Things to do in Dahab, from a local
The best things to do in Dahab are in the water: snorkel or dive the Blue Hole, the Canyon and the town reefs. On dry days, hike to Ras Abu Galum, walk the Coloured Canyon near Nuweiba, climb Mount Sinai for sunrise, kitesurf at the Lagoon and spend the evening on the promenade. Here is how I would plan it.
In the water: snorkel, try dive and fun dives
Dahab is built around the sea, and almost every reef is a shore entry. You can snorkel straight from the promenade at Lighthouse and Eel Garden, or take a short drive north to the Blue Hole, where the inner rim has coral right at the surface.
Never dived? A first try dive takes you to a maximum of 12 m with an instructor, in calm, shallow water at a town reef. Certified divers can fill a week with fun dives: The Bells into the Blue Hole, the Canyon, the Islands and quieter southern sites like Golden Blocks.
Dahab is also one of the world’s best-known freediving towns, and you will see freedivers training on their lines inside the Blue Hole. It is a sport of its own, with its own courses and schools.
Day trip: Ras Abu Galum and the Blue Lagoon
Ras Abu Galum is the protected coast north of the Blue Hole, declared a protectorate in 1992, with no road along the shore. You walk about 1.5 hours along the coastal path, ride a camel, or take a boat, then snorkel or dive on some of the healthiest reefs around Dahab.
Further north, the Blue Lagoon is a shallow, sheltered lagoon behind a sandbar, with Bedouin camps on the beach and kites over the water on windy days.
Plan a Ras Abu Galum and Blue Lagoon day →
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Day trip: the Coloured Canyon
The Coloured Canyon is a narrow sandstone slot canyon about 90 km north of Dahab, with Nuweiba as the nearest town. Its walls are banded in red, yellow, purple and white, and the walls of the main gorge rise to around 30–40 m above the path.
Most people go on an organised half-day or full-day trip by 4x4, because the last part is a desert track. The walk itself is a few hours with some scrambling and narrow squeezes, so wear proper shoes and go in the cooler morning. If you arrived on a Sinai-only entry stamp, check that your route is covered before you book.
Day trip: Mount Sinai sunrise and St Catherine
Mount Sinai rises to 2,285 m near the town of Saint Catherine, around 2 hours by road from Dahab. The classic trip is a night hike: you leave Dahab around 11 pm, start walking at about 2 am, and reach the summit in time for sunrise.
There are two routes up. The camel path is longer and gentler, taking around 2.5 hours on foot. The Steps of Repentance, about 3,750 stone steps, are steeper and more direct, and many people climb by the camel path and come down the steps. A local guide is required.
At the foot of the mountain is Saint Catherine’s Monastery, built in the 6th century and part of the Saint Catherine Area UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2002. Bring warm layers: the summit is cold before dawn, even in summer.
On land: the promenade, Wadi Gnai and kitesurfing
The promenade along Masbat Bay is the heart of Dahab, lined with cafés, restaurants and shops from Eel Garden in the north to Mashraba in the south. Walk it at sunset, when the mountains of Saudi Arabia turn pink across the Gulf.
Wadi Gnai, about 7 km south of town, is a granite valley that meets the sea at a small palm oasis with Bedouin gardens. It is a quiet beach stop, and the reefs nearby include Golden Blocks and Three Pools.
Dahab is famous for its wind, and kitesurfers and windsurfers gather at the Lagoon area in the south of town, where the water is flat, shallow and sandy. Schools there run lessons for complete beginners.
Dahab with kids
Dahab is relaxed and easy with children. The Lagoon has shallow, sandy water that suits young swimmers, and the town reefs at Lighthouse and Eel Garden are good first snorkels for older children with an adult close by.
Children aged 10 and over can try scuba in a first dive or a junior course, in calm water with an instructor. A camel ride, a Bedouin dinner in the mountains or a morning at the Blue Hole rim are other easy family days.
Dahab at night
Dahab’s nightlife is low-key. Evenings are about long dinners on the water, shisha and live music in the cafés along the promenade, with a few bars staying open late around Masbat and the old harbour.
Night dives and night snorkels are a Dahab speciality too. Lighthouse, right in town, comes alive after dark with hunting lionfish, octopus and, if you are lucky, a Spanish dancer.
Non-diving days: no-fly times and surface intervals
Plan your non-diving days carefully. Mount Sinai sits at about 2,285 m and Saint Catherine town at around 1,600 m, so going up into the mountains after diving is like flying: the lower air pressure raises your risk of decompression sickness.
DAN recommends at least 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive, and at least 18 hours after multiple dives in a day or multiple days of diving, before flying. Use the same rule for the drive up to Saint Catherine and the night hike.
The easy fix is to do Mount Sinai or the Coloured Canyon at the start of your trip, or put a full rest day between your last dive and the mountain. Save a free day before your flight home for the promenade, Wadi Gnai or a snorkel-free beach.
Plan your days with a local
Tell me how many days you have, who dives, who snorkels and what you want to see on land, and I will suggest the order that fits the wind, the dives and your flight. If you are new to diving, start with the guides to Dahab’s dives and courses.
The complete guide to diving in Dahab →
Questions
What is there to do in Dahab?
Snorkeling and diving at the Blue Hole and the town reefs, day trips to Ras Abu Galum, the Coloured Canyon and Mount Sinai, kitesurfing at the Lagoon, and evenings on the promenade.
How far is the Coloured Canyon from Dahab?
About 90 km north of Dahab, near Nuweiba. Most people go on an organised half-day or full-day trip by 4x4.
How long does it take to get from Dahab to Mount Sinai?
Around 2 hours by road. Sunrise trips usually leave Dahab around 11 pm, start the climb at about 2 am and reach the summit for sunrise.
Can you climb Mount Sinai after diving?
Not straight away. Mount Sinai is 2,285 m high, so treat it like flying: DAN advises at least 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive and 18 hours after multiple dives or days.
Is Dahab good for kitesurfing?
Yes. Dahab is known for its steady wind, and the Lagoon area in the south of town has flat, shallow water and schools for beginners.
Is Dahab good for families?
Yes. It is relaxed, with shallow sandy water at the Lagoon, easy snorkel spots in town and first try dives for children aged 10 and over.
What is the nightlife like in Dahab?
Low-key. Expect dinners on the water, cafés with live music and a few late bars around Masbat rather than big clubs.