When chilling is what I am asking for, Dahab is always my answer. Located more than 450km from Cairo, Dahab was the right choice for my first summer vacation this year: the prelude to a series of long-weekend vacations that aim to run away from my city-related sorrows. Dahab is always a favorite for an early summer vacation given its beautiful weather and bunch of summer activities that bring me out of my winter hibernation. Standing at the bus ticket counter in Torgoman bus station in downtown Cairo, I booked myself a ticket (LE90) for the VIP bus that leaves Cairo fifteen minutes after midnight and arrives in Dahab at 9 AM the next morning. The bus proved to be clean and comfy and, thanks to the combination of a Sade-inspired playlist on my iPod and a sleeping pill, I was in Lalaland for most of the journey. The trip journey was with a group of friends and we found it easier to book our own bus. Nasser, a bus driver (010 6035386), offered us a 15-seater for LE850 or a 25-seater for LE1200. We picked the latter, which was spacious and came with a small fridge and a DVD player for us to choose films. Although the place has been taken over by chain hotels in the past few years, budget hotels are still my favorite in Dahab. Knowing how crowded the place can get, I had booked myself a room at the Penguin Village and camp two or three weeks in advance--a decision that I regretted later. The hotel looks amazing on the outside but the rooms lack some basic necessities such as a closet for hanging clothes, and the staff was not so friendly. Some friends booked themselves rooms on a bed and breakfast basis in Dolphin Camp for the same price I paid for my standard room (LE80 per room) and they enjoyed free Wi-Fi and were allowed to stay on a couple of extra hours on the final day until the time of their departure. But I wouldn't recommend a room in Dolphin if you are a light sleeper: The hotel is next to the Tree House Nightclub, whose music beats can slip into your room after midnight. Other friends stayed at the Seven Heaven Hotel and they seemed quite happy. Dahab hits the right balance between all other vacation spots in Sinai: It offers a great compromise between daytime activities and nightlife spots, beautiful nature, and good value for money that is not easy to find in Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurgada. Food is never be a problem in Dahab. The seafront is lined with cafes (usually named after the hotel they are next to) that offer the same breakfast menu for a standard LE15 everywhere you go. The quality of food, however, varies from one place to another. Penguin Restaurant and the Funny Mummy cafe (next door to Penguin) deliver the best breakfast and snack menu in Dahab with freshly--and cleanly--cooked food that was rated ten out of ten by all my friends. At Penguin restaurant it is recommended to order the LE18 coconut milkshake with your breakfast, but beware: You might suffer from coconut withdrawal symptoms after you come back to Cairo. It is that good! There are multiple restaurants on the beach with different themes and cuisines. I had my first lunch in Dahab at a restaurant called The Kitchen which is located near the Dahab bridge and offers Thai, Chinese and Indian dishes. The food was cooked perfectly with the right spices, though it is a bit over priced with meals at about LE75 per person. The restaurant's third floor allows a panoramic view over the corniche. The venue, like many restaurants in Dahab, does not offer alcoholic beverages but will not charge you if you bring your own, and is more than happy to provide bottle-openers and cups. Lakhbatita is another amazing restaurant in Dahab that is managed by Ramzi, an Egyptian chief, and his Italian wife Paola. A not-easy-to-please Italian friend of mine said the place has the best pizza he ever ate in Egypt and I take his word for it. The menu is reasonably priced here with LE35 for a delicious pizza. Adrenaline junkies will rejoice in Dahab, with perfect weather for wind and kite surfing and different spots for diving and snorkeling. Real sports buffs can ask the reception in their hotel for information on the multiple options available. There is a lot of competition on the beach which means you will get a good price wherever you go, but be careful when picking the equipment. Some has been used for years and you really don't want anything to go wrong when you're 20 meters under the water. The sandy Lagoon in Dahab has the best wind-surfing spots: A 40-minute walk on the beach heading south and you will notice the number of kites flying and surfers enjoying the windy spot. On the other hand, divers head for the Blue Hole: Twenty minutes north of Dahab beach (LE25 per person for the two-way Jeep ride is a fair price) this sea-life heaven is a famous diving and snorkeling destination in the area. Nicknamed "Diver's Cemetery," the Blue Hole is as beautiful as it is dangerous and the 130 meter deep diving canyon has proved a challenge for some of the most experienced divers around the world. I preferred not to join the 40-something dead divers who were dancing with the devil in this vertical cave, so I snorkeled on the surface. It's better to bring your own snorkeling mask from Dahab as it's much cheaper to rent from the town than from the cafes at the Blue Hole. With the sunshine in my eyes, I looked back at the final glimpses of sea while saying goodbye to this beloved town and promised myself that, in the not-so-distant future, I'll be back for some relaxing on the beach, amazing snorkeling, and those coconut milkshakes.
