It's December of 2013 and I am in Dahab. The weather is like back home in Southern California, but perhaps a bit warmer with temperatures within the 67-75 degrees Fahrenheit range during the day and 50s in the evening. Ungraciously thanks to western media coverage, Egypt's tourism industry is suffering like never before. According to hotel workers, Dahab has never been this empty.
Christmas this year is like any other night, but that may be because most locals here are Muslims or rather the lack of travelers.
A lazy beach town, Dahab is the top choice for budget travelers who want to take a break from tiring site seeing. Because hotels and guesthouses are barely occupied, the price of accommodations is surprisingly cheap. There's no need to book ahead of time.
The most notable aspect of the Dahab life is the tranquility of the atmosphere. It is incredibly laid-back, more so than any other beach town I've been to. At least for me, there was no need to clutch onto my wallet or fear pickpockets. Even with the business drought, street vendors and tour agencies are not overly aggressive and will leave you alone if you decline their invitation.
The food is fresh and cheap. A chicken kebab dinner with grilled vegetables and rice pilaf can cost 40-50 EGP at a beachfront restaurant. To save some cash, you can grab a pita sandwich for 4 or 4-5 EGP each at places like King Falafel and Yum Yum (both next to each other).
If you don't know Arabic, you'll still be able to get what you need without problems. Shop and restaurant workers are inherently patient if they don't speak your native tongue.
There are a string of beachfront lounges that offers shisha and drinks. Restaurants do not close until the clients are ready to leave. Restaurant workers here genuinely care about customer satisfaction and will do their best to please you.
For western comforts, there are expresso drinks and wifi at most cafes and eateries. And if you're a crazy cat person, there is an endless amount of affectionate street cats that will shower you with love and attention.
With cheap prices and friendly locals, Dahab is one of those places where you can do nothing for weeks or months. But if you need a change of scene, travel agencies offer day trips to local reefs for snorkeling, camel rides and quad bikes.
My story...
I met a English girl name Jennifer who was riding the same bus from Cairo to Dahab. We didn't chat until we disembarked the bus. Because I was nervous about getting a taxi from the bus station to the main strip, I approached her to ask if she wanted to share a taxi. Luckily she had already arranged for a friend to pick her up and welcomed me to join the ride into town. It turned out that she was familiar with Egypt and Dahab from working as a teacher in Cairo.
Although I had booked my stay at another location through hostelbookers.com, I opted to stay at the same place as she. The place is called the Auski Camp. In Egypt, popular towns have "camps" which are not necessarily intended for setting up a tent, but refers to a low-budget option primarily for young backpackers. In Egypt there aren't many multi-bed hostels, but the "camps" are the closest budget option where a traveler can get their own room for dirt cheap.
At the Auski Camp, I paid 25 Egyptian pounds (3.60 USD) for my own room, which didn't not have an ensuite bathroom. It did include ceiling fan, a mirror and two beds. Communal bathrooms can be gross, because there only a few guests, they were clean. No breakfast was included but Falafel King across the road offered pita sandwiches for 4 EGP each.
The Bedouin Lounge is located within the same grounds as the Auski. In the Bedouin Lounge, you can enjoy an Egyptian breakfast for 15 EGP along with tea for another 5. The view at the Bedouin Lounge looks out to the boardwalk and the Red Sea. For dessert, you can smoke high quality shisha with excellent coal service for only 10 EGP while taking advantage of their free wifi. The staff is friendly and very helpful. I couldn't of ask for better service.
I spent 6 days and 5 nights doing nothing, but lounged around with the free wifi watching murder mysteries on my MacBook. When I wasn't doing nothing, I walked around town or day trips to St. Catherine, Ras Abu Galum, and the Colored Canyon.
Without a doubt, Dahab is my top choice for enjoying a multi-week or month lazy holiday.
Christmas this year is like any other night, but that may be because most locals here are Muslims or rather the lack of travelers.
A lazy beach town, Dahab is the top choice for budget travelers who want to take a break from tiring site seeing. Because hotels and guesthouses are barely occupied, the price of accommodations is surprisingly cheap. There's no need to book ahead of time.
The most notable aspect of the Dahab life is the tranquility of the atmosphere. It is incredibly laid-back, more so than any other beach town I've been to. At least for me, there was no need to clutch onto my wallet or fear pickpockets. Even with the business drought, street vendors and tour agencies are not overly aggressive and will leave you alone if you decline their invitation.
The food is fresh and cheap. A chicken kebab dinner with grilled vegetables and rice pilaf can cost 40-50 EGP at a beachfront restaurant. To save some cash, you can grab a pita sandwich for 4 or 4-5 EGP each at places like King Falafel and Yum Yum (both next to each other).
If you don't know Arabic, you'll still be able to get what you need without problems. Shop and restaurant workers are inherently patient if they don't speak your native tongue.
There are a string of beachfront lounges that offers shisha and drinks. Restaurants do not close until the clients are ready to leave. Restaurant workers here genuinely care about customer satisfaction and will do their best to please you.
For western comforts, there are expresso drinks and wifi at most cafes and eateries. And if you're a crazy cat person, there is an endless amount of affectionate street cats that will shower you with love and attention.
With cheap prices and friendly locals, Dahab is one of those places where you can do nothing for weeks or months. But if you need a change of scene, travel agencies offer day trips to local reefs for snorkeling, camel rides and quad bikes.
My story...
I met a English girl name Jennifer who was riding the same bus from Cairo to Dahab. We didn't chat until we disembarked the bus. Because I was nervous about getting a taxi from the bus station to the main strip, I approached her to ask if she wanted to share a taxi. Luckily she had already arranged for a friend to pick her up and welcomed me to join the ride into town. It turned out that she was familiar with Egypt and Dahab from working as a teacher in Cairo.
Although I had booked my stay at another location through hostelbookers.com, I opted to stay at the same place as she. The place is called the Auski Camp. In Egypt, popular towns have "camps" which are not necessarily intended for setting up a tent, but refers to a low-budget option primarily for young backpackers. In Egypt there aren't many multi-bed hostels, but the "camps" are the closest budget option where a traveler can get their own room for dirt cheap.
At the Auski Camp, I paid 25 Egyptian pounds (3.60 USD) for my own room, which didn't not have an ensuite bathroom. It did include ceiling fan, a mirror and two beds. Communal bathrooms can be gross, because there only a few guests, they were clean. No breakfast was included but Falafel King across the road offered pita sandwiches for 4 EGP each.
The Bedouin Lounge is located within the same grounds as the Auski. In the Bedouin Lounge, you can enjoy an Egyptian breakfast for 15 EGP along with tea for another 5. The view at the Bedouin Lounge looks out to the boardwalk and the Red Sea. For dessert, you can smoke high quality shisha with excellent coal service for only 10 EGP while taking advantage of their free wifi. The staff is friendly and very helpful. I couldn't of ask for better service.
I spent 6 days and 5 nights doing nothing, but lounged around with the free wifi watching murder mysteries on my MacBook. When I wasn't doing nothing, I walked around town or day trips to St. Catherine, Ras Abu Galum, and the Colored Canyon.
Without a doubt, Dahab is my top choice for enjoying a multi-week or month lazy holiday.
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| Auski Camp |
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| Bedouin Lounge |
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| Empty at night |
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| Dahab bus station |
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| Meal from King Falafel |
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| Mama and her 3 babies visit me. They just walked in! |
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| One of the friendly cats who love to receive affection at the Bedouin Lounge |
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