Description

The Sinai Peninsula along the coastline of the Gulf of Aqaba is referred to as the Red Sea, in Egypt. Its luxury hotel resorts along the coast are a favored destination for the sun and fun lovers. Sharm el Sheikh in the very south of Sinai and Taba offers the best diving spots in the world. Sinai is home to the indigenous people, the Bedouins, who are more than happy to share with you their love for the desert whether on a jeep tour or on a camel trek. Dahab is a small township located on the southeastern shore of Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. The town is just few kilometers away from the international airport of Sharm-el-Sheikh. Sharm el Sheikh evolved from an old fishing station to a place of tourist attraction. The commercial street in the south west of the bay is crammed with shops, cafes, hotels and dive centers. Shark Bay, Ras Nosrani and Nabq are the few resorts, which are in the verge of development.

Shopping

Though most shops in Dahab are found along the beachfront, there are many shops in the town center and along the road sides, which offer a range of selections to the travelers. Cotton trousers, kurtas, scarves, sarongs, beach towels, T-shirts, jewelry cases etc mark the best buys. Almost all the shops entertain hagglers. Sharm has some touristy shopping centers along with lots of authentic Arab bazaars and local shops in the large market area, which may be too "ethnic" for some Western tastes. Naama Bay's shops are more tourists orientated and are relatively pricey. The main shopping street is El Sharm Mall, which extends from the Camel Hotel to the beach next to the Cataract Hotel. There are many bazaars that deal with gold, leather wares, carpets, glass, inlaid wood, brass, spices and keepsakes. There are a few classier shops and a couple of duty free shops on the main road.

Restaurants

Dahab has a multitude of restaurants that cater to the tastes of travelers from all over the globe. For the best chicken steaks and other non-vegetarian food, travelers should visit the Nirvana. Many local tavernas serve good choice of menus for a very moderate price. Al Capone’s must be visited for quality sea foods and Italian cuisines. Other suggested restaurants include the Shark, Calm Inn, El Fanar and Tota for the best pizzas. There are many restaurants, which serve global delicacies. The restaurants offer Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Italian, French, Egyptian and more. Cafes are crammed in the town centers, along the beaches and on the main roads. Eateries and a McDonald’s outlet can be found at Naama Bay. “Blue Ginger”, “Da Franco”, “Fayrouz” and “hard Rock Café” are some of the restaurants, which offer quality services.

Night Life

Dahab presents active nightlife with many bars and restaurants offering full scale amusement to the travelers. There are many night-time venues, which offer live music shows anchored by famed disco jockeys. Most bars have karaoke bars, discotheques etc. Some suggested venues include Karaoke night, Cherry drops, Little Buddha etc.Nightlife options are quite less at Sharm El sheikh. Many bars offer live music and have discos. There are also a few casinos.

Activities

Tourists can enjoy a wide array of activities while in Dahab. Being a famed destination for diving, snorkeling and surfing the town presents very good sites to carry on these activities. Horse and camel riding and jeep safaris can be held to the nearby places of interests. Boat trips in glass bottomed boats can be held to witness magnificent underwater views. Sharm el sheikh has many things to do both on land as well as in water. While dessert trips and a visit to the St Katherine’s monastery are attractions on land, the sea provides a swarm of water sports. It makes a good place for divers with ideal water temperature all round the year.

Communications

The international access code to dial into Egypt is +20. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code. There are internal codes used to call places within the country. Long distance calls are very expensive when made from hotels and it is suggested to be made from post, telephone and telegraph offices that are found in most of the cities. GSM 900 network cover the entire country and roaming is available due to its agreements with international operators. Internet is accessible at Internet cafes in most towns and resorts. International directory phone enquires can be made by dialing 120.

Contacts

Egyptian Tourism Authority, Cairo: +20 (0)2 285 3576 or http://touregypt.net/tourism
Egyptian Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 895 5400
Egyptian Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7499 3304
Egyptian Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 234 4931
Egyptian Embassy, Canberra, Australia (also responsible for New Zealand): +61 (0)2 6273 4437
Egyptian Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 343 1590/1
Egyptian Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 660 6566
United States Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 797 3300
British Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 794 0852
Canadian Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 794 3110
Australian Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 575 0444
South African Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 359 4365
Irish Embassy, Cairo: +20 (0)2 735 8264
New Zealand Consulate-General, Cairo: +20 (0)2 574 9360
Emergencies: 122 (Police); 123 (Ambulance)

Currency

EGP

Attractions

Fantasea Dive Center, which offers a range of diving courses, including typical biological dive safaris, must be visited. Reef 2000, one of the best diving centers in Dahab is worth a visit. Sunset and sunrise views from Mt Sinai are brilliant and travelers should never miss an opportunity of experiencing these splendid views. Sharm el Sheikh and its neighboring region have a lot of attractions that can be visited. The region has a number of churches, monasteries and monuments. The pyramids, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, are positioned in Egypt and people ready to travel could visit them as part of a day trip. Ras Mohammed National Park and the Straits of Tiran are the sites that must be visited.

Language

Arabic

Language Description

Arabic is the official language of the country. English and French are widely spoken in most of the tourist areas.

Tipping

It is customary to tip small change for most services rendered. “Baksheesh”, as tipping is called here, is very useful to gain entry to seemingly unreachable places, or to be treated in an extra special way. Drivers and waiters expect about 10% and 5% tip respectively.