Book cheap holidays to Dahab

Dahab

Description

Dahab is a small township located on the southeastern shore of Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Dahab literally means gold, perhaps denoting the golden hued sands to the south of the town. This small town was once a typical fishing village but is now globally famed as one of the Egypt’s most cherished diving targets. This place is also famous among wind surfers. The town has ample number of reefs immediately adjacent to the waterfront eateries, thus making it a good place for scuba diving and snorkeling. Dahab offers brilliant sunrise and sunset views from Mount Sinai. The town is just few kilometers away from the international airport of Sharm-el-Sheikh.

Shopping

Though most shops in Dahab are found along the beachfront, there are many shops in the town center and along the road sides, which offer a range of selections to the travelers. Cotton trousers, kurtas, scarves, sarongs, beach towels, T-shirts, jewelry cases etc mark the best buys. Almost all the shops entertain hagglers.

Restaurants

Dahab has a multitude of restaurants that cater to the tastes of travelers from all over the globe. For the best chicken steaks and other non-vegetarian food, travelers should visit the Nirvana. Many local tavernas serve good choice of menus for a very moderate price. Al Capone’s must be visited for quality sea foods and Italian cuisines. Other suggested restaurants include the Shark, Calm Inn, El Fanar and Tota for the best pizzas.

Night Life

Dahab presents active nightlife with many bars and restaurants offering full scale amusement to the travelers. There are many night-time venues, which offer live music shows anchored by famed disco jockeys. Most bars have karaoke bars, discotheques etc. Some suggested venues include Karaoke night, Cherry drops, Little Buddha etc.

Activities

Tourists can enjoy a wide array of activities while in Dahab. Being a famed destination for diving, snorkeling and surfing the town presents very good sites to carry on these activities. Horse and camel riding and jeep safaris can be held to the nearby places of interests. Boat trips in glass bottomed boats can be held to witness magnificent underwater views.

Communications

The international access code to dial into Egypt is +20. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code. There are internal codes used to call places within the country. Long distance calls are very expensive when made from hotels and it is suggested to be made from post, telephone and telegraph offices that are found in most of the cities. GSM 900 network cover the entire country and roaming is available due to its agreements with international operators. Internet is accessible at Internet cafes in most towns and resorts. International directory phone enquires can be made by dialing 120.

Contacts

Egyptian Tourism Authority, Cairo: +20 (0)2 285 3576 or http://touregypt.net/tourism
Egyptian Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 895 5400
Egyptian Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7499 3304
Egyptian Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 234 4931
Egyptian Embassy, Canberra, Australia (also responsible for New Zealand): +61 (0)2 6273 4437
Egyptian Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 343 1590/1
Egyptian Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 660 6566
United States Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 797 3300
British Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 794 0852
Canadian Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 794 3110
Australian Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 575 0444
South African Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 359 4365
Irish Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 735 8264
New Zealand Consulate-General, Cairo: +20 (0)2 574 9360

Currency

EGP

Attractions

Fantasea Dive Center, which offers a range of diving courses, including typical biological dive safaris, must be visited. Reef 2000, one of the best diving centers in Dahab is worth a visit. Sunset and sunrise views from Mt Sinai are brilliant and travelers should never miss an opportunity of experiencing these splendid views.

Language

Arabic

Language Description

Arabic is the official language of the country. English and French are widely spoken in most of the tourist areas.

Tipping

It is customary to tip small change for most services rendered. “Baksheesh”, as tipping is called here, is very useful to gain entry to seemingly unreachable places, or to be treated in an extra special way. Drivers and waiters expect about 10% and 5% tip respectively.