Once I knew I was going to teach in Egypt, I wanted to go to the Red Sea! So when we found out about Eid holidays in September, we booked a trip to Dahab, a small town 1 hour north of Sharm El Sheik, which is at the very bottom tip of the Sinai Peninsula.
The Town of Dahab
I have never been to California or Hawaii, but I can't help but think that they share that same surfing/beach-bum atmosphere of a place where most of the action and life happens on the water.
It is a small place, with small shops, many of them hungry for tourists to come and buy their souvenirs, so don't be surprised by the salesmen pulling every trick in the book to lure you to their shop! Learn how to bargain, and you should get a decent price for what you buy. The townsfolk are friendly, and there are many European tourists as well as Egyptian.
There are also plenty of restaurants lined against the coast. Give Meya Meya a chance, as it is further down the strip and struggles to attract more flow of customers. The owner, Mahmoud, is super friendly and a joker!
There is definitely a bohemian feel to the town, and you slowly start looking like a beach bum as your hair gets stiff with salt water, your tan gets darker, and you wear colourful loose pants and sandals 24/7 as you lounge by the water day in and day out. Embrace it while it lasts.
Where we Stayed
The hotel we stayed in was called Dahab Paradise, and the name suited the location very well as it is pinned right between the mountains and the sea. The manager was extremely helpful and definitely went above and beyond to meet our needs and expectations. The kitchen prepared excellent breakfast (not to mention its free!) and amazing, mouth-watering meals. The cost of the hotel was also not expensive, and they can help arrange several activities to do in Dahab. I highly recommend anyone to stay in this quaint and stunningly gorgeous place!
Over the 4 days we spent in Dahab, we did a number of things that ranged from adventurous to plain relaxation. It was a great balance, and the wonderful thing is that there is so much to do in Dahab, you will never be bored! But if you like, you can sit by the pool or the shore, day after day, and soak in the sun!
Swimming in the Red Sea
Like I said earlier, I had been greatly looking forward to dipping to the Red Sea, and Wayne loves beaches a it is. So naturally, we headed to the coast first thing. Our hotel arranged a driver and the typical spot to get dropped off is called Lighthouse. This is basically the beginning the Peace road, which hugs the coast that makes up the main part of town. All the lounge restaurants are here.
The only downside is that this part of the coast is not your typical sandy beach. It's made up of small rocky cliffs, so you simply climb down a couple feet and then you're in the water. It can get very, very busy, especially in season, so try to get a spot early, around 11 am.
Now, much of the coast is occupied by lounge restaurants, so you have to go through the restaurant to get a spot, and typically the polite thing to do is to order refreshments and food. It is an ideal situation, though, because you are guaranteed cold drinks as you come back and forth from the water for as long as you like!
What else is there to do? Find out in my next blog post as I spill more details about the exciting and adventurous things to be done in Dahab!
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