How many days in Dahab? 4 days of reefs, the Blue Hole, Bedouin coves and Mount Sinai
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Dahab is a small, slow town on the Gulf of Aqaba in South Sinai, about 1 hour north of Sharm el-Sheikh, where the reef starts a few steps from the seafront cafés and the desert mountains come right down to the water. It began as a Bedouin fishing village and grew into a diving and backpacker town. Give it four days: two in the sea, at the town reefs and the famous Blue Hole, one on the coast at Ras Abu Galum, and one night and morning for the sunrise climb of Mount Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery. Many people come for four days and stay for a month.
Short answer
Three days covers the town reefs, the Blue Hole and Mount Sinai. The fourth day adds Ras Abu Galum or the Coloured Canyon, and a day of rest after the night climb.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: The town reefs and the promenade
Morning. Snorkel or try diving at the Lighthouse reef at the north end of town, where the reef drops away a few metres from the shore. Mask, snorkel and fins cost about E£150-300 a day to rent; a fun dive costs about €30-45, usually quoted in euros, with a discount for packages.
Afternoon. Walk the seafront promenade south through Masbat and Mashraba, past cafés with cushions and low tables over the water. Snorkel the Eel Garden, just north of the Lighthouse area, where garden eels rise from the sand on the slope, or rest in a café with a mint tea, about E£50-100.
Evening. Eat fresh fish chosen from the ice at one of the seafront restaurants in Masbat, weighed and grilled with rice, salads and bread, about E£600-1,200 per person. The promenade is relaxed and lit until late.
Bring reef shoes: the shore entries are over coral rubble and rocks, and sea urchins live in the shallows. Never stand on the coral.
Day 2: The Blue Hole and the Canyon
Morning. Take a taxi or join a dive centre about 15-20 minutes north to the Blue Hole, a deep sinkhole in the reef close to the shore. Snorkellers swim around its rim over the coral; divers usually enter at the Bells, a cleft in the reef wall, and swim along the wall into the Blue Hole (a small entry fee for the area).
Afternoon. Dive or snorkel the Canyon, a narrow crack in the reef on the way back to town, then have lunch at one of the Bedouin cafés facing the Blue Hole. Freediving schools in Dahab run courses here from 2-3 days.
Evening. Back in town, sit at one of the beach bars at sunset as the mountains across the gulf, in Saudi Arabia, turn pink. Book your Mount Sinai trip for the next night.
The Blue Hole's deep arch, at about 55 metres, has caused many deaths among divers going beyond their limits. Recreational divers should stay within their training depth; the wall and rim are the beautiful part.
Day 3: Ras Abu Galum
Morning. Drive to the Blue Hole and walk north along the coast path to Ras Abu Galum, a protected area with Bedouin camps on quiet beaches, about 1.5-2 hours on foot on a rocky path, or take a camel or a boat (agree prices in Dahab). Snorkel the reef in front of the camps, often empty.
Afternoon. Eat a simple Bedouin lunch of grilled fish or chicken, rice and salad in a beach hut, about E£400-800, and walk to the Three Pools dive and snorkel site nearby. Return by boat or camel in the late afternoon.
Evening. Rest and eat early in Dahab. Night trips to Mount Sinai usually leave around 23:00 to midnight.
There is no shade on the walk to Ras Abu Galum and little water on the way. Start early, carry at least 2 litres each, and go with a guide or a group if you are not used to desert hikes.
Day 4: Mount Sinai at sunrise and St Catherine's
Morning. Drive about 2-2.5 hours to the foot of Mount Sinai near St Catherine, and climb with a Bedouin guide by the Camel Path (about 2.5-3 hours) to the summit at about 2,285 metres for sunrise. Come down via the Steps of Repentance, a steep stairway of stone steps. Organised trips from Dahab cost about E£1,500-3,000 including transport and guide.
Afternoon. Visit St Catherine's Monastery at the foot of the mountain, one of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the world, with the bush traditionally identified as the Burning Bush (opening hours are short, usually mornings; check days). Drive back to Dahab and sleep.
Evening. A slow evening on the promenade. If you have more energy, the Coloured Canyon, about 1.5 hours away near Nuweiba, makes another day's trip, with narrow walls of pink, yellow and red sandstone.
