Diving in Dahab
Why dive here
Dahab is a diving destination where divers can encounter dolphins, spinner dolphins and whale sharks. Water ranges 21-28°C, warmest July, August, September.
Dahab, for us, is the Red Sea's quirky, laid-back cousin. It’s where the mountains meet the sea in a spectacular, sun-baked landscape. This isn't your typical resort diving; here, it's all about accessible shore entries and some truly unique geology. Our favourite spots are the ones that lean into Dahab’s distinctive character. The Blue Hole, for all its fame, still mesmerises with its sheer drop, the light changing as you descend, and those deep-water overhangs. We always recommend an early morning dive there, before the crowds arrive. The Canyon is another standout, a genuinely surreal experience as you slip through the sandy chute, the light filtering in from above. Look out for the resident moray eels peeking from crevices. And don’t skip Eel Garden, where thousands of garden eels wave in unison from the sand, particularly impressive on a calm day. Conditions are generally kind here, making it a brilliant spot for newer divers to build confidence. We've seen everything from curious bottlenose dolphins cruising by, to the subtle beauty of fluorescence grass coral glowing under a torch. The staghorn corals are robust and healthy in many areas, providing shelter for colourful Klunzinger's wrasse and yellowtail surgeonfish. While you won't find raging currents often, a slight push can sometimes add to the drift feel along the reefs. Dahab just has this vibe, a place you can settle into for a week and feel truly at home underwater.
Dahab Dive Site Map
Dive sites and dive centres in Dahab
Dahab Dive Sites
61 dive sites in Dahab
3 Pools
Three Pools is one of those Dahab sites that delivers exactly what it promises: three distinct, shallow pools leading out to the main reef. It’s a gentle introduction, ideal for those getting comfortable in the water or for a relaxed second dive. We often find ourselves drifting over the sandy bottoms, spotting the occasional shy African eel blenny poking its head from the sand, and inspecting the patches of clump seagrass where juvenile fish hide. The corals, especially the various staghorn and table corals, are in good shape here, forming nice overhangs as you move deeper. You’ll see plenty of small giant clams tucked into crevices, and we’ve even come across a crown of thorns starfish or two. It’s a good spot for macro, particularly around the coral heads.
7 Pinnacles
7 Pinnacles in Dahab offers a relaxed dive, usually a drift, as you explore several coral heads rising from the seafloor. It’s a good spot to slow down and really look, with plenty of small stuff tucked into the staghorn and table corals. We often find African eel blennies peeking out, and the small giant clams are always worth a closer look. Currents can pick up, so it's best for divers comfortable managing a gentle push, but it rarely gets truly challenging here.
ABOUL FAWARES
Aboul Fowares isn’t about depth, it’s about history, and frankly, a bit of a laugh. At a maximum of six metres, this trawler wreck is a genuinely unique Dahab dive, especially if you’re looking for something different from the usual reef dives. We love parking ourselves right above it, drifting in the slight current, and just soaking in the story. The trawler, which went down after a collision in 1979, is broken in two, but remarkably intact for its age and shallow depth. You can actually poke around the wheelhouse, seeing where the helmsman would have stood. Inside, the light plays through the gaps, illuminating schools of small glassfish that shimmer as you pass. Outside, the hull is thick with soft corals, particularly a vibrant purple variety, and we’ve often found a couple of stonefish perfectly camouflaged on the deck. It’s ideal for photographers wanting to practice wide-angle in natural light, or just for a relaxed second dive. Don't expect dramatic drop-offs, just a peaceful exploration of a Red Sea relic.
Abu Helal
Abu Helal is one of those Dahab sites that feels familiar, yet always delivers a surprise or two. It’s a good choice for an easy afternoon dive, with a simple entry and a reef slope that gently eases down, perfect for new divers or those just wanting to chill out. We usually spot Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins here, a real treat when they cruise past. Keep an eye out for the delicate thin birdsnest corals and those impressive staghorn thickets, they’re some of the healthiest around. It’s not the most dramatic site in Dahab, but it’s consistently enjoyable, a comfortable dive where you can relax and actually observe the smaller stuff, like the African eel blennies poking out from the sand.
