Trip highlights
- 1PADI Open Water certification in calm, warm Red Sea conditions
- 2First certified fun dives at the legendary Blue Hole outer reef
- 3Dive the Canyon — a spectacular underwater canyon at 30m
- 4Explore Eel Garden and Lighthouse shallow reef sites
- 5Relax in Dahab's laid-back Sinai beach town between dives
Daily spend
Want this for your exact dates?
Live hotel prices, real-time flights, and weather for when you're going.
Been before? Re-book the same trip instantly with current prices.
Day-by-day plan
Arrival — Sharm el-Sheikh to Dahab
Friday, October 1
Est. spend
$390
per person
🌅 Morning
Fly into Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport
Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport, South Sinai, Egypt
Arrive at SSH airport, clear passport control, and collect luggage. The airport is well-organised with fast queuing for tourist arrivals.
Egypt requires a visa on arrival ($25 single-entry) or purchase an e-visa before travel. Have USD cash ready.
Private transfer Sharm el-Sheikh to Dahab
Sharm el-Sheikh to Dahab, South Sinai Highway
A 90-minute drive through the dramatic Sinai desert landscape along the coast road. Dahab is a small, relaxed beach town 85km north of Sharm — a completely different atmosphere from the resort strip.
Book your transfer in advance through your accommodation or a trusted transfer company. Shared minibuses are cheaper ($8) but slower.
☀️ Afternoon
Check in and walk the Dahab waterfront
Dahab Promenade, Masbat Area, Dahab
Dahab's main strip runs along the lagoon with dive centres, restaurants on cushioned platforms, and windsurf schools. Settle into your guesthouse (most are simple but clean, $25-40/night) and explore on foot.
Stay in the Masbat area — closest to the dive centres and Blue Hole road. Avoid overpriced hotels on the Laguna Beach side for this trip.
Register at your PADI dive school
Masbat Dive Centre Strip, Dahab
Visit your pre-booked dive centre to register, complete paperwork (medical declaration), and meet your PADI instructor. Pay for the course ($300-350 all-in includes theory, pool sessions, certification dives, and PADI certification card). Evening briefing on the course schedule.
Recommended centres: Nesima Dive Centre, Big Blue Diving, or Reef 2000 — all PADI certified, English-speaking instructors, small group sizes. Book ahead in peak season.
🌙 Evening
Dinner at a lagoon-side restaurant
Masbat Lagoon Strip, Dahab
Dahab's waterfront restaurants serve grilled fish, mezze plates, and fresh juices on cushioned floor platforms right by the water. The food quality is excellent for the price — this is one of the best-value dining destinations in Egypt.
Try the grilled fish platters or mixed mezze. Fresh juice is $1-2. Avoid alcohol before dive days — it dehydrates you and impairs equalisation.
🍽️ Meals
Airport snack
Egyptian · $6 · Grab ful medames (slow-cooked fava beans) and bread at the airport or petrol station on the Dahab road — a staple Egyptian breakfast.
Lagoon-side fish lunch
Egyptian seafood · $10 · Fish is grilled fresh on the spot. Ask for the catch of the day. Dahab is famous for its hammour (grouper).
Mixed mezze dinner
Egyptian mezze · $12 · Hummus, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, grilled pitta. Order a shared mezze spread and grilled main — more than enough for two.
PADI Day 1 — Pool Confined Water + Theory
Saturday, October 2
Est. spend
$36
per person
🌅 Morning
PADI Open Water theory — Module 1 & 2
Your PADI Dive Centre, Masbat, Dahab
Classroom or eLearning session covering dive physics (pressure, Boyle's Law), equipment overview (BCD, regulator, wetsuit, tank), hand signals, and buddy system protocols. Your instructor walks through the PADI student manual with practical demonstrations of all gear.
The theory is included in your $320 course fee. Take notes — the final theory exam has 50 questions and you need 75% to pass, but it is straightforward.
Equipment fitting and first gear assembly
Dive Centre Pool / Equipment Room, Dahab
Learn to assemble and check all dive equipment: attach regulator to tank, inflate BCD, check air supply, fit mask and fins. Practice the pre-dive buddy check (BWRAF — BCD, Weights, Releases, Air, Final check).
All equipment is included in your course fee. Get your wetsuit fitted now — you need it snug but not constricting.
