Dahab is one of the coolest and hippest destinations in Egypt. It has been up-and-coming for the past decade, and it is slowly becoming a major tourist hub, particularly for backpackers and travelers looking for something more casual and chill than the neighboring resort hotspot of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Are you planning a trip to Dahab in Egypt? Well, you’re in luck! We recently spent an entire month in Dahab as digital nomads, exploring everything the town has to offer. And we’ve meticulously documented the best things to do in and around this town! So, without further ado, here are the 25 amazing things to do in Dahab.
Psst! Unlike most other destinations, we won’t be recommending any tours, as you need to book in person. Any tour you find online is going to cost 2 to 10x as much as you would pay if you were to book with any of the tour agencies you see in Dahab as you’re walking around. Don’t worry; you don’t need to book tours ahead of time. You’ll find plenty of tour agencies, and you should haggle the prices and compare them to get the best price.
If you’d like a travel guide, check out our Dahab digital nomad guide for everything you need to know about life in Dahab, including how to get there, where to stay, how to get a local SIM card, and so much more.
Disclaimer: This blog post includes affiliate links, which means we receive a tiny commission – at no extra cost to you. Don’t worry; this doesn’t affect our recommendations whatsoever. It just helps us keep the lights on.
1. Explore the Famous Dahab Blue Hole
One of the most famous tourist attractions in Dahab is the famous Blue Hole. The Blue Hole is named so due to the submarine sinkhole, which has a maximum depth of 100 meters or 328 feet! This spot is a must-visit in Dahab as one of the best snorkeling and diving spots.
If you want to dive here, you will need an Advanced Certificate, but if you want to simply admire the coral from above the hole, this is honestly one of the best snorkel spots we have been to! The coral is absolutely gorgeous, and the fish are very fun to watch. If you are prone to seasickness, however, keep in mind that there can be some waves.
To get here, you’ll need to take a taxi (or walk if you don’t want to pay for a taxi and permission) to the Blue Hole and pay the National Park Entry fee, which, as of November 2024, was 500 EGP per person.
2. Spend Some Time at Blue Lagoon
Besides Blue Hole, you’ve got to stop by Blue Lagoon. You can knock them both off on one trip like we did or go to Blue Lagoon separately if you want to spend the whole day there. The Blue Lagoon boasts Gatorade-blue waters, especially earlier on in the day, so aim to get there before lunchtime to appreciate how clear and gorgeous the water is as the sun hits it just right.
The Blue Lagoon features very calm water, which is perfect for swimming, but it is windy, which is great for the kitesurfers out there!
If you don’t mind camping, we recommend spending the night at one of the many camps dotted around the lagoon.
To get here, there are a few different options:
- Take a taxi to Blue Hole, walk to Ras Abu Galum along the coast, then take another taxi to Blue Lagoon.
- Take a taxi to Blue Hole, take a boat to Ras Abu Galum, then take another taxi to Blue Lagoon.
- Take a direct boat from Dahab to Blue Lagoon. (Hot tip: this is the best option if you want to go directly to Blue Lagoon, as you can avoid paying the National Park fee, even if you visit Blue Hole on the way back, making it cheaper overall, as a boat should be around 300 EGP per person.)
3. Try Scuba Diving or Freediving
Dahab is famous for its diving, so you’ve got to try it at least once during your time here. If you’ve never been diving before, we recommend starting off with a Discover Dive in order to see if it’s for you. When you do a Discover Dive, an instructor will literally carry you around the water, so you won’t have anything to worry about.
If you’re ready to dive a bit deeper into diving (pun intended), take a course and become certified. An Open Water Certificate costs around $350 to $400.
And finally, if you are already certified, consider getting an Advanced Certificate ($250 to $300) or simply doing a bunch of fun dives around the Dahab area. There are many, many dives that you can do. Our favorites were:
- Bell’s
- Tiger Reef
- Caves
The diving center we used and recommend is Octopus World!