Abu Talha
Abu Talha is a straightforward shore dive, ideal for those new to Dahab’s unique topography. You'll find a gently sloping reef, perfect for beginners to get comfortable with the local conditions. While not as dramatic as some of its neighbours, it offers a relaxed dive with a good chance of spotting smaller reef fish and the occasional moray eel tucked into the coral patches. It’s a nice warm-up dive or a pleasant afternoon drift.
ADRIANA
Adriana is a dive site that always surprises us, especially when we’re looking for a wreck dive in Dahab that isn't the Blue Hole’s technical depths. This isn't a massive cargo ship, it’s a barge, sunk intentionally after some rather spectacular failures during a local port expansion project. We actually know divers who watched it go down. It sits upright and relatively intact at around 20 metres, making it super accessible for advanced open water divers. What we love about Adriana is how quickly it’s become a home. Schools of bannerfish drift over the deck, and you’ll often find lionfish tucked into its nooks and crannies. We’ve spotted morays peeking from pipes, and the soft corals are really starting to pop, creating a vibrant contrast against the metal. Explore the small hold, peer into the wheelhouse area, and just spend some time watching the life swirl around it. It’s a gentle dive, usually with minimal current, perfect for an afternoon potter, and a great spot for underwater photographers to practice their wreck composition.
Aqua Sport
Aqua Sport is one of those Dahab sites we always recommend for a relaxed, easy dive, especially if you’re looking for a second or third dip of the day without a long journey. It’s right there, a simple entry off the beach, and what you get is a really gentle slope dotted with some impressive coral heads. We’ve spent many an afternoon here, just drifting along, watching the resident pufferfish wobble about. The standout here for us is the sheer number of tropical silversides and banded blue sprats that gather. Sometimes, the schools are so dense they shimmer like a liquid wall, moving in unison as you approach. We’ve seen scad and sergeant-majors darting through them, picking off stragglers. Look closely among the staghorn coral formations, and you’ll often find some big, placid blotched grunts tucked away. It's an ideal spot if you're dialling in your buoyancy or just want to unwind with a camera.
BLUE FISH
Forget what you think you know about wrecks, particularly in the Red Sea. Blue Fish isn't some deep, dark behemoth. This site, just off the Dahab shore, is a shallow, sun-drenched playground, and we genuinely love it. The wreck itself, a supply vessel that went down in 1977, now lies at a maximum depth of three metres. It’s perfect for those lazy days, or if you're looking for something gentle after a few stronger drifts. What you'll find here is a lovely contrast. The wreck's metal frame is soft with coral growth, blues and purples, and the light plays off it beautifully. Schools of fusiliers dart in and out of the superstructure, and if you take your time, you'll spot some really curious blennies poking out from the crevices. Our favourite part? Cruising slowly over the deck, just watching the damselfish defending their patches. It’s a tranquil dive, surprisingly vibrant given its shallow nature, and a fantastic spot for photographers wanting to play with ambient light on a historical piece.
Blue Hole
The Blue Hole, just north of Dahab, is more than a big sinkhole, it's a rite of passage for many Red Sea divers. You start with an easy entry from the shore, finning over a shallow reef teeming with fusiliers before descending into the deep blue abyss. The dramatic vertical walls drop to 100 meters, creating an almost cathedral-like feel, and you’ll often spot Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins cruising the edges. We like to cross the saddle, a shallow coral garden that connects the hole to the open sea, before re-entering the main cavern. Keep an eye out for the African eel blennies darting into crevices and the occasional Crown of Thorns starfish clinging to the coral. It’s a site that suits those comfortable with depth and a bit of open water exposure.
