Is this the first time to Dahab ? When do you plan to travel ? Are you and experienced diver or just a novice ?

These three questions will determine my answer. In general the best and most famous part of Dahab is the area arouund the north east corner of the Dahab Bay, called Asala. Thats where, along the Corniche, you will find lots of dive centres, shops, restaurants and bars. There you will find lots of small hotels and camps and it is possible to just turn up and look for a room. Normally a very basic room with AC and bathroom will cost LE 50 - 80 per night excluding breakfast. Nothing special but just the bare necessities. You can find even more basic and cheaper.

The best hotel in that area is the Nesima and the most expensive. They also can arrange pick up from Sharm airport.

http://www.nesima-resort.com

Other dive operations in Dahab worth recommending... Emperor, Sinai Divers, Reef 200 etc etc . Just google for their websites.

To get to Dahab from Sharm... by East Delta bus ( three times a day last one about 5 or 6 p.m. ) cost around LE 13 - 18 each way. Or by taxi, anything from LE 250 - 450 one way. ( It is cheaper to take a taxi from Dahab to Sharm than the other way ).

If you are not an experienced diver or wish to learn then consider Nuweiba. The beaches are better there and there are also good cheap places to stay.

And look through all the threads here as you will find lots of info and even pics !

Thanks for the info! To answer your question, I have never been diving before but may try an introductory lesson or two. My boyfriend on the other hand wants to complete his advanced open water PADI certificate. We will be there in May for 3 or 4 days.

I have come across the Sainai divers site - they look really fantastic. I will look uo the others you suggested as well.

Need some info on Dahab. Whats Dahab town like.

There have been quite a few posts on Dahab before. I would suggest running a search for Dahab in the search function at the top of the page.

Cannot find anything. Hubby thinks Sharm will be too noisy and brash
wants somewhere peaceful and warm, somewhere to stroll around for next January. But not too boring - help?

Wilma,

Jnauary in Dahab - cold and windy. It's the coldest time for Egypt in Jan and Dahab is infamous for it's windsurfing competitions. Best time for Dahab is May and October, not too hot!

Dahab is very popluar for divers around 80 diving centres and lots of camping villages. If you wanted a trip to sharm there are regular bus journeys around 1hr30mins.

Sharm is very commercial (not like Costa's but not far off) but i fear there isn't a great deal to do in Dahab unless you are in a complex. The Swiss Inn and Hilton are the better ones.

I did my Open Water Scuba course there nearly 3 years ago and even though it has changed, but noting much at all like Sharm. You see very poor areas very close to the resort town too!

Hope this helps

Is February warmer than January or about the same. Is it warmer in Sharm.

Temperatures warm up here beginning of March. February is still pleasant early twenties, but cold and windy in the evenings.

We hope to go to Dahab in August, but never having been to Egypt before, wondered if anyone would like to comment on the resort, the Coral Coast Hotel and the diving. We intend to do a PADI course and also take excursions into the Sinai Desert with Baobab eco travel. Can anyone recommend places to see?
Is sunbathing/swimming in a bikini OK there?
Thank you!

Hi Bellaoz,

Dahab is a pretty resort with loads of shops, bars and cafes spread along the seafront. This link may give you a little more info on the hotel.
http://www.subsinai.com/accommodations/coral%20coast.html

Dahab is very popular with the diving fraternity and i'm sure you,ll get more useful info from some other members. There are many different excursions on offer in the Sinai and further afield.

Sunbathing and swimming in a bikini is fine, just cover up when you leave the beach or the hotel.

Thank you very much Carrot. I'll go and look at the link now. It's funny that until a few days ago I had never considered Egypt, until I decided I wanted to dive and then you find out all sorts of amazing things and wondered why I'd never been before!

Dahab is a little flood plain measuring several square miles sandwiched between the mountains of Sinai, just 100 km north east of Sharm, and with beautiful views across the sea to Saudi Arabia.

Dahab is split into two with the larger 4 and 5 star hotels on the south side, where the beaches are bigger and sandier, close to the government offices, telephone central, houses and bus station, and the smaller hotels and camps huddles along the corniche by the sea at Assala, a few miles to the north east, and where also you ll find all the little shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, dive centres, excursion offices, ATMs, etc etc

Assala is the better place to be - very pleasant walking along the corniche at sunset or at night - but the beach is not so good with mainly rocks and coral ( good for snorkeling ). The Coral Coast is located a quarter of a mile north of this area, on the way to the Blue Hole, and in easy walking distance. Its a small basic hotel, used to be run by a fascinating Irish lady who, along with her Egyptian husband formed Embah Safaris - the leading local excursion operator in the area. You ll be in good hands.

There were previous threads on Dahab along with pics - just do a search.

Thank you very much, it sounds very much the sort of place we prefer to be!
I think it's time we booked..............
Do you know Cavus in Turkey? It sounds a similar place, two hours drive west of Antalya near Olympos. Still uncommercialised and few tour operators go there, you have to book independently.

bellaoz

Hi All

Does anyone know anything about Dahab and in particular the new Meridien hotel there? Did find a few photos on trip and it looks stunning.

I am also interested to know if there would be anywhere to walk for an evening meal as the Meridian and the Hilton both seem to be B&B. I am assuming it is a smaller resort than Sharm, but would like something to be there outside of the hotel.

Thanks, Doe

Briar. Thank you for digging this out for me, you're a star. I would love to see some photo's if there are any about.

I know Dahab is split in to two area with the international hotel part away from the chilled beach bit. I just wanted to make sure we could get from one to the other with ease as we like to have a little mozzey about of an evening.

Don't suppose there is much info on the hotel to be had as it's so new. It looks good on Thompsons web-site, but then it would I guess. LOL.

Have you looked at the pages on Wikitravel too?
The Blue Bay and Furry Cup are definitely to be recommended - went there last summer as part of a diving trip from Nuweiba. Excelent steak with mushrom sauce and (real) potato wedges.

Cheers Alan, I will have a look when I have more time. Unfortunately we are not divers (various health reasons) we just snorkle. I can across a nice hotel and having been to Sharm twice thought I might give another resort a go, but am pretty undecided at present, still researching various options.

Thanks for the input, Doe.

Edit: I've just realised that the Blue Bay and Furry Cup are probably restaurants and not dive sites

Yup - I've never yet tried steak and chips underwater