While we personally did not try freediving, Dahab is actually one of the most famous freediving spots in the world. So, this is a great place to try it.
4. Snorkel at Lighthouse or Eel Garden
You don’t have to take a taxi in order to get to the snorkel spots in and around Dahab. There are a couple of great snorkel locations within the town as well. The two spots we recommend are:
- Lighthouse
- Eel Garden
Lighthouse is the best and easiest snorkel spot, as it is generally sheltered from the wind as well. Eel Garden is another favorite of ours, but we would recommend renting fins, as the current here can be pretty intense, especially if you’re not a strong swimmer.
If you don’t have snorkel gear of your own, you can rent snorkel gear from any dive center located in Dahab.
5. Do the Mount Sinai Hike
Dahab is surrounded by mountains, the most famous of which is Mount Sinai, also known as Moses Mountain. Yep – that Moses who received the Ten Commandments on this mountain! Hiking Mount Sinai is a must for any traveler passing through Dahab. This hike is generally a sunrise hike, but we recommend opting for a sunset hike instead, as you’ll deal with fewer crowds.
Plus, for a sunrise hike, you are picked up by the tour company at midnight, which will really mess with your sleep schedule.
6. Visit St. Catherine’s Monastery
St. Catherine’s Monastery is the location of Moses’s burning bush, which the monastery is built around. A gorgeous monastery that dates all the way back to 330 AD, St. Catherine’s is the oldest continuously Christian monastery in the world! You may not be surprised by the fact that this monastery is a popular pilgrimage site for Christians around the world. Since St. Catherine’s Monastery is located right at the base of Mount Sinai, do not miss a visit before or after your hike.
7. Join Tota’s Open Mic Nights
Tota’s is a restaurant bar that hosts a variety of events throughout the week, one of the highlights being their famous open mic nights. If you’re not familiar with open mic, it’s a type of event where anyone can go up in front of the audience to perform anything of their choosing. We attended a couple of open mic nights during our month here, the majority of the performers choosing to sing, play an instrument, do stand-up comedy, or even dance.
If you have a creative streak and want to show off your skills, Tota’s is the best place to do it! They traditionally have open mic nights every Tuesday at 7:30 PM, but they recently added another night and host them on Saturdays at 7:30 PM as well.
If you want to have dinner while you watch the show, you will need to reserve a table beforehand as it gets quite busy!
8. Relax by the Sea
You don’t have to fill your days with activities in Dahab if you don’t want to. This is also the perfect town to relax and enjoy the sun and gorgeous sea. As you walk along the coast of the Red Sea, you will find plenty of bars and restaurants that offer sunbeds and tables for you to rent. Most of these have a minimum spend, so make sure to ask what the minimum spend is before claiming a spot for a chill morning or afternoon. But the great news is, you can generally easily spend the minimum spend by ordering a drink and some food.
Some of our favorite places to chill were:
- Eel Garden View
- Yalla Bar (no minimum spend)
- Abo Auda
9. Take a Kitesurfing Class
You’ll see exactly why Dahab is such a hub for kitesurfing the moment you start walking around the town. The location of the town makes it so that it’s pretty windy every day. Even the “not windy” days still had plenty of strong breezes coming through in certain parts of Dahab. You’ll find kitesurfers all around the town, and even more so if you take a trip up to Blue Lagoon, which is a favorite spot to learn how to kitesurf.
Do you want to give kitesurfing a go? You can enquire about kitesurfing classes all around Dahab, specifically in the Laguna and Blue Lagoon areas.
10. Try Local Food
We definitely ate our hearts out during our month in Dahab. While there are plenty of restaurants across the town offering a wide range of cuisines, you can’t miss out on trying the local food!
Here are some standouts you’ve got to try:
- Falafel
- Koshary
- Stuffed pigeon
- Molokhia
- Kofta
- Baba Ganoush
- Fatteh
- Shakshuka
- Shawarma
- Kebab
Some of our favorite restaurants to eat local food:
11. Go Cafe Hopping
If you’re like us and like to discover new cafes, you’re in luck because Dahab has some pretty cute cafes. Some of our favorites include:
- 11:11 Avenue: A cute cafe with healthy breakfast options and the best coffee in Dahab.
