Living in Dahab, Districts, Long-Term Rent, Diving and Getting There

What kind of town Dahab is

Dahab is in the South Sinai Governorate, about 85 kilometres north of Sharm El Sheikh. It is a calm town with a seafront promenade, cafes and dive centres, where much is within walking distance and life moves more slowly than in Cairo.

People come here for the sea, the mountains and an unhurried life: divers, freedivers, windsurfers, remote workers. Summers are hot, winters are mild, and the wind blows for most of the year.

Districts of Dahab

The town stretches along the coast, and its districts feel quite different.

• Lighthouse and Masbat. The main tourist area in the centre and the north of the promenade: cafes, shops, dive centres and a reef right off the shore. Convenient and lively, but noisier.
• Mashraba. The southern part of the promenade, also close to the sea, cafes and dive centres.
• Assala. A residential district where Bedouins, Egyptians and expats live. Fruit and vegetables in its shops are usually cheaper than on the promenade.
• The Lagoon and the town centre. The Lagoon is known for its shallow sheltered bay for windsurfing and kitesurfing, with resort hotels nearby. This part of town has the bus station and the hospital.

Long-term rent

Housing in Dahab is rented both to tourists and long term, so prices vary a lot: much depends on the district, distance to the sea, the condition of the building and the length of stay. It is better to stay a couple of weeks on a daily rental first, walk around the districts and only then agree on months.

If you are thinking of buying rather than renting, note that special rules apply to property ownership by foreigners in Sinai, different from Hurghada and Cairo. You cannot do without advice from an Egyptian lawyer here. When renting, check the following.

• The air conditioners, summer is hard without them.
• Who pays for electricity, water and internet, and how the meter is topped up.
• The internet speed if you work remotely, it varies a lot from building to building.
• The deposit terms, put them in the chat or an agreement.
• The place itself. Do not send a prepayment until you have seen it yourself or by video call.

Diving in Dahab

Dahab is famous for shore diving: you walk into the water, and a few metres later you are above the reef. The best-known sites are Lighthouse and Eel Garden right in town, and to the north the Canyon and the Blue Hole, about 7 kilometres from the centre.

In 2026 an Open Water course at dive centres in Dahab costs roughly 250 to 370 euros, depending on the centre and the training system. A separate fee is charged for entering the national park at the Blue Hole. Choose a centre with good reviews, well-maintained equipment and a clear plan for injuries, and get insurance that covers diving.

Freediving and the Blue Hole

Dahab is called one of the freediving capitals of the world. The Blue Hole is sheltered from waves and currents, and great depths begin almost at the shore, so freedivers from all over the world come here to train. The town has many schools with courses for beginners and experienced divers under different training systems, such as AIDA, Molchanovs or SSI.

The Blue Hole is also known for tragic accidents, most often among those who go deeper than their level. Never dive alone, train only with an instructor or a safety buddy, and do not try to repeat records from videos.

The cost of living in Dahab

The main expenses here are housing, diving and travel. Fruit and vegetables at the market and in the shops of Assala are cheaper than in cafes and shops along the promenade, and restaurants for tourists are noticeably more expensive than local places. Imported food is harder to find in a small town and is not cheap.

Taxis and pickups drive around town. Agree on the price before getting in, a ride around the centre usually costs a few dozen pounds. Many people get around by bicycle.

Medical care in Dahab is more modest than in big cities. There is a hospital, but serious treatment may require a trip to Sharm El Sheikh or Cairo.

How to get there from Sharm and Cairo

Dahab has no airport of its own. The nearest one is in Sharm El Sheikh, about an hour away by car or transfer. Buses run between Sharm and Dahab, and the trip takes about two hours with stops.

Long-distance buses run from Cairo to Dahab, for example Go Bus and East Delta, usually around 9 or 10 hours on the road. It is faster to fly from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh and drive from there. Check timetables and prices on the websites of the carriers, more in how to get from Cairo to Hurghada, Sharm and Dahab.

There are many police checkpoints on the roads of Sinai. Carry your original passport with a visa or residence permit. Tourists who fly into Sharm may get a free Sinai stamp: it allows a stay in Dahab of up to 15 days, but not travel to the mainland. Entry rules to Sinai for citizens of CIS countries changed in 2025 and 2026, read restrictions in Sharm El Sheikh for CIS citizens.

How Tullab can help

Look for a place for your first weeks in daily rentals, and for a transfer from Sharm or Cairo in transfers and taxis. You can contact the author of a listing by phone or Telegram.

Renting out a place in Dahab, teaching courses or driving people? Post a free listing so fellow expats can find you.