Snorkeling in Dahab: best spots and guided trips
Dahab is one of the easiest places in Egypt to snorkel: the reefs start right at the shore, so you can walk in from the beach at Lighthouse, Eel Garden or the Blue Hole and see corals and reef fish within a few metres. Many spots work for divers and snorkellers at the same time, so couples and families can share one trip.
Why Dahab is great for snorkeling
Dahab’s reefs grow right up to the beach, so almost every snorkeling spot is a walk-in from the shore with no boat needed. The reef top is often only 1–3 m deep, then drops away into deep blue water, which gives snorkellers coral and fish close up and big views at the same time.
Visibility is often 20 m or more, and water is around 21–22 °C in winter and close to 29 °C in late summer. A short rash vest or thin wetsuit is enough for most of the year.
Snorkellers regularly see parrotfish, butterflyfish, lionfish, moray eels, blue-spotted stingrays and clouds of orange anthias, and green and hawksbill turtles feed on several reefs and seagrass beds around town. You do not need any training: if you are comfortable swimming in open water with a mask and snorkel, you can enjoy most of these spots.
Water temperature month by month →
Best snorkeling spots in Dahab
These are the spots I take snorkellers to most, from the easiest town reefs to full-day trips. Each one is also a dive site, so a diver in your group can dive while you snorkel above.
Snorkeling the Blue Hole: what to know
Yes, you can snorkel the Blue Hole, and it is one of the most popular snorkel spots in Egypt. You float over the inner rim, where the reef wall is covered in coral and anthias, with the deep indigo of the hole right below you.
Stay inside the hole and along the edge. The shallow gap on the seaward side, the saddle, is at about 6–7 m and is best seen from above rather than swum through. The surface can be busy with day-trip groups and freedivers on lines, so go early and keep your head up when you move around.
Blue Hole site guide and map →
Town spots: Lighthouse and Eel Garden
Lighthouse is the easiest snorkel in Dahab, with a simple entry at the north end of the town promenade. The reef slope right next to the entry has parrotfish, groupers, lionfish and morays, and on lucky days a frogfish or an octopus.
Eel Garden, just north of Assalah, is a sandy slope covered in garden eels with coral pinnacles along its edge. The entry crosses a shallow reef table, so it is best at high tide. Float slowly and quietly, or the eels pull back into the sand.
South of town: Three Pools and the Islands
Three Pools, about 10 km south of town, is calm and shallow, which makes it a good spot for nervous swimmers and children who swim well. At high tide you cross the shallow pools to reach the reef.
The Islands is a maze of coral heads and sandy channels with some of Dahab’s best hard coral. The shallow tops of the coral blocks are easy to snorkel over, but the maze is easy to get lost in, so go with someone who knows it.
Canyon, Gabr el Bint and Ras Abu Galum
The Canyon is a dive site, but the shallow reef around its entry and neighbouring Coral Garden are good for snorkellers while divers explore the gorge below. Snorkellers will not see inside the canyon itself, which starts deeper.
Gabr el Bint and Ras Abu Galum are full-day trips by boat, 4x4 or camel. Ras Abu Galum is a protected area north of the Blue Hole with quiet reefs and a Bedouin beach camp. Both are excellent for snorkelling when the sea is calm, and both depend on the weather.
You dive, they snorkel: one trip for everyone
If one of you dives and the other does not, you can still spend the day together. We pick a site that works for both, such as Lighthouse, Eel Garden, the Blue Hole or Three Pools, drive there together, and the snorkeller explores the reef top while the diver goes deeper.
Afterwards everyone meets on the beach for tea or lunch. It is the simplest way for couples, friends and families to share Dahab without anyone waiting at the hotel.
Safety tips for snorkeling in Dahab
Wear reef shoes or fins with booties, because most entries cross rock, coral rubble or shallow reef tables. Never stand on coral, and use the marked entry gaps where they exist.
Watch the wind and current: some days the northern sites have a drift along the reef, and the afternoon wind can make the surface choppy. Use reef-safe sun protection or a long-sleeve rash vest, and drink plenty of water, because the desert sun is strong even in winter.
Always snorkel with a buddy, stay on the reef side rather than drifting out over deep water, and keep clear of entry gaps where divers are going in and out.
Guided snorkel trips
A guided snorkel trip gets you to the right spot at the right tide and shows you what to look for. I know where the turtles feed, where the eels are, and which sites are calm on a windy day.
Send me your dates, how many of you snorkel and how many dive, and I will suggest a plan.
Questions
Can you snorkel the Blue Hole in Dahab?
Yes. The inner rim of the Blue Hole is one of Dahab’s most popular snorkel spots. Stay along the edge inside the hole and go early to avoid the busiest hours.
Where is the best snorkeling in Dahab?
The Blue Hole, Lighthouse, Eel Garden, Three Pools and the Islands are the best-known spots. Ras Abu Galum and Gabr el Bint are quieter full-day trips.
Can you snorkel straight from the beach in Dahab?
Yes. Almost all Dahab snorkel spots are shore entries, and Lighthouse and Eel Garden are walking distance from the town promenade.
Do I need a guide to snorkel in Dahab?
Not at the easy town spots, but a guide helps with tides, entries, currents and finding marine life, and is a good idea at the Blue Hole and the Islands.
Can I snorkel while my partner dives?
Yes. Most Dahab dive sites have shallow reef tops, so one person can snorkel while the other dives at the same site on the same trip.
What is the best time of year to snorkel in Dahab?
You can snorkel all year. Late spring and autumn usually bring the best mix of warm water and comfortable air temperatures.