If Dahab isn’t calm enough for you, there is a place not too far from Dahab that is even calmer – the Blue Lagoon. With its calm waters, laid-back vibes and starlit skies, the Blue Lagoon is perfectly wort a visit – and totally doable solo.
In this guide we’ll walk you through when to visit the Blue Lagoon, how to get there without booking a tour, what to do at the lagoon and where to stay the night.
Key Takeaways
- To get to the Blue Lagoon, arrange a direct boat ride from Assalah beach in Dahab to the Blue Lagoon; for groups, the cost is around 250 EGP per person.
- Alternatively, take a taxi to the Blue Hole, pay the $5 entrance fee, then take a boat to Ras Abu Galoum and either boat or walk to the Blue Lagoon.
- At the Blue Lagoon, enjoy swimming in calm shallow waters, watch or take kitesurfing lessons, snorkel cautiously, have coffee at local spots, and stay overnight in simple camps.
- Plan your visit during spring (March-May) or autumn (September-November) for the best weather and wind conditions, and bring your own snacks and essentials due to limited facilities.
A Brief Introduction to Dahab’s Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon, located near Dahab on the Sinai Peninsula, is a peaceful and beautiful spot getaway for the bustling town that is Dahab. Surrounded by desert mountains, the lagoon provides a quiet escape from the busier tourist areas along the road such as the Blue Hole and Ras Abu Galoum.
It offers calm, shallow waters ideal for swimming and strong winds ideal for kitesurfing, simple accommodations and a relaxed vibe, making it a great place to unwind and enjoy nature. Whether you’re looking to relax or try water sports like kitesurfing, the Blue Lagoon is a must-visit destination for travelers seeking adventure and tranquility.
The Best Time to Visit the Blue Lagoon, Dahab
Located right on the shores of the Red Sea against the backdrop of the Sinai Mountains and the Sinai Desert, the Blue Lagoon is about as dry as it gets with no natural vegetation at all. In other words, you might want to make sure you are not heading there in peak summer.
The best time to visit the Blue Lagoon are the spring months from March to May and the fall months from September to November. During these periods, you will get the best of the Blue Lagoon: great winds for kitesurfing, warm temperatures at day and cooler temperatures at night. For reference, we went there in October.
While you can go to the Blue Lagoon in summer, you are guaranteed to encounter very hot conditions and, crucially, minimal cooling at night. In the winter months from December to February, the Blue Lagoon stays fairly popular among kitesurfers, but the colder temperatures will make it a lot calmer and perfect if you are looking for a quiet getaway.
How to Get to the Blue Lagoon, Dahab
Generally, there is three ways to get to the Blue Lagoon. The first way, taking a direct boat from Dahab, is the option we chose. The other options, are also viable, but require a bit more time. Let us lay out all options and costs for you:
- Take a direct boat from Dahab: For the easiest way to get to the Blue Lagoon, you can hire a boat to take you from the beach in Assalah all the way to the Blue Lagoon. We arranged the boat with a camp owner from the Blue Lagoon and the ride cost us 250 EGP per person. We were a larger group of around 15 people; prices will be higher if your group is smaller. The ride in the boat takes about 30 minutes and is quite rough.
- Take a Taxi to the Blue Hole: For this option, you will take a taxi to the Blue Hole, costing you some 500 EGP per car. At the Blue Hole, you will find a small dock for boats heading to Ras Abu Galoum and the Blue Lagoon. There, you will have to negotiate a fare for the boat ride. While we have not taken this route ourselves, we have heard that the prices are around 250 EGP per person, too. The boat ride will be shorter and calmer from here, taking around 20 minutes.
- Take a Boat to Ras Abu Galoum: For the last option, you also take a taxi to the Blue Hole and head to the boat dock. From there, however, you will only take a boat to Ras Abu Galoum. This route is far more popular with more reliable pricing, coming in at 100 – 150 EGP. After a 10-minute boat ride, you will arrive to Ras Abu Galoum. From there, you can walk along the coastline for another 45 minutes until you arrive at the Blue Lagoon. Don’t forget to bring a hat!
Important: Bear in mind, that when entering the Blue Hole National Park, you will be asked to pay an entrance fee of $5 per person. This extra fee you can avoid by taking the direct Dahab – Blue Lagoon boat as outline in the first option.
