bobbietilkens

Hi there!

We are headed to Egypt in June for three weeks, and spending some time in Dahab. We are styaing at the Le Meridian, but want to get some input on activities outside of resort life. Would love recommendations for restaurants (authentic), shopping (markets) and other activities! I know Dahab is small, but we want to try to experience the real Egypt as much as possible!

We will also be in Cairo for five nights, so any input there would be good too!

Thanks!

huladolphin

I love Dahab! Seriously, my favorite place in Egypt. Far superior to Sharm.

Go snorkeling at the Blue Hole-it's 20-30 minutes drive outside of Dahab-the best reef I've ever seen. If you're a diver, it's even better.

Climb Mt. Sinai-about a two hour drive from Dahab. Do it at night to watch a spectacular sunrise in the morning.

Take a desert safari-there are lots of half-day to full day trips out into the desert on camel or horseback to some beautiful canyons, mountains, etc. Alternatively, you can go galloping long the long, flat stretch of beach at sunset. If you hang out in town at all, you are bound to find men on horses (I know, sounds sketchy, but it's not!) who are offering horseback rides. Stop one of them. They can arrange a time and place to pick you up-they'll bring the horses, and you'll ride off into the sunset.

It will be far cheaper to book all of these outside of your hotel and at one of the little travel agencies in town. You can even haggle if you want.

Dahab has excellent seafood and even better milkshakes. Be sure to have at least one a day. They go especially well with hot french fries from one of the below restaurants.

Dahab IS small-there is a lovely, paved corniche that runs through the heart of town. Stick to this and you'll have a blast. The shops are fairly inexpensive, esepecially if you wander a block or two off the beach. Also, there are numerous restaurants on the corniche overlooking the water-mostly Bedouin cafes, where you sit on cushons and eat at low tables.

My fav restaurants-The Funny Mummy-if you see Jimmy, tell him Laura says hi.

The Penguin

The Treehouse-really good milkshakes

The Penguin

Have fun! Dahab has a wonderful atmosphere-laid back beach town at its finest.

Laura

setauketli

Hi Bobbie-
We're headed to the Meridien Dahab for five nights in March. I will let you know how it goes.

bobbietilkens

Setauketli -

Super - I am really looking forward to hearing about your trip!

angel025

Thank you for suggestions in Dahab. We will be put up in Dahab for 4 nights. My booking haven't been made yet but our tour guide has the following suggestions:

Tropitel OR Oricana OR Panda OR Jasmine. Do you know of any of these hotels/resort and which one would you recommend.

We won't be diving although my husband would do some snorkelling.

Does Dahab have any night life? If yes could you suggest some places to go.

P_M

I loved Dahab too!! There is so much good advice above, but my best memory of Dahab was sitting at a seaside restaurant called Friends and gazing across the Red Sea at the Saudi Arabian coastline. Not only is Dahab loaded with charm and an exotic feel, but it was quite affordable. Dahab is my favorite town in Egypt, I do hope to return someday.

angel025

I know that we need to dress conservative in Egypt. Is that the same in Dahab? Can we walk around in swim suits, shorts, tank tops at the beach?
Also, any comments on the night life if any.

dmlove

angel, before we went, we were advised that women should not show "shoulders, breasts or knees" in the cities, but that at the beach, all bets are off! FWIW, we saw many many tourists in the cities showing a lot more than I thought was respectful (at the Great Pyramid, for example, a women wearing a bathing suit and see-through coverup).

angel025

http://www.dahab-info.com/

afterall

"The real Egypt" in Dahab? Are you serious? It was over commercialised in 1995!! But still loads of fun.

Re Cairo - well, I've only been there once and managed to get totally lost in the back streets. But I saw stuff I wouldn't have seen otherwise and got to talk to "real Egyptians".

Actually I don't really recommend!! I do recommend taking the metro down to the old Christian area, and the Museum of course. And you need to go there twice.

P_M

afterall, have you been to Hurghada? In comparison Dahab is much more like the real Egypt. When I was in Hurghada it was more like being in Miami Beach at Spring Break.

But you are right, Dahab is loads of fun and it was my favorite stop in Egypt.

afterall

Yes, P_M - went to Hurghada on the same trip. At that time Dahab had a lot more going for it, and it was nice for R&R.

But there are so many more interesting ways to spend one's time having gone all that way.

But, or course, as already indicated, nowt wrong with a bit of beach. It's just not the "real Egypt".