Shore-based dives in Dahab

Photo Tom Habeck
Dahab-Mashraba

The Gulf of Aqaba is a very deep water trench that separates Sinai / Egypt from Saudi Arabia. These depths are unfathomable, there are no off-shore reefs available, so we dive from the shore along the coral reefs, which has a tradition in Dahab. We have access to our 30 dive sites with jeep and pickup.

A selection of dive sites in Dahab:

Tauchplätze Dahab blueoceandive Divecenter Salahs Place per Camel Ras Abu Galum per Camel Bells Blue Hole Tiger House Ricks Reef Canyon Coral Garden Oasis Housereef Abu Talha Abu Helal Shoe Stump Eelgarden Lighthouse Mashraba Islands Napoleon Reef 7 Pinnacles Mortons Reef Southern Oasis Tretboot Golden Blocks Schweizer Franken Reef 3 Pools Um Sid Caves Gebel Aswad per Boot El Shugarat per Boot Gabr El Bint per Camel oder per Boot Gebel Soraya per Boot

The maximum jeep travel time to one of the dive sites is about 35-40 minutes. The huge and fascinating mountain ridges are close to the waterline, you can also see the mountain silhouettes from Saudi Arabia, and this fantastic view is a perfect invitation for day-dreaming.

In addition we offer spezial one-day boat-diving trips from Sharm-el-Sheikh to the Thistlegorm wreck, to Ras Mohammed, and to the Straits of Tiran. Boat-diving trips in the Dahab region are available, but depending on the wind conditions.

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Bells & Blue Hole

Photo Arnd Behr
Blue Hole

The equally most famous and notorious dive site in Dahab is the Blue Hole. It is the northern limit of dive sites which are accessible with a jeep and pickup.

The Blue Hole itself is a big, oval and dark blue hole in the reef top. Its diameter is about 35 metres wide, and it drops down to more than 100 metres. The outer wall of the Blue Hole is full of beautiful coral, as opposed to the inside, which has no coral growth worth mentioning, save for the shallow part.

In this area the outer wall is a vertical drop-off. It is breathtakingly steep, and you look into a never ending big blue. This steep wall attracts with a huge variety of growing coral.

You can dive this site in at least three different ways. You can cross the Blue Hole over a 6m deep saddle to the outside, where you have the choice to turn to the left or right side. Both directions are equally beautiful, with a view into the majestic blue and full of coral growth.

About hundred metres north of the Blue Hole you find the entry called “Bells“.
The Bells is a U-shaped, vertical descent which is cascading down to 27m depth. This type of descent can be quite addictive.

Photo Felix Breuer
Blue Hole

The last three metres of this cascade are closed, with a remaining hole in the middle, forming an O, just big enough to let a diver pass through. This is the point where you definitely have to think about your buoyancy, because from here the wall drops down to an estimated 800m depth. Following the drop-off right hand side to the south, brings you back to the Blue Hole. This wall is very enjoyable, however, after about 15 minutes you should start your ascent to the 12m range to make sure not to miss the saddle in 6m depth, where you can cross to the inside of the Blue Hole, and find the exit.

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Canyon & Coralgarden

Photo Arnd Behr
Canyon

The “Canyon“ is another highlight of the dive sites around Dahab. You can explore this dive site in at least four different ways.

The entry point is marked through a natural lagoon in the reef top, and the access is very easy. After crossing the shallow lagoon, you are in the open water and just in front of a very beautiful coral block, which marks the entry point to the lagoon on your way back.

In northeasterly direction you find a deep crack in the reef, indicating the canyon below, its origin most likely an earthquake in ancient times.

