Are you travelling on a limited budget but still want to get the most out of a holiday? Rasha Sadek takes you to Dahab and tells you how to do it Excuse me, it doesn't mean that just because you're moneyed you can get all the luxury and fun for yourself. There are places in the world that consider those who want to travel on a shoe- string budget highly. Camps in places like Dahab, Taba and Nuweiba cater for those looking for a simple, minimalist and soft-coloured vacation, whether their pockets are deep or not. From five-star cleanliness to excellent food, all with amazingly affordable prizes, Sinai's Dahab gives you the whole package on a silver tray. Having heard of Dahab's reputation, I packed and headed for the bus station in Almaza. "Where to, Miss?" asked the man in the ticket office. His question sounded to me like a line from Titanic. "Dahab," I replied, and sounding to him like I was asking for a ticket to the moon. It was early morning -- just 7.30am -- and it was a bit chilly. The thought of travelling to a place I'd never visited before in which I did not know where I would stay gave me a rush of adrenaline. The idea was sweet, and enhanced by the cool breeze that suddenly blew. I received a mystical call -- heavenly or sinister I did not know. "The caller" was Dahab. Later I was told that Dahab is in fact known as Al-Naddaha "the caller". (Read on and I will tell you the legend behind the name). MAPPING DAHAB: This small beach city on the Gulf of Aqaba northeast of Sharm El-Sheikh has a character of its own. Maintaining the Bedouin-like style, Dahab (meaning "gold") is much liked by those seeking a different style from the standard resort holiday. The city is easily divided into four parts. Talking of fancy, the part that lies just five minutes away from the bus station hosts major hotels including the Hilton, Novotel and Helnan resorts. The Downtown area is where the action is. Al- Masbat is a long stretch on the beach packed with camps, bazaars, Safari offices, diving centres, a few low-budget hotels and a line of open air coffee shops right by the sea -- as you sip your drink, your feet rest on the sand and a strong wave will get them wet. Al-Masbat lies between Al-Asala from the right and Al-Mashraba. The latter starts where Al-Masbat ends. It's quieter and less packed. Despite maintaining the same style as Al-Masbat, Al-Mashraba is made to suit those who are not looking for a shout-out vacation. There is a little misconception concerning Al- Asala. About a decade ago, the word described the long stretch of Al-Masbat, Al-Mashraba and the Bedouin area. Now it's only a short stretch on the beach containing some camps -- which are useful if you are running out of money -- while its bigger part faces the mountains and contains primitively built houses for Bedouins and a Mubarak project for staff housing. ON THE ROAD: It is true that getting to Dahab is not particularly easy, for Dahab doesn't have an airport. However, you can fly to Sharm El- Sheikh, which lies only 100 kilometres southwest of Dahab and then take a Super Jet or an East Delta bus to cover the rest of the journey for LE10. You can also cover the whole trip by bus -- East Delta for LE52 and Super Jet for LE62; add LE10 if you are a foreigner -- in which case the trip takes from seven to nine hours. I recommend that women travelling alone take a morning bus. There is a number of check points on the road and you will have to get off the bus every once in a while for bags search, especially at night. The merit of taking a bus is that you get to enjoy the wonderful scenery of the Sinai mountains. A short distance after Ras Sedr, a series of mountains starts to appear. Coloured mountains lie at Abu Zeneima, a city lying between Abu Redeis and Ras Sedr. Sit back in your chair, tilt your head to the left and watch. There's a mountain with different shades of yellow, red and brown distributed horizontally, and another one lying less than a kilometre away -- both are breathtaking. The latter mountain is huge, formed out of yellow rocks at the base, which are topped with red rocks, and again followed by yellow but this time filled with dome-shaped black rocks. The peak of the mountain is dark brown. The back of this huge multi-coloured mountain is painted entirely in black. On this road to Sharm El-Sheikh and Dahab, the colours are infinite. When you look to the clear horizon and view the stretch of yellow desert enriched by these