Dhahab Things to Do

Dahab is one of the top spots for windsurfing and diving. What makes this place particularly nice is the "lagoon" which allows for fairly safe training with excellent wind and little waves - allowing you to learn those tricks easier.
Pretty much each hotel at the strip of the lagoon (Hilton, Coralia, Swiss Inn,..) has at least one station, most of them 2 which are all very well equipped. The further west you go the easier it might be to get the the spots you want to reach (there are spots outside the lagoon for the more trained surfers).
The only small downside is that the wind if offshore and due to the hotel structures it can get very gutsy close at the start of your trip.
The pricing is fairly standard from what I can tell and I paid 190euro for a week (check their webpages for updated information). The places are Club Mistral, Harry Hass, Mark Warner, Planetwindsurfing and a few others.

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Intersting experience - a lot of fun - driving through the desert when a wind blows against us and the sharp sand was sticking into the skin, sometime feeling a danger - as sandy roads were between two cliffs. We had a guide who was showing us the road - first stop was at the oasis where we got the Bedouin tea, second was on a tongue of sand - just accross the surf spot.

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The town beach may be nothing much, but spectacular (and quiet) beaches are never far away, where snorkelling and bathing are the order of the day and where the mountains sweep down to the shoreline (just need to get past those camels!). And some of the hotels have the best spots (and it's very easy to simply walk into them and take up a key spot...)

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The cafes and bars of Assalah provide a focal point to Dhabab, and whilst they may a mismash of Bedouin tourist kitch, lining the shoreline as they do with open to the element tent 'environments', they nevertheless provide cheap options for simple food (humus, grills, chips etc), beers and accommodation. The beach itself is nothing to write home about at all, but it's there, and can be welcome during the heat of a Sinai day.

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One of the greatest pleasures of Sinai is the simple life - living by the sun rising and the sun setting. And there are spectacular sunrises to be had, across the sea with the Saudi Arabian coastline forming the backdrop.

But the early morning lighht provides a dramatic and eerily calm view of the stunning Sinai landscapes. And it is generally so silent...

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See St. Catherine's Monastery after the hike back down. If you're too fast coming down it may not be open yet, but you can have breakfast or coffee in the area. Admission is included in your tour price. Guided tours take groups in to the Church inside then lead you back out where you get a glimpse of a few of the rooms that form the Monastery. Most of the premises are off limits.

The hike up Mount Sinai begins at about 2:30am in the dark! So you don't get to see the landscape. The hike back down Mount Sinai after sunrise takes less than 2 hours.

Tip: Take a headlight or flashlight with you for the hike up at night.

At the top of Mount Sinai, bedouins sell the use of a cushion and blankets while you're waiting for the sun to rise. The temp. drops at night, so it's quite cold. As soon as the sun rises, it's warm again.

Since so many other tourists are doing the same thing, you'll have to find a spot to snap a photo without heads in the way.