Located in the middle of the reef plateau, the canyon starts in about 12m depth with a big hollow rock, called "fishbowl". This "fishbowl" has two quite big openings. It is recommended to follow the crack down to about 20m depth, where you find an opening big enough to securely enter the canyon and let yourself drop down to a maximum of 30m depth, where you would hit the ground.
From here you can dive towards the fishbowl in an environment similar to a cathedral, take a look around and leave the canyon again through the entry opening. After leaving the canyon you might see your own bubbles emerging from the reef plateau.
Leaving the lagoon in southwesterly direction leads you to the coral garden, where you can either spend some time after coming out of the canyon, or spend a whole dive, because this area with about 16m depth provides ample bottom time for everyone, with numerous colourful coral blocks to watch.

Besides a turtle that appears at times, you can also look out for smaller fish, like scorpionfish or the sea moth, that usually appears in pairs. The end of the reef plateau is marked by a drop-off, starting in about 20m depth, which is also worthwhile to look at.

The dive site “Canyon“ consists of the canyon itself, the coral garden, and the wall after the drop-off with its calming deep blue. All these areas offer everything a diver’s heart beats for; beautiful landscape and interesting marine life. We would like to recommend at least three dives here.

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3 Pools

Photo Felix Breuer
Seegrasgeisterpfeifenfisch

The characteristic entry is responsible for the name of this place. The reef lagoon is divided by coral walls into three sections with sandy bottom. After the third pool you are entering a giant coral garden that gently slopes down to about 30m, where it has a Stepp, marking the drop-off.

Inside the pools you often find yellowtail barracudas, and with a little luck also the tiny seagrass ghost pipefish. Outside the lagoon you often find a school of black-and-white snapper.

Coral blocks protruding from the wall, with glassfish around them, are inviting you to stay a while.

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Islands

Photo Arnd Behr
Barrakudas

One of the most beautiful dive spots in Dahab. If you love coral, you can get lost here in this labyrinth. With an average depth of 5-10m and a maximum depth of 18-20m the place is ideal to relax. The entry is easier during high tide, because you have to cover a distance of about 50m from the shore, which is easier to swim than to walk. You can use a small tunnel as an entry and exit point, which gives you a certain protection from waves, in case you dive there on a windy day

The coral labyrinth divides four differently sized sand pools from the outer side of the reef. The two coral islands seem to hug each other, if you look at it from above.

Inside the labyrinth you often find a school of yellowtail barracuda, sometimes a blue spotted ray, and the incredibly big pufferfish that are typical for this spot.

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Gabr el Bint

Photo Tom Habeck
Camelsafari

This dive site is remote, but an adventure in itself, because you can only reach it by boat or by camel. Camelsafaris would be done like this:

You will be transferred by car to the southernmost place, shortly behind the dive site “Caves“, where you meet the Bedouin guides with their camels. While you can enjoy a small breakfast, the Bedouin will stow your diving equipment plus tanks on the camels’ sides. When everything is done and everyone is ready, you climb the camel’s back, usually cushioned with comfortable blankets on a wooden saddle, and then you ride along the coastline with the beautiful mountains on your other side. Sometimes the mountains touch the waterline, before they meander into a wide bay. After about 1-1,5 hours you reach your destination, Gabr el Bint.
The first dive leads you through clouds of little fairy basslets to a long coral extension that drops deep down to the right hand side.
After following this coral extension for about ten minutes you will find huge fan coral and gorgonia, and if you look close, you might find longnose hawkfish sitting on them. It is awesome how delicate these giant fan coral are. Unfortunately there are well-known limits to the diver, like gas supply and remaining bottom time, so you have to turn around. The way back leads you over the coral extension into a sandy lagoon which is full of table coral.
Below the coral blocks and table coral you might find crocodile fish, giant pufferfish, scorpionfish and blue spotted rays, even a turtle at times.
The lunch break is a pleasure, because the Bedouin cook extremely well. The freshly baked bread is highly recommendable, as well as the simple, but tasty and healthy meals going along.
The second dive could be done in southerly direction, where you follow overhangs and beautiful coral growth, until you find a small cavern to explore in 27m depth, or you simply repeat the first dive direction and follow this breathtakingly beautiful coral extension again.

The time has come to leave, and after packing the camels you will start to ride back.

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