Diving in Dahab

My first visit to Dahab was back in 1996. Back then, it was even cheaper than today - actually a bit too cheap and rather dirty. The accommodation was limited to basic camps with shared bathrooms (with both other people and cockroaches). Living cost next to nothing and diving was excellent. I returned in 2005 and at least once every year since.

A lot of things have improved: the dusty road along the beach has been transformed into a nice pedestrian area, spreading out for some 3km from the Laguna south of Dahab to Eel Garden in the north. Numerous restaurants and proper hotels have opened whilst a lot of the really cheap and dirty camps have closed down. There are plenty of internet cafés, some small 24/7 supermarkets, coffee house and a large selection of Bedouin-style restaurants on the beach.

The number of dive centres now exceeds 40 and competition remains high. There are no dive boats in Dahab, transfer to and between dive sites is by 4x4 along the coast. Dives cost from EUR 25,- including equipment and transfer.

Even though Dahab is no longer a secret I hope it will still continue to be the fantastic place it is today. I simply love to stay in one of the restaurants directly on the beach, enjoy delicious grilled shrimps and a delicious fresh fruit juice, listen to Bob Marley music, read a book or simply doze off under the starry sky.

Dive sites

The Blue Hole is considered one of Dahab's most memorable sites. A drift dive begins north of the Blue Hole at the Bells, entering a crack in the reef and descending through a chimney out into the blue at 27 meters. Loads of fishes cruise the clear waters along the spectacularly beautiful reef. Occasionally, the gaze wanders down to the breathtaking depths below. Approaching the Blue Hole, clouds of fishes dart among soft corals and the entry into the Blue Hole at 8 meters is an amazing sensation.

The Canyon is the essential dive for underwater cave fanatics! The entry (and exit) is through a shallow lagoon emerging onto the reef leading to the canyon. After crossing a splendid coral garden a crevice appears in the reef. This Canyon plunges to the depths from 16 meters. Entering at between 20 to 30 meters depth, the quality of light creates a mysterious atmosphere for exploration. One can exit the canyon from a large opening along the top at 20 meters, or along a narrow passage and through a dome known as the ‘Fish Bowl’, encrusted with corals.

The Islands are in fact a spectacular labyrinth of coral formations. The dive site is renowned for the huge variety of coral colonies and the richness of marine life found there. The maximum depth is only 15 meters, hence the light is fantastic.

The Eel Garden is a gently sloping reef. The downward sandy slope is dotted with undulating garden eels and puffer fish are commonly seen. There is also a superb garden rich in colourful hard and soft corals.

Actually nowhere Dahab, the SS Thistlegorm is the most famous wreck in the Red Sea. It is located off the coast between Sharm el-Sheikh and Suez. Back in July 2005 I booked a day trip to the wreck for EUR 100,- including transfer, 3 dives and equipment. I had to get up at 5am and took a taxi from Dahab to Sharm el-Sheikh where I met some fellow divers. We boarded the 'Windy K' - a rather fast boat which took us out to the wreck site in just under two hours.

Back in 1941, the Thistlegorm had sailed from Glasgow around South Africa to the Red Sea. It carried cargo for the British troops in Egypt, including rubber boots, trucks, motorcycles, guns, ammunition and rifles. There were also a few armoured vehicles and even two steam locomotives including coal and water wagons. The Thistlegorm never reached its destination, Suez. It was hit by an air-dropped bomb and sank. The wreck was first discovered by Jacques Cousteau in the early 1950s just to be forgotten again until the early 1990s. Nowadays it is the most famous wreck dive site in Egypt.

I knew the Thistlegorm was nearly 130 metres long and a big cargo vessel, but I was still surprised by the enormous size when I saw it for the first time. It took me 40 minutes to dive the length of the ship from the stern to the bow and back. The most exciting bit was the bow with its locomotive wagons. After lunch and a surface break of some 2 hours I went for my second dive, this time equipped with a torch. I explored the cargo hold which is still full with dozens of trucks, motorcycles and other equipment including rifles and rubber boots.

What makes this dive site so special is a combination of several factors. The main section of the ship is upright which makes it easy to dive inside the hull. After more than 60 years the cargo is still there. The warm water, good visibility and a maximum depth of just over 30 metres made this dive just perfect.

On the way back to Sharm el-Sheikh we stopped for a third dive at yet another world famous diving site, the Ras Mohammed National Park. I spent another 60 minutes underwater at Shark Reef. Despite the name I didn't spot a single shark however five dolphins made an appearance for a few moments. It was a wonderful experience to be so close to these mammals before they vanished into the blue sea.

Further information

Sinai Divers Backpackers don't live up to their reputation anymore. At least their website is still worth checking out - it contains excellent descriptions of all major Sinai dive sites.

Desert Divers is my favourite dive centre. The staff and the guides are friendly and efficient, the equipment is well-kept and fairly new and prices are reasonable.

I had a good experience with Dive In, however its location is a bit remote.

There is plenty of accommodation to choose from. I would recommend to stay at Inmo Divers or Shams. The latter is a fairly new and well-kept hotel with prices from EUR 20,- (B&B). A cheaper option is to stay in one of the many camps, e.g. the basic Crazy Camel Camp (LE20 single) or the clean and friendly Bish Bishi Camp (LE40 single).

The transfer from Sharm el-Sheikh airport to Dahab costs EUR 25. The journey to or from Taba on the border Israeli border shouldn't cost more than EUR 35. Within Dahab, both taxis and private cars should take you anywhere for LE5 to LE10. For bus timetables and more information please see Dahab Info.

Thanks to Steffen (Dive-In) and Sam (Desert Divers) for the underwater photos

My other Egypt blogs:
Egyptian pyramids - Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur
Cairo
From Abu Simbel to Aswan, Kom Ombo and Edfu
The ancient temples of Luxor and Karnak
Tombs, temples and a hot air balloon
Sinai Mountains and Saint Catherine's Monastery

---

---

---