BOREALIS
If you’re driving north out of Dahab, you can’t miss the Borealis. She’s beached high and dry, a rusted hulk on the sand, looking like a forgotten toy. Most divers just glance at her from the road, but we love dropping in. This isn’t a deep dive, barely anything at all, more of a snorkel or a shallow swim around her bones. We usually kick out from the shore, maybe 50 metres north of the wreck itself, and let the gentle current carry us back. The real action is around the stern, where the hull plates are scattered, creating little caves and overhangs. It’s a photographer’s playground, with sunlight dappling through the broken metal. Look for moray eels tucked into crevices, their heads peeking out, and we’ve seen some surprisingly chunky lionfish hunting among the shadows. The bow, further inshore, is pretty flattened, but you can still trace the outline of her anchor chain disappearing into the sand. It’s not about big pelagics here; it’s about the intimacy of a wreck taken by the sea, a slow exploration of history and the small creatures that have claimed it. Our pick for a lazy afternoon dip, especially if you’ve had a few deep ones already.
Canyon
The Canyon in Dahab is one of those sites that just pulls you in. You drop into a wide, sandy bowl before hitting the main event – a massive crack in the reef that opens up to an even bigger chamber, complete with a few smaller side tunnels. We’ve found the light filtering down from above to be pretty special, illuminating the coral growth on the walls. You’ll usually spot plenty of staghorn corals and, if you keep your eyes peeled, we often see beaky acropora gobies hanging around them. It's a good spot for divers comfortable with overhead environments, but it’s still accessible without being overly technical. Do keep an eye on your depth here, it can be easy to drift a bit deeper than intended.
Cedar Pride
The Cedar Pride, for us, is one of those wrecks that just hits right. It’s not about grand history or massive scale, it’s about accessibility and the pure joy of a ship slowly becoming part of the reef. We love descending onto her, seeing the sunlight shafting through the Red Sea blue, picking out the outline of the stern first. She sits upright, pretty much intact, which makes for a really satisfying exploration. Swim through her cargo holds, where schools of yellowstriped cardinalfish hang like shimmering curtains. Look closely at the deck plating, you’ll find patches of starflower and lesser valley corals blooming amongst the rust. We’ve seen peppered squirrelfish peeking from every crevice and black-back butterflyfish flitting over the bow. The captain’s bridge is a favourite, still surprisingly defined, a great spot to pause and just watch the reef life go by. For divers who appreciate a wreck that’s been truly adopted by the ocean, rather than just sunk in it, this is a prime example. The Cedar Pride welcomes divers of all levels; it’s a calm, rewarding dive, often with great visibility.
Dahab Dive Centres
44 dive shops and operators in Dahab
Ocean Wildlife in Dahab
27 species recorded in Dahab
Dahab Daylight & Sunrise/Sunset
Sunrise and sunset times for Dahab, calculated from coordinates
Today - Monday 24 August
Sunrise
05:17
Sunset
18:14
Daylight
12h 58m
Golden Hour
17:43
First light (dawn) at 04:52 · Last light (dusk) at 18:39
Monthly Averages
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 06:37 | 17:07 | 10h 30m |
| Feb | 06:22 | 17:33 | 11h 11m |
| Mar | 05:53 | 17:51 | 11h 58m |
| Apr | 05:17 | 18:08 | 12h 51m |
| May | 04:52 | 18:26 | 13h 34m |
| JunLongest | 04:44 | 18:42 | 13h 58m |
| Jul | 04:54 | 18:43 | 13h 48m |
| AugNow | 05:12 | 18:23 | 13h 11m |
| Sep | 05:28 | 17:49 | 12h 21m |
| Oct | 05:43 | 17:14 | 11h 30m |
| Nov | 06:06 | 16:49 | 10h 44m |
| DecShortest | 06:28 | 16:48 | 10h 19m |
Times are approximate local times based on longitude. Actual times may vary slightly depending on the exact timezone observed in Dahab.
Where to Stay near Dahab
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Marine Protected Areas near Dahab
4 protected areas near Dahab - please respect local regulations when diving
شعاب البحر الأحمر
محمية رأس محمد
محمية أبو جالوم
محمية نبق
Getting to Dahab
Saint Catherine
Sharm El Sheikh
Aqaba
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