Beaches and local highlights

The Lighthouse

The light house is a popular local swimming/snorkeling/scuba diving spot located in the middle of town only a couple of minutes walk from Residence Arabesque. There are lots of local beach side cafes to chose from which provide the perfect location to spend the day or evening.  Novice divers from almost all dive centres train here in the protected waters and it is an excellent place for a first snorkelling experience. 

Eel Garden

Eel Garden is a beautiful dive/snorkelling site again only a couple of minutes walk from Residence Arabesque.  There are a couple of lovely beach cafes on the reefs edge and a small sandy area at low tide which is perfect for small children.  This is a favourite spot for locals and tourists and on a very calm day is the best place to spend the day.  Please note that it can be dangerous to swim here in rough weather, please read the warning signs at the waters edge.

The Blue Hole

The Blue Hole is one of the most famous dive sites in the Northern Red Sea, a vertical cave dropping to approximately 100m in depth. It is a very popular site for scuba diving and snorkelling The Blue Hole is located directly on the shore less than 15 minutes north of Residence Arabesque by car. There are many little restaurants for lunch and it is easy to rent snorkelling equipment.  Due to the depth of the water there is no suitable easy access to the water for young children or non-swimmers.

The Southern Oasis (Moray Gardens and Three Pools dive sites)

The Southern Oasis can be reached by taxi or for the more adventurous horseback, camel or quad bike. It is another beach/snorkelling area this time located to the South of Dahab. With a new road it takes less than 20 minutes to get there, and again small restaurants line the shore.The beach is made from pebbles but there is more room and a safer, less crowded environment if you are with younger children. The water here is also mostly protected from wind and therefore calmer than other places.  It has a shallow entrance and coral can be found in shallow water which provides excellent snorkelling even for those with little experience.

Waadi Gnai

Located at the Southern Oasis is Waadi Gnai. Waadi is the Arabic name for valley, there are several Waadi leading from Dahab into the mountains. A very short trip into Waadi Gnai and you will find a natural spring. This is a popular location for quad bike and horseback trips, but can also be reached by 4×4.  Well worth a trip, especially if you are in the area for snorkelling and beach activities as by car it is located only 10 minutes away from the Southern Oasis.