What to Do at the Blue Lagoon, Dahab
Once you have arrived at the Blu Lagoon, there is (not) a bunch of things to do. More than anything, the Blue Lagoon is the perfect place to do nothing. But don’t worry, those whoo seek, will also find plenty of things to do at the Blue Lagoon.
These are some of thee best things to do at the Blue Lagoon, in no particular order:
- Swim in the Lagoon: The Blue Lagoon is a hot contender for the calmest waters anywhere near Dahab, with a coral reef breaking any waves before coming too close to the lagoon. Adding to this, the ground of the lagoon is all sand. So, what else is there to do than going for a swim?
- Watch the Kitesurfing: The Blue Lagoon is a hotspot for kitesurfing, so you might as well enjoy the show. For the best kitesurfing, head to the lagoon during Red Bull’s Winds of Sinai event. Last year, it took place in early May, the year before that it was in late September.
- Take Kitesurfing Lesson: All along the Blue Lagoon’s beach you will find small kite shops offering kitesurfing lessons for beginners and what better place to start a new type of sport than one with no distractions at all?
- Go Snorkelling: While at the Blue Lagoon, we also gave snorkeling a shot. The snorkelling, not in the lagoon, but rather in the sea itself, was cut short by strong currents and tons of sea urchins on the sea floor, but hey, you might be more lucky than us. Just remember to never dive alone.
- Have a Coffee: For being referred to as this hidden-away paradise, you might be surprised how many food and drink options the Blue Lagoon has to offer. There is even a coffeeshop of sorts, called The Center Cafe. Order an iced coffee, take a seat under their sunroof and relax.
- Watch the Stars: The last, and possibly my favourite, activity at the Blue Lagoon its stargazing. With clear night skies and minimal light pollution, the Blue Lagoon has for excellent star watching conditions, making it the perfect place to stay up until the sun rises over Saudi Arabia.
Where to Stay at the Blue Lagoon, Dahab
Visiting the Blue Lagoon from Dahab is feasible as a day trip. For the full experience with stargazing and the sunrise the next morning, we do recommend staying the night though. At the Blue Lagoon, there is plenty of simple camps to stay at. These camps are little more than wooden huts with beds, a light bulb and a fan, if you’re lucky, but who goes there expecting a luxury getaway anyways?
To arrange your camp stay, you can either reach out to camp owners beforehand through WhatsApp or Instagram or just ask for vacancies upon arrival. Even in high season, we are sure, that an open room will appear from somewhere.
If you prefer a more secure way of booking your overnight stay at the Blue Lagoon, you can also just book it though Booking.com. Some camps in the Blue Lagoon that are worth staying at, are: El Omda Camp (budget option, we stayed here), Rivo Camp (tents instead of huts) and Gabila Blue Lagoon (easily the most beautiful stay at the very tip of the lagoon).
The Bottom Line
To make a long story short, it is absolutely possible to visit the Blue Lagoon without a tour. All you really need to do, is to reach out to one of the camps on WhatsApp or Instagram ahead of time and to arrange a boat ride from Assalah to the Blue Lagoon.
From there, you can spend the day swimming, kitesurfing and sipping coffee, before heading back, or even spend a night there as we did. Either way, you are in for a treat.
FAQs
How do I get to the Blue Lagoon from Dahab?
For the Dahab Blue Lagoon transfer, we recommend arranging a direct boat ride starting from Assalah beach. For us, a group of 15 people, the boat ride cost 250 EGP per person.
Is it safe to swim in Blue Lagoon?
Yes, it is absolutely safe to swim in the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is blessed with some of the calmest shallow waters of the area and the ground is all sand.
Is the Blue Lagoon worth the money?
Yes, the Blue Lagoon is worth the money. If you are visiting the Blue Lagoon independently, you will only spend roughly 500 EGP to get there and back anyways. Prices for overnight stays also start from just 500 EGP per person per night.
Is Dahab better than Sharm el sheikh?
Yes, Dahab is better than Sharm El-Sheikh, if you are looking for a laid-back, authentic vibe with lots of sports activities around. If you are looking into a resort vacation, booking a hotel in Sharm El-Sheikh is the way to go.
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