The Bells, Dahab: the chimney into the Blue Hole

Updated October 2026 · by Mohamed Fathy, PADI & SSI dive instructor in Dahab

Depth

5–27 m

Level

Advanced recommended

Entry

Shore (narrow chimney)

Area

North

The Bells dive guide: what to expect

The Bells Dahab is the dramatic opening act of the most famous dive in the area. A short walk north of the Blue Hole, a small gap in the reef table, only a few metres long and a couple of metres wide, leads straight down into a vertical chimney. You drop through it one by one, with sunlight filtering through the cracks above and the open sea visible through the slot on your seaward side. Some say the name comes from the bell shape of the chimney, others from the clang of tanks against the rock.

Diving The Bells Dahab means a controlled descent. The chimney pinches in at around 23 m, and you continue to the next opening at about 26–28 m, where you slip out onto a sheer wall above water that is hundreds of metres deep. A little shallower on the wall there is a small arch or groove, sometimes called the mini arch, which is nothing to do with the deep Blue Hole Arch. From there the dive turns into a gentle wall swim south toward the Blue Hole, keeping the reef on your right shoulder.

The wall between The Bells and the Blue Hole is one of the prettiest stretches in Dahab. Big black coral bushes and sea fans grow out from overhangs, hard corals form shelves, and cleaner fish set up shop along the way. Look into the blue now and then: groupers, Napoleon wrasse and schooling fish pass by, and the water is usually gin clear.

After 35–45 minutes you rise to the saddle, a shallow notch at about 6–7 m, and cross into the Blue Hole to finish. That is why most people describe this as the Bells to Blue Hole dive rather than two separate sites. It is a deep start, so we recommend Advanced Open Water or equivalent 30 m certification, solid buoyancy and a recent dive. If you haven't been in the water for a while, we will do a check dive at the Lighthouse first.

On a quiet morning, with light pouring down the chimney and nobody else around, The Bells is the dive that makes people fall in love with Dahab.

The Bells dive map

The dive, step by step

1. Entry

   Walk about 150 m north from the Blue Hole car park, enter the small pool in the reef table and descend into the chimney one diver at a time.

2. Chimney descent

   Drop slowly through the chimney with the seaward slot on one side. It narrows around 23 m; continue to the opening at 26–28 m.

3. Out onto the wall

   Exit onto the vertical wall at about 27 m and start heading south with the reef on your right shoulder, staying above 30 m.

4. Black coral wall

   Ascend gradually from 25 m to 12 m along overhangs, black corals, sea fans and cleaner stations.

5. Saddle and finish

   Around 35–45 minutes in, cross the saddle at 6–7 m into the Blue Hole, make your safety stop on the inner wall and exit at the Blue Hole shore.

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Conditions

Max depth

27–30 m (recreational); the wall drops far deeper and is off-limits

Dive time

45–60 min

Current

Usually mild; sometimes a light southbound drift that helps you toward the Blue Hole

Visibility

Typically 20–30 m or more

Best time

Year-round. Mornings are quieter; late-morning sun gives the best light in the chimney.

Requirements

Advanced Open Water or equivalent 30 m certification, good buoyancy, recent dive or check dive

What you'll see

• Black coral bushes
• Sea fans (gorgonians)
• Glassfish in crevices
• Cleaner fish stations
• Groupers
• Napoleon wrasse
• Anthias and lionfish near the saddle
• Hard coral overhangs

Guide's tips

• Good buoyancy is a must inside the chimney
• Usually finished as a drift into the Blue Hole
• Best light in the chimney is late morning

Snorkeling at The Bells

The standard snorkel entry for the Blue Hole: drift south along the vertical drop-off with the usual north-to-south current, but there is no shallow reef flat, so you need to be a confident swimmer in deep water.

Snorkeling guide →

Safety notes

• The chimney is narrow: descend one at a time, keep gauges and hoses tucked in, and avoid kicking the diver below.
• The descent is fast and deep at the very start of the dive, so equalise early and keep an eye on your computer to avoid overshooting 30 m.
• Beyond the wall there is no bottom for hundreds of metres; stay close to the reef and your guide.
• Do not confuse the mini arch on the wall with the Blue Hole Arch at about 55 m, which is a technical dive only.

Questions about The Bells