☀️ Afternoon
Confined water session 1 — Basic skills
Dahab Dive Centre Pool / Blue Hole Inner Lagoon
First time in the water with scuba gear — conducted in a pool or calm shallow lagoon (1-2m depth). Skills covered: mask clearing, regulator recovery, buoyancy control, breathing underwater. The first breath underwater is the memorable moment.
Ear equalisation (the 'Valsalva' pinch-and-blow technique) is the skill most beginners struggle with on Day 1. Descent should be slow — never push through ear pain. Your instructor will demonstrate and practice with you repeatedly.
Post-dive debrief and Module 3 theory
Dive Centre Classroom, Dahab
Review the afternoon's skills with your instructor. Cover theory module 3: dive planning, nitrogen absorption, no-decompression limits, and dive tables / dive computers. Introduction to how dive computers work.
By end of Day 2 you should be comfortable breathing underwater and have your first equalisation technique working. Do not be discouraged — ear clearing takes practice for everyone.
🌙 Evening
Snorkel the Blue Hole Inner Lagoon at sunset
Blue Hole Lagoon, 10km north of Dahab
Walk or take a 10-minute taxi to the Blue Hole. The inner lagoon (not the famous dive site) has a sheltered sandy bottom perfect for snorkelling at sunset. Visibility 20-30m, colourful coral heads. A preview of what diving will look like.
Snorkel hire is $3-5 at the Blue Hole café. Sunset here is spectacular with the Sinai mountains behind you and Saudi Arabia visible across the Gulf of Aqaba.
🍽️ Meals
Dive centre breakfast
Egyptian · $5 · Most dive centres serve a simple breakfast (eggs, bread, fruit, tea) before morning sessions. Eat light before pool work.
Falafel wrap lunch
Egyptian street food · $4 · Street falafel wraps are $1-2 each and excellent. The dive centre area has several small falafel stands — fast and filling.
Restaurant dinner near dive centre
Egyptian-International · $14 · Most Dahab restaurants cater to international divers — pasta, pizza, and Egyptian grills all available. Avoid large meals right before diving.
PADI Day 2 — Confined Water + Theory Completion
Sunday, October 3
Est. spend
$26
per person
🌅 Morning
PADI theory modules 4 & 5 — Exam preparation
Dive Centre Classroom, Dahab
Final theory modules covering marine life awareness, dive environment (currents, visibility, thermoclines), problem recognition and management, and responsible diving. Complete the PADI Knowledge Review worksheets.
The PADI final exam (50 multiple-choice questions) is taken today or tomorrow morning. Most students pass comfortably — study the Knowledge Review questions the night before.
PADI final theory exam
Dive Centre Classroom, Dahab
50-question multiple choice exam. Minimum pass mark 75% (38 correct). Your instructor can review any incorrect answers with you. On completion, you are cleared for open water certification dives.
Do not rush through the questions. Read each one carefully. The exam is genuinely straightforward if you have completed the Knowledge Reviews.
☀️ Afternoon
Confined water session 2 — Advanced skills
Dive Centre Pool / Shallow Lagoon, Dahab
Second pool/shallow water session building on Day 1. Skills: controlled ascents and descents, neutral buoyancy exercises, underwater navigation with compass, emergency ascent practice, and weight belt removal/replacement. These are the skills assessed in certification dives.
Neutral buoyancy — the art of hovering at the same depth without sinking or rising — is the key skill to master. It takes most beginners 3-4 dives to feel natural. Slow, controlled breathing is the key.
Gear maintenance and preparation for open water dives
Dive Centre, Dahab
Learn to rinse and care for dive equipment. Your instructor briefs you on tomorrow's open water certification dives: site conditions at the Islands and Lighthouse sites, depths (max 9m for cert dives 1-2), and what skills will be assessed.
Get to bed early tonight. Open water dives start early (07:30 boat departure). You want to be rested for your first real sea dives.
🌙 Evening
Dahab town evening walk and camel market area
Dahab Old Town, El Fanar Area
Walk south from Masbat to the older part of town — the main market street with Bedouin jewellery shops, bakeries, and local coffee houses. The Dahab town centre is a different pace from the tourist strip.
Bargaining is expected in the market. Bedouin silver jewellery is a Sinai specialty — good quality pieces at fair prices compared to Cairo tourist shops.
🍽️ Meals
Egyptian breakfast spread
Egyptian · $6 · Ful medames, eggs, white cheese, tomato, cucumber, pitta. The standard Egyptian breakfast — filling and cheap at any local café.
Dive centre packed lunch
Light snacks · $5 · Ask the dive centre to pack a light lunch for between pool sessions. Avoid heavy meals before afternoon water sessions.