tinted mountains, you feel you are contemplating a beautiful painting. A short while after Sharm El-Sheikh, when you're surrounded by mountains on both sides of the road, your ears will start to feel air pressure. The feeling is like that of the take-off of an airplane. TRANSPORTATION IN THE CITY: It's one thing you'll scarcely need in Dahab. As long as you are in Al-Masbat or Al-Mashraba you'll easily move between them on foot. The walk along the promenade on the beach is enjoyable. You have the sea on one side, and camps, bazaars and restaurants on the other. Otherwise, in order to get to the bus station, or to one of the hotels in the fancier area, or to go on any excursion, take one of the 4x4s scattered throughout the area -- and at a bargain cost. A drive from the bus station to the coast will set you back roughly LE5. WHO NEEDS TELEVISION: At heart, we're primitive and basics are all we need. The atmosphere in Dahab wakes you up to this even if you haven't realised it before, or if your unhealthy life style has made you drift away from nature. Take it from me -- I have always led a busy, loud life until I was driven to Dahab. The city imposes a mood that you willingly submit to the moment you set foot in your camp -- one of serenity and inner peace. One of the privileges of the camps is that they all have sea views. During my four-night stay at the Green Valley Camp, right in the middle of Al-Masbat, the thought of Cairo, its pollution and the car horns was distant and unappealing to me. The camp is composed of huts, each standing individually. I had hut number three, with a comfy big bed, a closet, a fan, a night stand and a bathroom. No television and no telephone, but did I need them? I thought I would, but day one passed and I realised I wanted them out for good. Palm fronds cover the hut on the inside and the outside. Green Valley was a random choice with no prior reservation, yet a very lucky and good one. The skylight is beyond compare. It is designed to refract the moonlight on its glass and spread it throughout the hut. But with the light of the sun, your hut will hardly be a focal light point. Most of the huts in the Green Valley have a front porch. In my hut, it was three steps up from the ground, with a table and a couch. It was on the porch that I would have my morning coffee and afternoon tea. As I sat and looked at the trees in front of the porch I also experienced a unique mood of speculation and inner peace -- experiences fresh to me, as I was so caught up earlier with the noise of the capital. Does this mood stand a loud TV and an interrupting telephone? CHEAP BUT BEAUTIFUL: Odd but true. Dahab is one of the cheapest resorts in Egypt, yet with incomparable beauty. Prices for most camps range from LE10 to LE70. That of course depends on the facilities available in the camp. In Green Valley where I stayed, I paid LE40 a night and I had everything I needed. Prices range according to whether you have a private bathroom and an AC. Supermarkets are not expensive either. Prices are similar to those of Cairo, so you don't need to load your bags with food supplies. A splendid array of seafood and international restaurants align the seashore, and again, they are reasonably priced. You can have the best lunch or dinner for less money than you might imagine. Tea and coffee range from LE3 and LE5 and very nicely made pizzas range from LE10 to LE15. ON THE BEACH AT DAY: Get up early. This is Dahab, not Las Vegas. If you aren't a deep sleeper, chirping birds will be your alarm clock. Sitting in the coffee shops by the sea is an excellent way to spend your morning. You have a wide variety to select from; most are fashioned in Bedouin style. Read a book in the warm sun, stretch your legs on the couch, have breakfast or just do anything that gets you relaxed in this unspoilt nature. After all, this is what Dahab is all about. In Al-Masbat there are many cozy cafés like Friends, Ala Kefak and Al Capone. In Al- Mashraba, sit back and relax in Dolphins, Crazy House, The Pirate and so many more along the stretch of the sea. The open-air seating areas are made up of klims and cushions arranged around low tables, and divided by pieces of fallen palm- tree trunks. In Palma Beach camp there are two palm trees said to be "married". They stem out apart lying on the ground for approximately four metres then come up with a gradual attachment, until they are united. A little before the end, the palms split