It is cold on the summit at dawn, close to 0°C in winter, even after a hot day on the coast. Bring a warm jacket, a hat and a torch; blankets can be rented at the top.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, do the town reefs and the Blue Hole on the first two days and Mount Sinai on the third. You lose Ras Abu Galum.
Got extra days?
Extra days go to the Coloured Canyon and the White Canyon near Nuweiba, a dive course, a freediving course, or a boat to Ras Mohammed National Park near Sharm el-Sheikh for some of the best reefs in the Red Sea.
Where to stay in Dahab
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Hostels and camps in Masbat and Assala | On the promenade, next to dive centres and cheap cafés. | E£700-1,500 |
| Mid-range | Lighthouse and Mashraba | Walk to the reef, the restaurants and the dive shops. | E£1,800-3,500 |
| Mid-range | Apartments in Assala and Mashraba | Weekly and monthly rentals for longer stays. | E£1,500-3,000 |
| Comfort | Resorts by the Lagoon (Laguna) | Pools, quiet beach and the windsurfing and kitesurfing area. | E£4,500-10,000 |
Getting around
Fly to Sharm el-Sheikh; a taxi or hotel transfer to Dahab takes about 1-1.5 hours (about E£1,500-2,500 per car; agree the price first). Buses run from Sharm and Cairo (about 8-9 hours). Dahab is small: the Lighthouse to Mashraba takes about 20 minutes on foot. Taxis within town cost about E£50-150; to the Blue Hole about E£300-500 return. Expect police checkpoints on the roads: carry your passport.
What to eat in Dahab
Dahab eats from the sea. Pick fish at the seafront restaurants and have it grilled, or order sayadeya, fish cooked with rice and onions. Try Egyptian classics: ful medames (fava beans), taameya (Egyptian falafel made with fava beans), koshari and feteer, a flaky layered pastry. Bedouin camps cook zarb, meat cooked underground, for groups. Street food costs E£50-150; a seafront dinner E£500-1,200. Alcohol is sold in some bars and shops, but not everywhere.
Best time to visit
March to May and October to November are best: days around 25-32°C, water at 22-27°C. Summer, June to September, often passes 38-40°C, though the sea is warm. Winter, December to February, is mild by day (20-23°C) but windy and cold at night, especially on Mount Sinai. The steady winds make Dahab one of the windsurfing and kitesurfing centres of the region.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | E£500 | E£1,300 | E£3,500 |
| Food & drink | E£500 | E£1,000 | E£2,000 |
| Sights & tickets | E£300 | E£1,500 | E£3,000 |
| Local transport | E£100 | E£300 | E£800 |
| Total per person, per day | about E£1,400 | about E£4,100 | about E£9,300 |
Approximate 2026 prices (roughly E£48-50 to US$1); dive centres often quote in euros, and 'Sights & tickets' averages snorkel gear, a few dives and the Mount Sinai trip across the days.
Before you go
Common questions
Is Dahab safe for tourists?
Dahab and the South Sinai coast are generally calm and popular with independent travellers, and there are police checkpoints on the roads. Check your government's latest travel advice for Sinai before you go, as it covers different areas differently. In town, the usual care applies: agree taxi prices first and keep valuables out of sight.
Can I snorkel the Blue Hole without diving?
Yes. The rim of the Blue Hole is shallow and full of coral and fish, and snorkellers enter from the shore by the cafés. Stay over the reef and away from the boat and dive entry points. The currents are usually mild, but the open sea beyond the rim can be rough on windy days.
How hard is the Mount Sinai climb?
It is a long walk rather than a technical climb: about 7 km and 2.5-3 hours up the Camel Path, with the last 750 steps steep and uneven. You climb in the dark, so bring a torch. Camels can carry you most of the way up the path, for a fee; the final steps must be climbed on foot.
Do I need a visa for Dahab?
Many nationalities can buy a visa on arrival at Egyptian airports, or apply online for an e-visa in advance. Travellers flying directly into Sharm el-Sheikh and staying in South Sinai resorts such as Dahab, Sharm and Nuweiba can sometimes receive a free Sinai-only entry stamp for short stays. Check the current rules for your nationality.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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