Seafood grill dinner
Egyptian seafood · $15 · Celebrate passing your theory exam with a proper seafood dinner. Try the grilled calamari and shrimp. Last big dinner before early tomorrow.
PADI Certification Dives — 4 Open Water Dives
Monday, October 4
Est. spend
$56
per person
🌅 Morning
Certification dive 1 & 2 — The Islands site (9m max)
The Islands Dive Site, 3km north of Dahab
First two certification dives at The Islands — a shallow reef site with excellent visibility and calm conditions. Maximum depth 9m. Skills assessed: controlled descent using line, mask clearing, regulator recovery, buoyancy control, compass navigation. This is the moment everything comes together — breathing underwater in the open sea.
If ear equalisation is difficult, ascend a metre and try again — never push through pain. Your instructor has done this hundreds of times and will be calm and patient. The reef is beautiful and you will be amazed at how quickly you forget you are 'learning' once you are down there.
Surface interval and debrief
The Islands Beach, Dahab Coast
Rest period between dive pairs (minimum 1 hour surface interval for certification dives). Drink water, eat a light snack, review performance with instructor. Discuss any skills to refine before dives 3 and 4.
Hydration is critical between dives. Dehydration increases nitrogen absorption and decompression risk. Drink at least 500ml of water during surface intervals.
☀️ Afternoon
Certification dives 3 & 4 — Lighthouse site (12m max)
Lighthouse Dive Site, Masbat Beach, Dahab
Final two certification dives at the Lighthouse — Dahab's most famous shallow dive site, a beautiful coral wall descending from 3m to 30m+. Dives 3 and 4 go to 12m maximum. Skills assessed: emergency weight belt drop, controlled emergency ascent, neutral buoyancy demonstration, underwater navigation. On completing dive 4, you are a PADI Open Water certified diver.
The Lighthouse is a shore dive — you walk into the water from the beach and follow the reef. It is stunning: lionfish, moray eels, and thousands of glass fish in the coral at this site alone.
PADI certification — receive your c-card
Dive Centre, Dahab
Your instructor submits your certification to PADI online. Your temporary c-card is issued immediately. The permanent card arrives by post within 2 weeks. You are now a PADI Open Water Diver — certified globally, valid for life.
PADI certification is globally recognised and has no expiry. Your c-card number is your permanent diver ID. Download the PADI app and register your certification there.
🌙 Evening
Celebration dinner — you are a diver
Masbat Waterfront, Dahab
Mark certification with dinner at one of Dahab's better restaurants. The waterfront Lakhbatita or Funny Mummy restaurants are Dahab institutions — popular with the international dive community. Share the day's dive highlights over food.
This is a genuine milestone — you went from zero to certified diver in 3 days. Most instructors will join their students for a celebratory drink. Non-alcoholic options are plentiful.
🍽️ Meals
Light pre-dive breakfast
Egyptian · $5 · Eat light before morning dives — toast, fruit, and tea. A full stomach increases nausea risk underwater. Eat a bigger meal during surface interval.
Beach snack during surface interval
Snacks · $6 · Biscuits, fruit, sandwiches — dive centres supply snacks between dives. Bring extra water.
Certification celebration dinner
Egyptian-International · $20 · Treat yourself — you earned it. Dahab's better restaurants are still affordable at $15-20 per person with a drink.
First Fun Dives — Blue Hole Outer Reef & Lighthouse
Tuesday, October 5
Est. spend
$84
per person
🌅 Morning
Fun dive 1 — Blue Hole outer reef (8-15m)
Blue Hole Dive Site, 10km north of Dahab
Your first dive as a certified diver. The Blue Hole outer reef (NOT the arch or the deep section — stay at 8-15m on the outer wall) is spectacular: huge table corals, schools of fusiliers, napoleon wrasse, and extraordinary visibility. Dive guide included. Max depth 18m (Open Water limit).
IMPORTANT safety note: The Blue Hole arch is at 52m and is one of the world's most dangerous dive sites — over 200 divers have died attempting it. As an Open Water diver you are certified to 18m maximum. The outer reef at 8-15m is entirely safe, beautiful, and requires no arch crossing. Your dive guide will brief you on boundaries.
Surface interval at Blue Hole café
Blue Hole Café, Dahab Coast
Rest at the Blue Hole café between dives — plastic chairs on the clifftop with views straight down the wall into the deep blue. Tea, fresh juice, and Bedouin pancakes while watching more experienced divers prepare for deep dives.
