Perched on the Red Sea in South Sinai, the bohemian beach town of Dahab offers a divergence from the temples, museums, and pyramids that many come to experience in Egypt. Beyond the desert landscapes lie vibrant marine environments, offering coral reefs teeming with multicolored fish, eels, and the occasional ray or turtle.
While Dahab is a popular spot for divers, home to numerous dive schools with a myriad of beginner and advanced courses, the natural beauty of the Red Sea can easily be enjoyed by snorkelers. During my three weeks in Dahab, I was in the water almost every day, exploring the reefs with a mask and snorkel. If you’re headed to the Sinai Peninsula, these are my favorite snorkeling spots in and around Dahab.
Where to buy or rent snorkeling gear in Dahab
Luckily, whether you’re in the market for a new mask and fins or just hoping to rent for the day, there is no shortage of dive shops in Dahab. Most carry a range of gear, from affordable snorkeling kits to equipment from more respected brands like Cressi.
I brought my own mask and snorkel with me and rented fins from Scuba Life Dive Shop for 50 EGP per day. Their shop is across from a fresh juice stand and up the road from the Lighthouse Reef snorkeling spot.
Snorkeling spots in Dahab
Lighthouse Reef
Lighthouse Reef is one of the easiest snorkeling spots to access, as it’s located just off Dahab’s main Masbat Bay. The entrance point is from a rocky platform in front of the Lighthouse Divecenter and Bedouin Sons restaurant, and the reef is just out and to the left. Lighthouse Reef features a vibrant coral shelf as the sand drops off into the bay, and I’ve seen vibrant red squirrelfish here, along with the occasional lionfish.
Google Maps location: in front of Lighthouse Divecenter
Mashraba Dive Site
While not the most impressive, Mashraba is certainly the most accessible snorkeling spot in Dahab. The dive site is located just offshore from a small beach under one of the footbridges on the seaside promenade. After entering from the beach, you’ll find several coral patches along the sandy bottom, making this a popular spot for novice scuba divers.
Google Maps location: Mashraba dive site
Eel Garden
Eel Garden is my favorite spot to snorkel in Dahab — it features a small underwater canyon, an expansive coral shelf, and, of course, shy graden eels. The coral gardens begin several hundred feet offshore, making this spot better suited to strong swimmers. I loved swimming through the coral- and anemone-encrusted canyon and watching the schools of multicolored fish (though do watch out for lionfish).
The garden eels poke out of the sand at the canyon exit, where the coral shelf drops off into the deeper ocean. The reef is located just offshore from a small beach directly beside the Eel Garden View restaurant on the way to Assalah Beach.
*The current in Eel Garden can be dangerous during bad weather. Make sure to check the conditions or ask at the restaurant before swimming out.
Google Maps location: next to Eel Garden View
Islands Dive Site
Islands Dive Site is one of the quieter and less crowded snorkeling spots in Dahab, as it’s located outside the town center near the kitesurfing lagoon. The entry is from Laguna Beach and can be tricky; the water is shallow and the bottom is extremely rocky, sometimes requiring an unpleasant walk out to the drop-off. Though if you survive the entry, the reef offers a vibrant coral shelf. There are also sometimes guys on the beach renting snorkeling equipment if you don’t want to carry gear from town.
*This is another area to exercise caution with the current, as it’s more exposed than the other spots.
Google Maps location: Islands Dive Site
Snorkeling at the Blue Hole
The Blue Hole is one of the Red Sea’s premier dive and snorkeling sites, and it’s just a 20-minute drive up the coastal road from Dahab. This submarine sinkhole reaches depths of over 300 feet, forming a deep blue orb surrounded by reef when viewed from above. The Blue Hole is a popular (though notoriously dangerous) spot with freedivers and technical divers, enticed by the 85-foot underwater tunnel known as the Arch that sits 180 feet below the surface.
Though even non-divers can enjoy the beauty of the Blue Hole, as the sinkhole is flanked by lush coral shelves easily viewed with snorkeling equipment. Snorkelers and divers both enter from a small channel north of the Blue Hole known as the Bells. While divers often descend along the rocky chimney, snorkelers will hang a right and head towards the sinkhole.
The marine environment here was one of the most impressive I’ve ever seen, with coral shelves that seem to stretch down to infinity and massive schools of neon anthias, brightly colored parrotfish, and the occasional lionfish.
I went with a tour that combined the Blue Hole, Ras Abu Galum, and the Blue Lagoon (around 35 USD), though you can also visit independently by catching a taxi or a Jeep up the coast. Just remember to bring your passport and a photocopy to give to the guards at the entrance. There is also a 10 USD entrance fee for the national park.
Ras Abu Galum
The area surrounding the Blue Hole is highly commercialized and not conducive to a day of relaxing by the water, so instead of spending time here after snorkeling, I’d recommend heading up the coast to Ras Abu Galum. This nature preserve is surrounded by quiet desert and can be reached from the Blue Hole via a 3-mile coastal path or water taxi.
There are several beachfront camps and restaurants along this wide stretch of sand, and the snorkeling in front of the beach is stunning. This area is much shallower than the Blue Hole, making it easier to explore the coral formations and marine life. When I visited, the water was crystalline with almost perfect visibility for spotting blue starfish, damselfish, and more bright orange anthias. The current can be strong here, so we entered from the northern part of the beach by the coral towers, then floated back down toward the camps.
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