- Ralph’s German Bakery: The perfect place to have some baked goods.
- Tim’s Munch: The best cafe for huge American or Egyptian breakfasts.
- Shanti Bistro: A cute place for great coffee and breakfast.
- Schoenemanns: A German-style cafe, great for breakfast and lunch.
12. Watch the Sunset From the Viewpoint
Just a short walk from Dahab, you’ll find a footpath that leads you to some small mountains and cliffs where you can enjoy the sunset. While there is no official name for this, on Google Maps, you can find it as “Footpath to viewpoint”. It’s pretty easy to find your way up from there, as you’ll likely see other hikers and a basic path all the way up. It can get pretty windy up there, so keep that in mind!
While this is technically a hike, it is fairly easy, so no need to bring your hiking gear. Just make sure your shoes have enough grip for the way down, as it can get slippery. From this viewpoint, you’ll see the red mountains, the Red Sea, and the entirety of Dahab.
13. Admire the Canyons and Mushroom Rock
Seeing the giant rocks surrounding Dahab, you won’t be surprised to hear that one of the main tours you can take from Dahab is to see the canyons. The most famous of these canyons are Colored Canyon and White Canyon.
Each of these canyons is worth seeing, and the great news is you can usually combine them all in one tour by asking around the tour agencies in Dahab. Many may also be able to create a special itinerary just for you. We highly recommend knocking off all three in one go, as well as adding a short stop to see Mushroom Rock and an oasis.
14. Experience Bedouin Culture
The Bedouins are indigenous to the area, so if you want a bit of a cultural experience in Dahab, you can get to know their culture and customs. There are many Bedouin events happening all over Dahab that you can join by asking a tour company of your choice, including Bedouin dinners, drum lessons, parties, campfires, or teas.
These tours generally cost less than $10 USD and include transportation to the mountains, but they will cost more if you choose to eat dinner.
15. Take a Day Trip to See the Pyramids of Giza
Yep – you read that right. You can take a day trip to Giza and back from Dahab! If you flew straight to Sharm el-Sheikh without getting a chance to see the Pyramids, here’s your opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. As you might expect, this is a FULL day tour, taking around 20 hours altogether.
While we didn’t do this tour from Dahab, basically every tour company around Dahab was offering this trip, so ask and shop around for the best price and see if this would be feasible for you during your visit. Let us just reiterate that this is a 20-hour tour, so that’s basically taking 2 days off from exploring Dahab and the Sinai Peninsula (2 days since you’re going to definitely need some time to recover after this tour!).
16. Shop at the Local Markets
We discovered a few different markets in Dahab. Exploring these local markets is a great way to promote creativity and community in the town, as well as support locals.
- Arishy Thursday Vegetable Market: As you might be able to guess from the name, this is THE market to go to for produce shopping. While technically a Thursday market, the market is technically open until they run out of goods, which is generally on Friday. With that said, try to come here on a Thursday, as you’ll have the most options to choose from.
- Pattaya Thai: Pattaya Thai is a restaurant in Assala, but they host a weekly market on Friday afternoons. Here, you can find handmade crafts, such as crocheted clothes, kombucha, food, jewelry, and so much more!
- Hands of Dahab Community Market: Hosted in the New Amanda Hotel every Thursday, this community market is a chance for the people of Dahab to come together and show off their arts and crafts. You’ll find everything from homemade food, drinks, jewelry, and crystals, as well as clothes.
17. Take Pictures of the Why Not Shop
There are plenty of cute stores and boutiques in Dahab that you’ve got to check out. But one of the most famous stores is the Why Not shop. This little store will stick out to you as you’re walking down the Dahab boardwalk, and it’s easy to see why this is a popular store. The outside is super photographable, but the inside is filled with handmade goods that are perfectly curated for the store. Dare we say this is one of the best shops in Dahab to find a souvenir?