apart again, symbolising the usual paths of marital life. Another excellent way to spend your morning on the beach is to rent a horse or a camel and ride through the water. Mosses in Al-Masbat rents by the hour -- a ride will cost you between LE20 and LE30. If you are one of those who wakes up to put your trainers on and get ready for some morning sport, head to the promenade and go for a nice walk or a jog. The view will give you extra energy -- the sea, the stunning view of the Sinai mountains and the colourful bazaars and camps. If you want to reach the utmost relaxation, head to the Mohamed Ali Camp in Al-Masbat. Chill-out music plays in the camp with the only Turkish bath in Dahab. You get to choose your masseuse. The bath also has the marble bed and scarping massage, costing $25 each. After you finish all this and your skin is renewed and refreshed, you are offered a hot drink of original flowers boiled in water. I was a little bit suspicious about what this would taste like, but the tea-colour gave me some relief, and it tasted just as good, only with a better scent. ON THE BEACH AT NIGHT: The promenade at night is alive with a cocktail of nationalities and colours. Coffee shops by the sea compete to attract tourists by displaying unique decorations, comfortable Bedouin settings and good music. The Touta dance bar is one of two discotheques in Dahab. Shaped as a boat, the discotheque is also a restaurant -- that serves a yummy pizza -- with a pool table. There's a happy hour everyday at 7pm, and the open-air deck provides a joyful mind-sail evening in the cool air. Al-Zar discotheque lies at Al-Mashraba hosting big parties on Fridays. Both discotheques are located on Dahab's beach. The sea is your view wherever you go. The Ball Bar of Nesima Hotel showcases international bands and a DJ on Thursdays and Fridays. Unlike Sharm El-Sheikh, night life in Dahab ends early. By 2am, the city is asleep. This is perhaps because the beauty of this city lies in its sunshine. THE CALLER: Egyptian legend has it that an extremely beautiful gypsy woman calls from afar to any man passing by deserted areas in Sinai at night. The man responds to the soft call and begins approaching the source knowing a seductive woman awaits. The distance never shortens, the gypsy retreats as she lures the man into the nearest mountain or sea. The man never meets the gypsy, but he disappears while on his endless search and is not heard of again. For the staff of this city of gold, Dahab is the caller. They never leave, charmed by its beauty. I myself received the call, and I will certainly return. Listings Camps in Dahab AL-SALAM CAMP: Built with the Bedouin style, this camp is composed of 20 rooms and serves Danish bakery for breakfast. Rooms with AC and private bathrooms cost LE50 for Egyptians and LE70 for foreigners. Rooms with communal bathroom facilities and fans cost LE15 and LE20 respectively. You can go horse-back riding from the camp along the sea stretch for LE20 an hour. MOHAMED ALI CAMP: A big complex with 120 rooms. Class A rooms have a sea view, an AC and private bathrooms for LE120 for Egyptians and foreigners. Class B rooms have bathrooms for LE40, while Class C rooms cost LE20. Add LE10 for breakfast. DEEP BLUE CAMP: This camp offers those who dive with the Deep Blue Divers centre a free stay. If you won't be diving, a night will cost you LE15. CRAZY CAMEL CAMP: A complex of 10 rooms affiliated to the Desert Diver and Poseidon diving centres, this is a good option providing a free stay if you are a diver. ALASKA CAMP: Rooms in this camp with an AC and a bathroom cost LE80 for foreigners and Egyptians, LE50 for a room with a private bathroom and LE15 for shared rooms with a communal bathroom. ALI BABA CAMP: A hotel-like camp that differs from other huts. It offers rooms in the style of hotels for LE100 for single rooms and LE150 for doubles. BAIBARS CAMP: A small camp that doesn't have a view to the beach. Rooms cost LE10 per night. GREEN VALLEY CAMP: A camp offering 23 huts with bathrooms for LE40 a night. This little paradise has a pool table and a gym. Huts without a bathroom cost LE20. THE DOLPHIN CAMP: Acquiring 34 rooms, the camp has rooms with bathrooms for LE70 and rooms with public bathrooms for LE20. VENUS CAMP: This small camp has 18 rooms with no bathrooms for LE15 a night. PALMA BEACH CAMP: A camp with 30 rooms, for LE20 with a bathroom and LE10 without. The camp also rents out bicycles for LE20 a day.
