Dahab (Egypt)

Advantages: Beautiful Red Sea Resort. Similar to Sharm El Sheikh but a much more reasonable price, more atmosphere.
Disadvantages: Street traders/ hawkers may annoy some people. To me, all part of the experience.

...your breath away. I found Dahab to have more atmosphere than Sharm El Sheikh but it depends what you're looking for. Dahab tends to attract a younger, less-family type crowd, back-packer types and has the laid-back attitude to match. Facilities range from basic to much more luxorious; you get what you pay for. By night, the fish restuarants and coffee shops "bedouin style" are excellent value and very tasty. Avoid the local alcohol though; it tastes ...
...the Coloured Canyon. Dahab is excellent value for money. Scuba courses are widely available and all equipment can be hired. Convenient and cheap taxis will take you to any of the nearby resorts and attractions including the obligatory camel rides. Be prepared to barter for everything! ... Read review

Advantages: a wide variety of experiences on offer
Disadvantages: none

...that is changing all the time as the resort grows, but for now its quiet drinks in the bars rather than partying until dawn Dahab - Egypt Further south again is Dahab, a real desert town. Built on a mixture of hippy commune traveller culture and traditional Bedouin lifestyle, this town has become the water sports haven for the area. It has a laid-back atmosphere and beautiful scenery set as it is in a fantastic bay. The outskirts of the town may be a bit off putting, a bit run down and not the pleasantest of aromas at times, but that's the nature of the real Egypt I'm afraid. Once past that though the town front is wonderful. A nice mix of traditional shops, tourist traps and a few bars sit along a gorgeous sea front where surfers and locals mix freely. Here is also the famous Blue Hole, a natural drop in the sea floor right on the beech which... Read review

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Advantages: Cheap, amazing things to see
Disadvantages: Hassle factor

...I spent 5 weeks in Egypt a couple of years ago. We did more or less the standard route, getting off the beaten track a little. Cairo - Alexandria - Siwa - Farafra - Luxor - Aswan - Abu Simbel - Hurghurda - Dahab. Egypt is not just all about the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings, although these are obviously not to be missed. I highly recommend going east. From Alexandria on the Med, you can go south to Siwa, which is an oasis town in the middle of the desert near the Libyan border, where donkeys remain the main form of transportation. The people here still live a traditional lifestyle. Women are fully covered from head to toe, and apparently do not speak to any man other than family until they are married (including the husband to be!) It is becoming quite touristy now but you do have to be reasonably dedicated... Read review

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Advantages: Sun, sand and snorkelling
Disadvantages: Not the place for lovers of shopping & entertainment

.... But we did do a day trip to Dahab, which was really interesting. Seeing the developing coastline and the desert was a treat in itself, the stop at a Bedouin 'motorway cafe' was surreal, and Dahab itself was a mad hippy surfer enclave where kite surfing Aussies were to be found next to Egyptian women beating carpets in the sea. I even saw a cat eating a courgette with some gusto! Dahab's also a bit of 'real Egypt' set in a militarised tourist ghetto, and great for shopping. A final note. I was really proud of the Brits on holiday. The middle easterners there, both middle class Arabs and Israelis, were pretty rude to the hotel staff where they could be bothered to notice them at all. The Italians weren't much better. The Brits, on the other hand, were polite, friendly, charming and cultured, and in a volatile part of the world, that... Read review

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