1 Month Trip Report
The same one from the Bible, the Sinai mountain range is yours to climb. The Red Sea empowers the wind to levels you can fly on with a kite. And the waters are beautiful enough to inspire a film like Finding Nemo. These are all found in a village known as Dahab, Egypt, and I stayed there for 7 weeks. Here’s what you should know-
Renting a one-bedroom on the beach in the center of town costs $500 a month. It came with weekly cleaning and a comfortable queen size bed. While it did not have A/C, that’s fine because you want warmth in winter.
January temperatures reached a point you’d want a jacket and pants to go outside. But, of course, that’s only when walking from place to place. Once you stopped and found a sunny spot, it felt like sitting at a cool 72°.
Stopping for food was a must. Despite its remoteness, quality was never lacking, nor was variety. Japanese curry made by an expat, vegan dishes created by a young local couple, and every street stall makes you think, “*this one has the best falafel*.”
Even eating out twice a day, life expenses stayed at $1000 a month. Leaving plenty for what Dahab is best known for adventure sports. A trip out to the Sinai mountains with a guide, gear, and hot meal cost $50. Renting a board and kite for windsurfing costs $40. Scuba diving in the most life-filled waters you’ll ever see costs $40.
Spending money to enjoy Dahab isn’t necessary. The laid-back vibe is its most unique trait and what resorts try to imitate. The constant lapping of waves along its shoreline set the rhythm. The mountains that enclose the area provide a sense of security. And the people are the key to it all. Like reaching the summit of a mountain, the people you find are there because it’s where they want to be. Smiling locals, energetic travelers, and helpful expats. Dahab is an oasis in paradise. Thankfully it’s so out of the way.