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Dahab is considered to be the mecca of freediving, and that's for a good reason. What makes it such a special place though? How can you train out there? Which school should you choose? Is it expensive? Is it safe? In the new episode of The Complete Guide, Cassandra Cooper covers all you need to know about freediving & training in Dahab.
Hi, my name is Cassandra Cooper, I'm a competitive freediver and instructor from British Columbia, Canada, and today I'm going to be talking about what it's like to be living and training in Dahab, Egypt. Dahab is a small Bedouin fishing village located on the coast of the Red Sea, but in recent decades it has exploded into a must-go freediving destination for divers all over the world. Not only this, but it is also home to some of the best instructors and best schools in the world.
One of the best parts about Dahab is its accessibility. It's one hour away from Sharm El Sheikh airport and once you arrive, everything's within walking distance. There are two main dive sites we go to, the lighthouse and the infamous blue hole. The lighthouse is on a promenade full of cafes restaurants and just straight beach access, and in a few minutes, you can swim up to 40 meters of depth. Now if you want to go to the blue hole, it's just a short taxi ride to get there, a small fee at the gate and you have 93 meters of depth and it's surrounded by a beautiful reef and you get to see some of the best freedivers in the world and you also just get to hang out with people that are there for fun or for training or who want to go explore the reefs.
Another great thing about Dahab is its cost of living. Now, it's a mix of ex-pats and locals so if you want to find a nicer hotel to stay in, you can, or if you want to find a bit more of local living with a roommate, then the cost of living is going to be very low. And also with the fact that you don't have to drive anywhere in order to train, you don't have to take a boat out in order to train, it makes it hugely beneficial because you can go out and train at your own leisure.
The really special part about Dahab is the community there. It's nothing like I've ever seen before. Even though people come and go all the time, it's really tight-knit and there are a lot of group activities that we all do together. When you first arrive it's not going to take long to meet more freedivers like you, and you can do a lot of different activities.
A great part about coming to Dahab is the variety of teachers and instructors you get. So if you're going to do some private coaching or a course then you can really choose someone who suits whatever it is you want to be doing as a diver. Say you want to focus on dry exercises, pool training, monofin technique, breathing exercises, and flexibility, you'll find someone who caters to what it is you want to do.
Now, when you first arrive in Dahab but you will notice that there are a lot of ex-pats there, however that doesn't have to take away from your experience if you are there to see Egypt. You're living in a Bedouin village, so there are a lot of different activities you can do if you want to experience the local culture. If you want you can do bedouin dinners, you can go to local restaurants and do lots of different tours to see the Sinai.
Now, if you want to go to Dahab and experience more than just freediving, then you don't have to worry because there are lots of other options for things to do. If you want to spend some time in the desert, you can do a Bedouin dinner, hiking, rock climbing, or if you want to spend time in the water doing other activities, then you can do some snorkeling, windsurfing, kite surfing, you name it.
One thing I will say about Dahab is that I would plan on getting a one-way ticket because a lot of people that come there either end up extending their stay anyway, or they never leave. So if you do plan on going to Dahab just be prepared to fall in love with it and either stay there longer or be sure that you're coming back.