The viewing platform here looks directly into the Blue Hole — you can see the shaft of blue light dropping into the depths. Extraordinary spot even out of the water.
☀️ Afternoon
Fun dive 2 — Lighthouse coral garden (6-16m)
Lighthouse Dive Site, Masbat Beach, Dahab
Return to Lighthouse for a relaxed afternoon dive without the assessment pressure. Now that you are certified, you can simply enjoy the reef. Explore the coral gardens, look for moray eels in the cracks, observe the lionfish hovering above the coral heads. Duration: 45-55 minutes bottom time.
Start to practise 'reef etiquette' — never touch the coral (even with fins), maintain horizontal trim, and control your buoyancy to avoid accidental contact. Good habits formed now make you a welcome dive buddy everywhere.
Gear rinse and log book entry
Dive Centre, Dahab
Rinse all equipment in the freshwater tanks at the dive centre. Complete your dive log — record site, depth, time, visibility, temperature, marine life seen. A dive log is your record of experience for booking future advanced courses and liveaboards.
Your PADI certification came with a log book. Fill it in carefully — some dive operators ask to see logged dives before allowing advanced or deep dives. Your instructor can sign the first entries.
🌙 Evening
Stargazing from the desert edge
Sinai Desert edge, west of Dahab
Dahab sits on the edge of the Sinai desert. A 10-minute walk inland takes you completely away from light pollution — the Milky Way is visible on clear October nights. The silence of the desert after a day underwater is a complete contrast.
Bring a light jacket — desert evenings cool quickly after sunset. October temperatures drop to 22-24°C at night. Take a local Bedouin guide ($10-15) for context and safety if walking far into the desert.
🍽️ Meals
Light breakfast before morning dive
Egyptian · $5 · Keep it light — fruit, yoghurt, tea. You will be in the water within the hour.
Blue Hole café lunch
Bedouin snacks · $7 · Pancakes, omelettes, fresh juice. The Blue Hole café is nothing fancy but the setting is unforgettable.
Rooftop restaurant dinner
Egyptian-Mediterranean · $14 · Several Dahab restaurants have rooftop terraces with Gulf of Aqaba views — worth it for a relaxed evening meal after a double-dive day.
Boat Dives — Eel Garden & The Canyon
Wednesday, October 6
Est. spend
$78
per person
🌅 Morning
Boat dive 1 — Eel Garden (12-18m)
Eel Garden Dive Site, Dahab Bay (boat access)
A boat dive to Eel Garden, one of Dahab's classic sites. A sandy slope covered in garden eels (hundreds of them swaying in the current, retreating into the sand as you approach) surrounded by coral formations. Excellent for photography. Maximum depth 18m, visibility 25-30m.
Approach the garden eels slowly and low — they retreat into the sand if you swim directly at them. Hover at 2-3m above the sandy slope and wait — they will re-emerge around you. A patience exercise that pays off.
Surface interval on the boat
Dive boat, Dahab Bay
Rest between dives on the dive boat. Eat the packed snacks, drink water, and enjoy views back across the bay to the Sinai mountains. Your dive guide briefs the group on The Canyon — the afternoon's highlight dive.
Ask your dive guide about The Canyon site in detail — understanding the layout (entry shaft, the 'Fish Tank' chamber, exit) makes the dive significantly more enjoyable and less disorienting.
☀️ Afternoon
Boat dive 2 — The Canyon (18m max for Open Water divers)
The Canyon Dive Site, Dahab Bay (boat access)
The Canyon is a spectacular underwater canyon beginning at 18m — you descend into a crack in the reef, the walls close in above you, and you swim through a passage of extraordinary topography. Open Water divers stay at 18m maximum (the canyon continues to 30m+ — that requires Advanced Open Water). Even at 18m this is one of the most visually striking dives in the Red Sea.
The Canyon can feel disorienting on a first dive — you are surrounded by walls and the exit is not always obvious. Stay with your dive guide, maintain neutral buoyancy, and do not rush. The 'Fish Tank' chamber at the canyon bottom is filled with glassfish — breathtaking.
Gear rinse and afternoon rest
Dive Centre, Dahab
Return to dive centre, rinse all gear, and rest. Four boat dives over two days is physically tiring — the effort of equalising, maintaining buoyancy, and processing new experiences uses more energy than it appears. Rest is part of dive safety.
No alcohol the night before a dive day. Tonight you can relax more fully — tomorrow is your last dive (morning only) then departure.
