As part of my Egypt and Jordan Nile Cruise with Travel Talk Tours I visited Dahab. If like me you only have limited time in this charming town, here is my ultimate guide to 48 hours in Dahab.
Where to stay in Dahab
You have two options for accommodation in Dahab – staying in the town center or stay at a resort a short distance outside the city.
Resort/hotels close to Dahab
As part of Travel Talk Tours our accommodation was pre-booked. Travel Talk chose Dahab Paradise which is currently the number one recommended hotel in Dahab on Trip Advisor. Dahab Paradise lived up to its name. The food was well priced and of amazing quality. The service was impeccable and the setting itself was gorgeous. We were right on the beach with a pool at our doorstep. As part of the tour we had taxi rides to all our activities included.
Staying in the town center of Dahab
The second option is to stay in the city center. I think if I was travelling by myself and did not have taxi rides included in my tour price I would choose to stay in the center. There is a lot more going on in town and you would have easy access to all the restaurants, cafes and bars along the coast. It really depends on what you are looking for though – outside of town had the luxury of more space and a huge pool on the beach. I think it would be hard to find accommodation as amazing as Dahab Paradise. But if you want convenience, the city center is a better option.
What to do in Dahab
Quad biking in Dahab
The Sinai Peninsula is ideal for quad biking. From the dusty valley’s to the blue lagoon, from coastal roads to the red mountains – this is an activity you should definitely add to your itinerary. The quad bikes reach speeds of 60/hour and are the perfect way to take in the landscape.
Snorkeling or Scuba Diving in Dahab
Dahab’s biggest attraction is Scuba Diving (or snorkeling). As I only had two days in Dahab I chose to go snorkeling. If I had more time Dahab would have been a great place to get my PADI Scuba Diving Certificate.
The reason why Dahab is a globally renowned dive spot is due to the nearby Blue Hole. This is a submarine sink hole over 100 metres deep just off the shore of the Sinai Peninsula. There are only five of these sink holes in the world. The blue hole is surrounded by colorful reefs full of stunning aquatic life.
Snorkeling was a highlight of Dahab, we ended up spending over two hours in the water exploring the reefs. As a note, even if you are not a super confident swimmer, the Red Sea has a high salt concentration which makes floating and swimming even easier than usual.
Dahab Town Center
Dahab is so laid back. Unlike other regions of Egypt you can easily wander and browse markets without being hassled or pressured to make a purchase. The items for sale, while still touristy, were things that I was more interested in purchasing as well. For example, there were beautifully patterned haram pants and local artwork.
The food in Dahab is also epic. We had dinner at Shark and it was one of the best seafood platters I have ever had. There were three of us and we chose an assortment of fish, calamari, prawns and mussels which came to a total of E£230 (£9.20) each. It was BYOB and they provided us with ice buckets to keep our beverages cold while we ate. We also got complimentary freshly baked bread and dips (hummus, babagounish, tahini, eggplant, feta and tomato). At the end of the night we had shisha and dessert. It was the dining highlight of the trip!
I wish I had more time in Dahab to try out more of the local cafés and restaurants because I got the vibe a lot of them were just as great.
How to book a trip to Dahab
You can visit Dahab as part of the 15 day Egypt and Jordan Nile Cruise Tour with Travel Talk Tours.
If you are traveling independently you can fly into Sharm-el-shaik and get a transfer to Dahab which is about one hour away. Excitingly, flights from London to Sharm-e-shike will be starting up again this year, which means EasyJet flights as cheap as £80 will accessible again soon!
Overall, while you can’t top the history, temples and sites dotted along the Nile – in terms of towns, Dahab is my favourite place in Egypt. The relaxing and welcoming atmosphere is incredibly refreshing and was the perfect end to our Egyptian itinerary.
Any questions about visiting Dahab? Feel free to comment below.