Blue Hole walls, canyon swim-throughs, and Bedouin desert horizons
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Overview
Dahab is a shore-diving stronghold where drop-offs start a few fin kicks from cafes and palm-fronted camps. The Blue Hole and Canyon headline for scuba and technical diving, while Bannerfish Bay and the bay sites make year-round freedive training easy. Snorkelers hover above living coral gardens, and topside days are wind, rock, and tea in goat-hair camps. Ras Abu Galum Protected Area borders the north, including the Blue Hole checkpoint.
Dahab’s underwater is classic Gulf of Aqaba: sheer walls, hard-coral shelves, and blue water that stays clear even on windy days. The Blue Hole is a sinkhole with a saddle at 6 m and an arch ceiling near 55 m that is technical-only territory. Recreational divers enjoy the outside wall and the Bells-to-Blue Hole drift, while the Canyon’s overhead fissure offers photogenic swim-throughs with careful planning.
Air is warm all year; water is roughly 21°C in winter and 28°C in late summer. Northerly trades can freshen in spring and early summer, but in-town bays remain diveable most days.
The Blue Hole area sits under South Sinai’s protectorates framework linked with Ras Abu Galum. Rangers manage access and collect local fees at the gate. Always dive with a CDWS-registered operator and follow their ratios and depth policies.
Fly to Sharm El Sheikh (SSH) and transfer about 100 km up the coast. The town stretches along Masbat Bay; most shore entries are a short walk or jeep shuttle from gear rooms.
Trip callouts
Bells-to-Blue Hole and Canyon are Red Sea classics within day-trip reach from town.
Consistent depth lines at in-town bays and the Blue Hole, plus an active coaching and competition scene.
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Last updated: October 30, 2025 • 16 sources
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Northern coastline is managed as Ras Abu Galum Protected Area with reinforced controls for reef protection.
Blue Lagoon kitesurfing and Wadi Gnai climbing offer wind and granite when you are dry.
scuba
Why Dahab for Scuba Diving
Shore drops to deep blue make Dahab efficient for training and fun dives. Do the Bells-to-Blue Hole drift with a controlled exit into the famous pool, time Canyon for shafts of light, and use easy macro routes at Bannerfish Bay. Reputable outfits keep logistics smooth and enforce CDWS policies.
freedive
Why Dahab for Freediving
Few places rival Dahab for depth access a swim from shore. In-town bays offer protected training lines, while the Blue Hole gives straight-to-depth descents with safety setups from local schools such as Freedive Dahab and Dahab Freedivers. Periodic events draw a global community.
snorkel
Why Dahab for Snorkeling
Shallow coral tables fringe much of the coast. Blue Hole’s inner pool and Eel Garden’s sand plain show off schooling fish, while Coral Forest in Ras Abu Galum offers clear, living gardens away from crowds. Enter from marked ladders or sandy cuts and avoid surge days.
topside
What to do when you are not in the water
Kite the Blue Lagoon, climb granite in Wadi Gnai, hike Mount Sinai for sunrise, and sip Bedouin tea at Ras Abu Galum. Most activities run year-round, with October to April best for climbing and summer winds best for kiting.
