Top 5 Favorite Dives Sites in Dahab

With over 30 sites in Dahab, check out our top picks

While Dahab is famous (if not infamous) for the Blue Hole, there is so much more to see than that one site.

1. Islands

An absolutely stunning dive site, this site is a natural buoyancy park. While there aren’t islands per se, the site gets its name from the underwater islands of corals. You’ll need a bit of control, so it won’t be your first dive in Dahab, but it’s fairly shallow. I also know tec divers who have taken doubles and stayed for hours.

Entry: Shore

Max depth: 12m

Notes: Entry is a bit dependent on tides

2. Canyon

Have you ever wanted to be in the cavern from ‘The Little Mermaid’? This is it, I swear. Once you find the crack in the sea floor, divers go one by one down into the canyon, where it opens up to a more sandy bottom. Many Advanced Course students do their deep dive here, as it’s safe and easy to kneel and check colors and do finger math.

Entry: Shore

Max depth: 30m

Notes: If you’re a nervous diver, be clear with your guide the order going into the canyon. Also don’t forget to check out the fish bowl (but don’t go in it)!

3. Caves

So these are not really caves, more like an overhang of underwater rock – so no cave diving experience or licenses necessary. You get to see your bubbles trapped on the ceiling of the ’cave,’ like nowhere else I’ve been before.

Entry: Shore jump to deep water

Max depth: 40m

Notes: The entry and exit of this one can be a challenge, depending on tides and weather. Think of it like jumping into a pool and having to climb out without a ladder.

4. 3 Pools

I’ve got a soft spot for this place, since I did my first night dive here (which unfortunately is no longer permitted). The south has a few spots all with similar entries, so makes for a great easy dive day for beginners.

Entry: Shore

Max depth: 25m

Notes: Take a close look at the sand underwater – this is where I learned Dahab, meaning ‘gold’ in Arabic got its name from the shimmering gold sand.

5. Lighthouse

Might be controversial, since it feels like the most boring and basic of dive sites in Dahab, but it actually has a ton of fish and is a great intro to the Red Sea. I also am a huge fan of the buoyancy park they’ve created and the different underwater sculptures.

Entry: Shore

Max depth: 60m+

Notes: It also gets really deep pretty quickly, which is why it’s also great for freedive and tec training.

Honorable mention of the Blue Hole

I’ve written a whole post for a more in depth write-up on Egypt’s Blue Hole, but if you dive the Canyon, you’re most likely headed to the Blue Hole next. It’s a cool dive, especially entering through Bell’s and to say you’ve did the dive in the place – but my honest opinion is that it’s a better snorkeling spot anyway. Still take the entrance with the divers at Bell’s and drift along; the colorful fish are near the surface anyway.