Red Sea
Dahab
A Bedouin town on the Red Sea where the diving is the reason to come and the reason to leave.
- Best time to visit
- March — May, September — November
- Coordinates
- 28.5725, 34.5378
Dahab means "gold" in Arabic, a name the town earned when the Bedouin of the area used to dive for gold coins in the Red Sea. It is now a diving town, which means the pace, the prices and the clientele all follow the dive schedule.
The centre of town is a shallow lagoon, protected by a reef that runs parallel to the shore, and this is the reason divers come: the shore entry is a sandy slope you can walk into, and the reef is a stone corridor at 10 to 30 metres with good visibility almost year round.
Diving without a course
If you are not certified, Dahab is still good to you. The shore-entry reef at the Lighthouse and the Islands can be snorkelled comfortably by a strong swimmer, and the water is clear enough at the surface to see the coral. There are also introductory "Discover Scuba" sessions that take you to about 12 metres with an instructor and a borrowed set — enough to get a taste without a week of paperwork.
When to go
March to May and September to November. June to August is hot and the winds pick up. December to February is mild and, for divers, the best visibility of the year — but the water is cold enough that you will want a full 5mm suit.
Beyond the reef
Between Dahab and Ras Mohammed the coast is a series of lagoons — Blue Hole, Dahab Lagoon, the Canyon — and it is very nearly empty on weekdays. Nabq is quieter still if you are willing to drive an hour down a desert road.