Dahab – Between Sea, Desert, and Bedouin Soul

Where the rugged Sinai mountains meet the deep blue of the Gulf of Aqaba lies Dahab, a town whose name means “gold” in Arabic. Once a quiet Bedouin fishing village, Dahab has become a global hub for divers, backpackers, and desert travelers. Yet beneath the surfboards and dive shops, its Bedouin roots still beat strong, shaping the town’s spirit of openness, resilience, and hospitality.

From Bedouin Camp to Traveler’s Haven

For centuries, Dahab was home to the Muzeina Bedouin tribe, who fished its waters, herded goats, and built palm-thatched huts along the coast. To them, the sea was both a livelihood and a frontier. Stories still circulate of elders navigating the stars from Dahab’s beaches, or warning of whirlpools where “the sea swallows the careless.”

In the 1980s and 90s, word spread of Dahab’s turquoise waters and coral reefs. Divers came, followed by windsurfers, backpackers, and later kitesurfers. Yet, unlike glitzy Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab kept its bohemian character — a place where travelers and Bedouins sit side by side on woven mats, drinking sweet tea by the sea.

The Sea – Dahab’s Blue Heart

• The Blue Hole: Just north of town lies one of the world’s most famous dive sites. A vertical sinkhole plunging to 130 meters, it is both breathtaking and dangerous. Bedouin guides tell cautionary tales of divers who “chased the arch and never returned,” a reminder that the sea must always be respected.
• The Canyon: Another dive site shaped like a natural tunnel, rising from the depths to a coral dome where schools of glassfish shimmer in the light.
• Lagoon Winds: The southern lagoon, shallow and protected, is beloved by windsurfers and kitesurfers. Bedouin fishermen once used it as a safe harbor — today, it is where sails catch the desert wind.

Why Visit Dahab?

Dahab is not just a beach town; it is a meeting point between sea and desert, traveler and Bedouin. It offers adventure, but also connection — to a slower rhythm, to stories passed down around campfires, to a way of life rooted in both survival and generosity.

For guests at Dar Katrine, a trip to Dahab is a chance to step out of the mountains, breathe the sea air, and experience the other side of Sinai’s soul — golden, blue, and timeless.