18. Ride a Camel
Since Dahab is located in the Sinai Desert, it’s not surprising that this is a great spot to ride a camel. But be warned if you’re scared of heights, camels are tall. There are many camel rides and safaris you can book, ranging from 30-minute rides to overnight tours, so pick your option.
As with any animal tour, always make sure to enquire regarding the treatment of the camels before you book anything. The last thing you want to do is support a company that mistreats its camels.
19. Go Stargazing
Dahab is a great place to go stargazing. If you happen to be visiting during a new moon, you’re in for a treat. While the town of Dahab itself is not the best place to look up at the skies, if you travel a bit further from the town, you’ll be rewarded with pitch-black surroundings and gorgeous twinkling stars. A couple of the best spots to go stargazing in Dahab include Blue Lagoon and this campground.
20. Eat, Eat, Eat!
We ate at as many restaurants as we could during our time in Dahab, and you should, too. You can find a lot of great food here, ranging from Egyptian food to Chinese food and more.
Beyond the cafes and local restaurants we’ve already mentioned above, here are some of our favorite restaurants that you should check out:
- Seaduction: The most delicious and aesthetically-pleasing Lebanese food.
- Zanooba Slow Cooking: Amazing tagines that you need to book in the morning for dinner.
- Shabka and Senara: Probably the most affordable seafood in all of Dahab, and oh-so-delicious. Pick your own seafood to cook!
- MiAMi Seafood: You pick your own seafood to cook here as well.
- Tricycle Burger: Huge and delicious burgers, with plenty of options to choose from.
- Kitchen Express: Surprisingly good Chinese food.
21. Ride a Quad Bike
Instead of touring around Dahab in a taxi, a super fun alternative is to do a quad bike tour. You’ll find a quad bike tour that fits your itinerary and what you want to see, but some tried and true routes and destinations include riding through the desert, exploring a valley and Blue Lagoon, or riding to Blue Hole, where you will also snorkel. There are also tours where you can combine a camel ride and a quad bike ride, so ask around!
22. Take a Day Trip to Petra in Jordan
Feel like knocking off another country and bucket list item whilst you’re in Dahab? Petra is around 4 hours away from Dahab, so you can take a day trip and come back to sleep in your hotel in Dahab by nighttime.
Of course, with this day trip, you will have a VERY early start at around 2:30 AM. Getting to Petra involves a 3-hour ferry to Jordan, where you will meet your local guide, who will then take you around to Petra and have some lunch. After this tour, you’ll head back to the port toward Dahab!
While this would be a very long day, if Petra has been on your bucket list and you don’t have plans to go to Jordan any time soon, this is a great way to knock this (and another country!) off your list without having to plan an entirely other vacation to Jordan.
23. Explore the Town
Just walk around and admire the town! Walking is a great way to get to know the town and everything it offers. This way, you might find your new favorite restaurant (that we may not have discovered), a hidden cafe, or a favorite place to relax. As you walk around, you’ll find plenty of shops, boutiques, juice bars, and even some street food that you might be keen to try.
24. Shop for Natural Products
Dahab is known for its natural products. You’ll find several natural product stores in Dahab, where you can buy everything from soap and deodorant to shampoo and perfume. Our favorite natural product store in Dahab is Back to Nature.
25. Take a Yoga Class
What better way to spend your morning than doing some yoga on a rooftop with the sea breeze caressing your face? As you walk around Dahab, you’ll find signs offering yoga classes, but we recommend Nour Wellbeing, as they offer a huge variety of classes every day. No need to book beforehand; just show up a few minutes before to pay and sign up before you head upstairs to stretch on a mat!
Have the Time of Your Life in Dahab!
Despite being a small town, Dahab offers plenty of activities to keep you occupied. Whether you’re staying for a long weekend or for weeks on end, you’ll find something to keep you busy throughout your stay.
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