| Dahab celebrates Bedouin life and Red Sea sports with a new festival By Mariya Petkova |
| The newest attraction at Dahab is the mosaic at the entrance of this laid-back little Red Sea city. The tiled billboard next to the checkpoint has actually been there for years, showing off activities that lure locals and foreigners to Dahab: diving, sailboarding, desert mountain safaris and Bedouin life.Until recently, the mosaic also featured a young and laurel-wreathed Hosni Mubarak, with upraised hands bestowing blessings on the idyllic coastal scene. The laurel wreath is still there, but not long after February 11, the former president’s face disappeared under painted stripes of red, white and black.The Dahab City Council and local businesses — eager to spread their wings in the new Egypt — are organizing the first-ever Dahab Festival from May 14 to May 21. Events include photography competitions, diving and freediving workshops, kite surfing, windsurfing, camel racing, live music, cultural performances and even a Bedouin market. For more information, search Facebook events for “Dahab Festival.” Beyond that, this small Bedouin town welcomes families looking for a quiet vacation, party groups hoping for a fun weekend and divers in search of rich, but not-too-challenging, reefs. With the Corniche lined with restaurant touts, your biggest challenge could well be deciding where to eat. Egypt Today shares its top picks: Churchill’s Sports Bar and Grill. The Red Sea Relax Resort’s restaurant-bar offers a taste of British-American cuisine along with traditional seafood picks. The calamari and regular burger are its specialties. For LE 50–60 you can get an appetizer, a main and a drink. The restaurant has a large indoor area — with air-conditioning — and a rooftop where you can relax after your meal. Occasionally, the rooftop hosts karaoke, quiz nights and barbecues with LE 10 burgers. Football fans can watch the European leagues on the flat screen TV next to the bar. On the Corniche near Lighthouse Reef. Tel: +2 (069) 364-1309. Yalla Bar. Just a few meters from Red Sea Relax Resort, Yalla Bar’s comfy lounge chairs and umbrellas right on the beach may entice you to spend the whole day there — the free WiFi doesn’t hurt either. The menu covers breakfast, lunch and dinner. For an early morning tanning session, the watermelon juice is highly recommended. For lunch the LE 20–30 pizza is a must. For dinner, reasonably priced at around LE 60, try the pepper steak or fish of the day, then spend the evening in the upstairs bar chatting with friends or watching football. Tel: +2 (069) 364-2166. Blue House Thai. If you want something more exotic than the day’s catch, Blue House has a Thai chef who makes you feel like you’ve just been teleported to Bangkok. The spring rolls and the pad thai come highly recommended. The restaurant is quite popular, so you may need to make a reservation. You can find it above another Chinese restaurant at the entrance of Seven Heaven Hotel in Masbat. Tel: +2 (016) 717-7846. Lakhbatita. Also known as the Three Fishes, this Italian eatery offers pasta, seafood, pizza and a darn good paella. The décor, with full-sized tables and and elegant linens for the outdoor seating, sets this place apart from its Bedouin-style neighbors lining the Corniche. The inside seating area resembles a cluttered kitchen, heavy on the knickknacks. It is located just south of Penguin Village in Mashraba. Tel: +2 (012) 828-4612. |
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