The Friday Photo: On the Roof in Dahab, Egypt
It’s been ten years since we last visited Dahab. And, though it was firmly on the banana pancake trail back then, the miasma of hippie clothes shops and dance bars that have sprouted since had me in a fit of the vapours when we arrived last night.
Today? We’ve found a nice place to stay. With Bedouin tea, cushions, backgammon, diving, the mountains of Saudi across the Red Sea, plus month-old kittens and PlayStation too, I think we’ll be here for a while…
Wuvly kittens
Do you know your earliest memory is of being scratched by a kitten in Dahab? After you pursued the wuvly thing a bit too hard…
Hi! I´ve been following your incredible blog and I just wanted to ask you how if Daha is OK to go with a toddler (safe, etc.) Do you fly there via Sharm el Sheikh? thanks for the tips!
Hi Irene, we’re in Dahab, which is about 1-2 hours drive from Sharm El Sheikh — it costs from 150 Egyptian pounds in a taxi, though the guys at the airport will charge you more. Last time we went Z was a toddler.
Politically, it’s a small town built around the tourist trade so no demonstrations &c, and no evidence of the tensions between Bedouin and Egyptians impacting people — there were two kidnappings on the road to St. Katherine’s Monastery last month but both groups were handed back unharmed within hours. The attacks on oil pipelines are WAY to the north of here in the desert.
As regards safety with a toddler, I’d say it’s fine. There are a lot of cats and kittens, so chances of getting scratched are quite high. There are also rooftop bars/restaurants with low-no balcony, that you’d need to keep an eye out for. The water’s not safe to drink but, given it’s a tourist town, people seem to be cautious about ice etc. The other thing you’d need to watch for is that the beaches are rocky and the coral can be sharp: bring jellies or booties for paddling.
i love this photo. scratches and all…
Damn! I love this photo et al
Ha! You would love it here, Bowo.
Looks beautiful there! My wife and I were in Sharm el Sheikh in May 2011 for our honeymoon.. miss it so much! Was the absolutely most beautiful place on the Red Sea. I guess its about 53 miles (85km) South of Dahab.
It is stunning, Derek. We actually flew into Sharm, and I think you’re almost exactly right on the distance… Hoping to explore a bit more of the peninsula soon.
What a cute pic!!
I need some kittens in my life 🙂 That looks like an incredibly pretty place to be!
It is lovely. We have a few more things to do here and then we will, regretfully, make a move. Been here about twice as long as I intended to be, anyway. Mission shrink!
Nice pic 🙂
How long are you staying in Egypt? and do u have any other plans other than Dahab? I am currently in Sharm, until next wednesday, then I’m heading to Cairo for a couple of days, followed by Alexandria, to be back at Sharm in A week/10 days (My monthly 1 week vacation of my job in Sharm)
Anyway I would love to meet up for some drinks if you’re ever in Sharm or anywhere in Egypt during my week vacation 😀 Or if you’re staying long enough in Dahab maybe I can visit you there for a day or so..
We’re in Egypt at least until the end of April, possibly slightly longer. Probably in Cairo in a week or so. We weren’t intending to go to Sharm (went ten years ago, and Z’s too young — I think — to dive Ras Abu Mohammed): diving tomorrow, then probably up to Ismailia or Suez to see the canal before heading to Cairo, perhaps via the Nile Delta. What do you do in Sharm?
I am currently working in a pharmacy in Sharm el Sheikh. And next Wednesday is my monthly vacation, so I was heading to Cairo to catch up with some friends for a couple of days, then back to my home city Alexandria for a few days and then it’s back to work again.
I am not sure but I think PortSaid is actually a better place to see the Canal, its the most live city of them 3, the other ones are too sleepy I guess (I haven’t been to Suez before but I hear it’s the same as Ismailia, nothing much to see there)
Anyway let me know when you’re in Cairo, you’ll have my email through the comment here, so email me whenever you’re in Cairo or Alexandria, or if you need some help with anything 🙂
So, by next Wednesday you mean the 28th, or in two days’ time? Let me know, as if it’s the 28th, we’ll almost certainly overlap…
I think you might be right about Port Said, that’s the view from here, as well — arguably a better base for getting into the Delta as well, while all I’ve heard of Suez is your impression of it too. What’s your impression on the situation there now? I’ve had one person say it’s still a bit unsafe and tense, after the football incident, but others seem to think it’s fine.
Would be fab to meet up…
My fav beach town!
We spend weeks lounging those comfy beachside pillows, eating fresh seafood and fruit juice… it’s definitely worth a repeat visit
It has taken us soooo long to book tickets to Cairo, but we are finally upping sticks from here. It’s just the most incredibly chilled place. I can’t use the term oasis, because they have real ones here, but as beach towns go, it is fantastico.
There you go again with the sea views and banana pancakes. Your blog is the enemy of my contentment.
Sea views and banana pancakes are not to be sniffed at. Really going to miss this place when we leave…