Dahab
The Red Sea is the closest world-class coral to Europe, and laid-back Dahab is its friendliest classroom — a Bedouin-turned-backpacker town where dive schools outnumber pharmacies and courses cost a fraction of Caribbean prices.
- Best forDivers & snorkellers · Budget travellers · Wellness & slow travel
- In March25°C · barely any rain · sea 22°C
- Ideal stay1-2 weeks
- Approx. flying time~15h 30m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyEGPEgyptian pound
- LanguageArabic
- Local time12:232h ahead of the UK
- PlugsType C / FBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+20
Why go
Dahab grew out of a Bedouin fishing settlement into a scruffy, low-rise strip along the Gulf of Aqaba, and it has never quite shaken that backpacker informality even as diving has professionalised around it. The waterfront promenade is lined with cushioned cafes rather than resort blocks, and the desert mountains behind the town make for sunrise camel treks and canyon walks when you tire of the water. Windsurfing and kitesurfing add a second sport to the town's identity.
It suits a longer, slower stay better than a quick beach break, since much of the appeal is repeat diving and a relaxed daily rhythm rather than sightseeing. Combine it with a few days in Sinai's mountains, including the climb up Mount Sinai from St Catherine's Monastery, or with Sharm el-Sheikh nearby for a livelier contrast. Winter water is cooler but still divable in a wetsuit, and it avoids the peak summer heat.
- Ideal stay
- 1-2 weeks
- The vibe
- Scruffy, relaxed, diver-obsessed
From our guides
Shore entries at Lighthouse Reef are mirror-calm; the famous Blue Hole is fine for snorkellers hugging the rim. Come in spring or autumn to dodge both the summer furnace and winter's chilly water.
Featured in Ten tropical snorkel and dive spots perfect for first-timers
Things to do
-
Blue Hole
A famous sinkhole reef, snorkelled from the rim while the depths are reserved for experienced, technically trained divers with the right certification.
-
Lighthouse Reef
An easy shore-entry reef right in town, good for beginners and popular for night dives thanks to its calm, sheltered water.
-
Canyon dive site
A narrow underwater canyon opening onto a sandy plain, popular with more technical divers exploring its swim-throughs and overhangs.
-
Sinai mountains
Desert peaks behind the town offering camel treks, jeep safaris and sunrise hikes for a break from the water.
-
St Catherine's Monastery
An ancient monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai, reachable as a half-day trip from Dahab for those adding a mountain climb.
-
Dahab promenade
A laid-back seafront strip of cafes and dive shops facing Saudi Arabia across the gulf, busiest around sunset each evening.
Getting there
-
Fly to
Sharm El Sheikh (SSH)
Nearest airport to Dahab, about 59km away as the crow flies.
-
Then
To Dahab
About an hour and a half by car or hotel transfer from Sharm el Sheikh (SSH), north along the coast road.
-
On the ground
Getting around
Dahab is small enough to walk, with pick-up taxis along the strip and dive centres running trucks out to the Blue Hole and the northern sites.
Public transport: Buses connect Dahab with Sharm el Sheikh and Cairo. Locally it is taxis and walking.
Flights
Los Angeles Dahab, Egypt
Fly from anywhere — search 4,000+ airports worldwide.
Roughly 15h 30m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
Check dates and prices
Pick your departure date, then your return.
Search flightsNot sure when? Compare fares across a whole month.
Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.
When to go
Daytime highs run from about 21°C in January to 38°C in August. Rain is rare in any month. The sea is warmest in August at around 30°C, coolest at 22°C.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
March25° · rain 1 day · sea 22°Warm and dry.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Highlighted months are warm and mostly dry — October to May. Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Dive camps, guesthouses and small independent hotels, with a couple of larger resorts at the lagoon end. No high-rise strip and very little all-inclusive.
-
Best base overall
Masbat and the Lighthouse
The main promenade, where the dive centres, cafés and shore entries all are, so you walk to everything in a wetsuit. It is the noisiest strip in town at night.
Find stays in Masbat and the Lighthouse -
Best value
Mashraba
Just south along the front, quieter and cheaper, with simple camps and small hotels still within walking distance of the dive shops. Fewer restaurants, and the beach is stonier.
Find stays in Mashraba -
Best with children
Laguna
The shallow lagoon at the southern end, calm and waist-deep, where the kitesurf schools and family hotels are. It is a drive or a long walk from the town's evening life.
Find stays in Laguna -
Quietest
Assalah north
Beyond the busy stretch towards the Blue Hole road, with small guesthouses and Bedouin camps. Little happens after dark, which is the appeal or the problem.
Find stays in Assalah north
Worth knowing before you book: Spring and autumn are the good months and the dive schools fill then, while Egyptian and European holiday weeks push town prices up sharply.
Search everything else in Dahab by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Getting there
- Sharm el-Sheikh airport is around ninety minutes away by road and the usual gateway for Dahab.
- Safety
- Some dive sites, including the Blue Hole, have a history of accidents among divers who exceed their training; stick to your certification level.
- Cash or card
- Cash, in Egyptian pounds or US dollars, is useful for cafes and smaller dive shops.
- Pack this
- Reef-safe sunscreen and a light wetsuit cover most of the year, even outside peak summer.
- Timing
- Spring and autumn give the most comfortable air and water temperatures for diving and desert trips.
Similar places
Nearby destinations
Related articles
Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Dahab?
For warm, mostly dry days, October to May. That means highs of 20–34°C with rain on six days a month or fewer. Daytime highs run from about 21°C in January to 38°C in August. Rain is rare in any month. The sea is warmest in August at around 30°C, coolest at 22°C.
How long should I spend in Dahab?
Our suggestion: 1-2 weeks.
How do I get to Dahab?
About an hour and a half by car or hotel transfer from Sharm el Sheikh (SSH), north along the coast road.
Do I need a car in Dahab?
No. Buses connect Dahab with Sharm el Sheikh and Cairo. Locally it is taxis and walking.
What currency and language are used in Dahab?
Currency: Egyptian pound (EGP). Language: Arabic. Plugs: type C and F.
Who is Dahab best for?
Best for divers & snorkellers, budget travellers and wellness & slow travel. In a phrase: scruffy, relaxed, diver-obsessed.