🌙 Evening
Bedouin tea ceremony and farewell dinner
Bedouin café, Old Town area, Dahab
Several Bedouin-run cafés in Dahab offer traditional tea ceremonies — sweet mint tea or sage tea served in small glasses with dates and Bedouin bread. A quiet, culturally authentic end to the diving week before tomorrow's early morning final dive.
Bedouin culture is hospitable and low-key. A tip of $3-5 for a tea ceremony with bread and conversation is appreciated and fair.
🍽️ Meals
Early boat breakfast
Egyptian · $5 · Bread, eggs, and fruit before the morning boat. Keep it light for the first dive — eat more during the surface interval.
Dive boat surface interval snacks
Snacks · $5 · Biscuits, fruit, and water provided on the boat between dives. Bring extra snacks if you have a large appetite.
Farewell seafood dinner
Egyptian seafood · $18 · Last dinner in Dahab — go for the full fish platter. The best restaurants on the strip cook whole fish on charcoal to order.
Final Dive — Blue Hole Outer Rim + Departure
Thursday, October 7
Est. spend
$116
per person
🌅 Morning
Final dive — Blue Hole outer rim at sunrise (8-15m)
Blue Hole, 10km north of Dahab
Last dive of the trip — Blue Hole outer reef in the early morning light. Underwater visibility is typically best in the morning and the site is quieter before day-trip crowds arrive. A final chance to appreciate how far you have come in 7 days.
Take a moment at the surface before the final descent. Seven days ago you had never breathed from a regulator. Today you are diving one of the world's most famous dive sites. Worth acknowledging.
Gear return and checkout
Dive Centre, Dahab
Return all rented dive gear to the centre (if rental was separate from the PADI course). Final gear rinse. Collect your PADI certification temporary card if not already received. Say goodbye to your instructor.
Your PADI certification card number is your lifelong diver ID. Photograph it and the instructor's name — useful when booking future advanced courses.
☀️ Afternoon
Transfer Dahab to Sharm el-Sheikh Airport
Dahab to Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport
Book the return transfer in advance — same 90-minute road through the Sinai desert. Allow 3 hours before your flight for the drive and check-in. The Sinai scenery on the way back looks different when you know what is under that water.
Add Sharm el-Sheikh's Naamaa Bay waterfront if you have a late flight — the red sea views from the promenade are a good final image of the Sinai.
Sharm el-Sheikh airport departure
Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport, SSH
Check in and depart from SSH. The airport has basic food options airside. Reflect on the week — PADI certified, 7 dives logged, and one of the world's most addictive sports now permanently available to you.
Duty-free in Sharm is reasonable for Egyptian products (papyrus art, spices, cotton items). The Sharm airport has duty-free alcohol at European prices.
🌙 Evening
In-flight and homeward journey
In transit
Return journey home. Download your first dive log photos if you rented an underwater camera. Research Advanced Open Water courses — the next step on the PADI ladder, which unlocks 30m depth and speciality diving (wreck, night, deep).
Most divers are planning their next dive trip before landing. Common next destinations: Thailand's Similan Islands (November-May), Malta (summer), or back to Dahab for Advanced Open Water.
🍽️ Meals
Pre-dive breakfast at Blue Hole café
Bedouin café · $6 · Light breakfast at the Blue Hole café before the final dive. The pancakes here are excellent and the view is world-class.
Post-dive lunch in Dahab
Egyptian · $10 · Final Dahab meal — ful medames and eggs, or a mezze spread. The flavours will remind you of the trip for years.
Airport or in-flight meal
International · $15 · Sharm airport has limited options — bring snacks or eat before. Most flights from SSH are evening departures.
One thing worth not skipping
A 7-day trip to Dahab & Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt without insurance is a gamble. Medical emergencies, cancelled flights, lost luggage — cover yourself before you leave.
Comprehensive cover for 150+ adventure activities, medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and baggage. Recommended for most travellers.
Subscription-based travel medical insurance. Best for longer trips, digital nomads, or frequent travellers. Renews weekly or monthly.
Tripzeeker earns a small commission when you purchase — at no extra cost to you.
Was this useful?
Your rating helps us improve and tells other travellers what to trust.
How useful was this itinerary?
You might also like
Flight price alert
We'll email you when flights to Dahab & Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt drop to your target price.
More trips like Dahab & Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt in your inbox
Weekly hand-crafted itineraries, hidden gems, and travel tips. Unsubscribe anytime.