell.

So enjoy whatever you end up doing and safe diving.

(I dived with Reef 2000 - www.reef2000.com - a very efficient and professional outfit)



L

 

[Crayon]

The reason I am asking is that I have been offered a job in Dahab. I have never dived that area of the Red Sea before and dont know what to expect. I had heard that the sheer volume of dive-tourists there has not only ruined the diving but also the town.
Interesting to hear the views of people who went and loved it. Anyone not like it?

Keep those views coming in.

 

[Druid]

I like Dahab. Really chilled, laid back place, excellent atmosphere. Almost all the tourists are divers - there's no other reason to go there, but I never found that a problem. Very cheap too. Mind you I've only just discovered Dahab, we went for the first time in November. I've booked another week in April.

The diving is all shore dives, but some really nice dives - The Canyon, Bells/Blue Hole and the Islands were my favourites.
I used Reef 2000 as well, well run and professional, and located next door to the Bedouin Moon Hotel which provides cheap, simple accomodation.

My holiday pictures are here, if you're interested.

 

[sundtzu]

I am looking for your opinions on Dahab guys. I am not just talking diving, I'm talking everything. Are there any centers of note? Any centers to avoid? Must dive sites? Must do things?
Be honest...be brutally honest.

Looking forward to some varied replies!!!!

Thanx all.

I live near Cairo but rent a flat with a group of divers there in Dahab...we spend almost every weekend there. We enjoy the atmosphere of the place, not as flashy as Sharm and a good bit cheaper. The diving is also quite good, and I think that the DMs at all the centers do an admirable job of ensuring divers respect the coral and sealife.
My favorite sites: Triple pools/moray house and the Canyon at night.

Dive safe,
Sundtzu

 

[DocVikingo]

Two thumbs up.

Enjoy your experience.

DocVikingo

 

[mania]

As some of you already know I love sharm but Dahab is a great place. I went there for the first time when it was yet not a well known place. Now there are more tourists and divers but still this is a much, much more quiet place comparing to Sharm or Hurghada. The city - or i would rather say village - is lovely and still very Egiptian.
It is a place worth going there...
Most of my friends use Planet Divers there or the Polish diving centre, which in fact is run mostly by Czechs.
Mania