Hi,
I am a single female traveller with 12 days free rein in Egypt. I've decided to head to Dahab and learn to dive, possibly with some yoga if I can find it. There are tonnes of places to stay and dive centers available and I'm having trouble deciding where to go. So far I am considering the Blue Beach hotel and their dive school who do a really cheap package; the beduin moon hotel which has some good reviews and the jasmine hotel which is also very reasonable. Has anyone stayed in either of these places? Blue beach has a great bar and beduin moon is quite far out of town but I don't want to be either in party-central OR isolated from it all. choices choices!
A few posts on this forum recommend the north of nueiwba. If I decided I wanted to move there for a week can anyone advise the best way of travelling from Dahab to Ras Shaitan and whether it is possible to find somewhere to stay quite easily? - I like to keep my options open. I plan to travel up to Israel for a few days. Is Ras Shaitan on the same bus route that goes to Taba?
If there are any other single travellers that are out there mid-end November feel free to give me a shout.
I am also concerned about dress. I was under the impression that if I was covered it would be okay and so i thought jeans would be acceptable but I read a post discouraging females from wearing jeans. Can someone clarify why? Is it simply to western?
Thanks for all your advice.
Spacecandi
Hi,
Ras Shitan is on the road to Israel (50 km from the boarder) you can stay there at ras shitan - owned by a bedouin named Ayash. beautiful beach, many musicians from all over the world stay there and play every night. simple huts, very very cool. if you want some upgraded lodgings you can fo to castle beach owned by a bedouin named mettawa, next door, nice bungalows, good food.
as to dress codes in nuweiba - when you are with the bedouins you dont have to worry about what you wera - they have seen it all!
wwhen you decide to go to israel you have a few options: israeli that have cars and so back to the boarder, a bedouin taxi that will be arranged for you by the owners of the beach or just go to the road and wait for the bus to Taba.
Have a great stay!
Dahab : I always stay at Penguin Hotel. There are close to the center but not right in it, so it's more peaceful and still you can walk everywhere. They have nice rooms with a veranda over the sea, an incredible chill-out lounge restaurant and a good diving club. Plus you'll meet very interesting people there.
Ras Shaitan : that's quite an experience ! I go to the beach run by a Beduin named Moubarak. The entrance is right to that of Castle beach, take the path on the right. Very nice beach, gorgeous coral reef, not a lot of comfort but beautiful landscape, hippies who have been living there for up to ten years and musicians from Tel Aviv and Cairo coming to play together at night during the long week-ends. I've also heard about Rock Sea, it's said to be a little more comfortable.
Israel : just take bus/taxi as said before until the border in Taba. Ras Shaitan is on the road linking the border to all coastal towns of Sinai, including Dahab. Once you have crossed the border, take a bus or a taxi to Eilat town and then you can take buses to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
Dress code : jeans are perfectly OK. All the Egyptian fashionistas wear some in Cairo. The only dress code in Egypt is : no cleavage, no bare shoulders, no bare legs. Of course, you can dress more relax if you go to trendy bars in Cairo or to the beach in Sinai.
moubarak is the guy who runs the beach for Ayash - so we actually talked about the same beach....
Go to Blue Beach, the Hotel is clean and run by friendly staff, the Bar is IMO the best in Dahab,and where the majority of divers hang out. there is a lovely restuarant and the Dive Cetre (1 1/2 yrs ago) is run by Mohamed who i would definately trust with all my diving needs.
The big advantage of this spot its that it is away from the main drag of beach, so if you dont feel like going round the corner and just relaxing you can but it is only a stones throw from all the beachside restuarants etc.
Enjoy your trip
Tom
forgot to mention that when i was living in Dahab Blue Beach was running some specific Yoga holidays so they may be able to help you out with that too, Even if you dont end up staying there id definately suggesting heading to the restuarant/bar for a nice evening out.
thanks for all your tips. I am going to have to wrap myself in a big scarf because it seems I don't posess any up to the neck tops! But Its a real relief to hear I will be ok in jeans.
I'll definately keep Ras Sheitan up my sleeve (scarf) if I fancy truly getting away from it all.
tomtl - did you ever check out the beduin moon while you lived there? it seems to attract a lot of single travellers which is reassuring to me.
also...does anyone have any recommendations for nice sandy beaches for simple swimming and sunbathing in Dahab?
Thanks again,
spacecandi
Seemed like their was a yoga vibe in Dahab, as everyone knew of something somewhere, but when I went looking I had some trouble actually finding any active classes-- or even places to do it. I'd recommend asking around there and see what is currently available. Hopefully you will have better luck than I did. As for diving courses, I did not have time to take one but I spent a fair amount of time talking to the guy at Sea Dancer and would've booked something there had I the time (and money).
As for just swimming or sunbathing I found the area right at the Lighthouse perfectly cosy.. and the snorkeling there very good. If you want something a bit more private you'll have to stroll around.
I stayed at Seven Heaven-- mostly because I met some good people staying there, and the management was OK, but I have heard their dive stuff is a bit overpriced and that they underpay the instructors. Not sure if that is true... everyone I met there seemed happy enough. I did hear from three or four people that got bounced out of their rooms / huts as soon as someone in the office found out they'd booked a dive course elsewhere. That's pretty shady. But they always justify it with wanting rooms and accomodation for people that will take their dive courses. (e.g. bring in more $ for them.)
As an extra tip, if you are looking for a nice place to have breakfast right on the beach, I liked "Friends" a lot. By the second day I was on a first name basis with all the boys working there and they were really cool to me. And the breakfast was huge. Maybe you heard this already, but because of the competition, you can usually get ANY breakfast at the beachside places WITH coffee or tea for 10 egyptian pounds. Ask.
Good luck! Namaste...
JPM
ps. was just there in Dahab last week!
hey there,
i live in Amman Jordan.. and im planning to go to ras shitan with a group of friends by mid august... but i have looked up the place and i cant seem to find a way to book there.. i'm gonna be going to Aqaba and sailing to nweibe... what i need to know is how will i get to ras shitan? is there like buses or so that take you there or near there, and how can i book ?? does anyone have a website that i can book in, or a telephone number or so?? and can i know a bit more about the costs from transportation to the rooms and so...
trusted partner
