On the border of two continents, on the beaches of the Red Sea, stands the small Egyptian town of Dahab, which is very popular among divers and fans of "windy" outdoor activities.
The Sea Sun Hotel 4(this is clearly visible on the map) is located in the Gulf of Aqaba, which separates Arabia and the ancient Sinai.
Dahab
The town is located in the desert, at the very foot of the Sinai Mountains, near the resorts of Egyptian Sharm El Sheikh (only 100 km) and Israeli Eilat (150 km), so Sea Sun Hotel 4Dahab is located in a busy tourist area.
In ancient times, Dahab was an important trading port, which is mentioned in the Bible, in the Book of Moses, as the settlement of Dizahab. The ruins of a sea fortress and a lighthouse have survived to our times.
Dizahab is translated from Hebrew as "a place of gold", and Dahab in Arabic means "golden". The origin of this name has traditionally been associated with the color of the sand that fills the entire valley all the way to the Red Sea.
But recently, geologists have indeed found gold in the vicinity of Dahab. And now tourists vacationing in the Sea Sun Hotel 4 can say that they live in a real "golden city".
Despite the fact that the number of localThe population of Dahab is only 10 thousand people, this town is the center of diving, windsurfing and kitesurfing due to its climate, location and seabed structure.
Climate
Most of the year on the coast, where the Sea Sun 4hotel (Egypt, Dahab) is located, it is dry and warm. Rain is rare, as the constant winds simply blow off the moisture evaporating from the sea and prevent rain clouds from forming.
Winds are born in the Sinai mountains, which rise on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, they carry away not only clouds, but also heat, so Sea Sun Hotel 4is not as stuffy as in Sharm. To the delight of numerous surfers, a "tailwind" blows in Dahab 270 days a year.
It is warm here in winter (+20-25o), and in summer - +35-40o. Water (even at depth) - +21 degrees in winter and +28 degrees in summer.
Sea and diving
The width of the Gulf of Aqaba is about 25 km, so there are no strong surf and high waves on the beaches in the vicinity of Sea Sun Hotel 4.
There are many coral reefs located close to the coast, so you can dive not from a boat, but from pontoons near the coast. Thanks to this, sea diving in Dahab is cheaper than in other Egyptian resorts.
The beauty of Dahab's coral reefs is recognized all over the world, and many visitors from different countries come here to see the real world of the sea.
Not far from the Sea Sun Hotel 4there is a famous natural monument - the Blue Hole, which attracts divers from all over the world. It's underwatera cave with a diameter of 50 meters, going 130 meters vertically down. If you dive to a depth of about 55 meters, you can find a passage that connects this "lost world" with the sea.
But for ordinary tourists, an easier route has been developed, and they can enter the Blue Hole through the isthmus, descending only 7 meters under water. Inexperienced divers are advised to dive into the Blue Hole only when accompanied by professional instructors.
There are many other underwater grottoes and coral reefs where you can see interesting animals and fish in the area of beaches adjacent to the Sea Sun Hotel 4.
Dahab seems to be made for diving, as the reefs are located close to the shore, there are no big waves on the surface, and there are no strong currents under the water.
For tourists there are more than 60 dive centers and 30 dive sites where you can dive to a depth of 200 meters.
Windsurfing, kitesurfing & snorkelling
Tourists from different countries come to Dahab all year round to ride the sea on boards with a sail or a kite.
Not far from the Sea Sun Hotel 4 Dahab is the famous lagoon. This is a coastal bay, separated from the sea by a sandy spit, which protects and protects surfers. Therefore, the water in the lagoon is always calm, and the constant wind is directed along the coast and does not blow the boards into the open sea.
There are no corals on the lagoon beach (length 1 km), unlike other Dahab beaches. Here is a wide sandybeach very suitable for swimming. And after low tide in shallow water you can find beautiful shells of various mollusks and bright starfish.
Snorkeling is also popular on the beaches of the Sea Sun Hotel 4. Unlike diving, this is not diving, but swimming under the surface of the water with a snorkel, mask and fins.
Hotel
Sea Sun Hotel 4 Dahab is located five kilometers from the city of Dahab, at the very foot of the Sinai Mountains.
The hotel was completed in 2008. 72 rooms in five two-story buildings of the hotel are designed for various categories of tourists, including rooms equipped to suit the needs of people with disabilities.
From all buildings you can see a green garden, sea waves or ancient mountains.
A standard room measures 42 meters and can accommodate up to three people.
Each room has a telephone, a small bar, a TV, a cooling air conditioner, a refrigerator and a balcony.
The hotel also has apartments with a higher level of comfort (Suite), where the windows overlook the sea, and residents have a living room, two bedrooms, a jacuzzi and a terrace. This room is 85 square meters.
Cost
The hotel can book a variety of apartments, depending on the number of guests and comfort requirements. Below is the price per room in USD for 1 night.
• Standard double room - from 38.
• Standard triple roomguests – from 60.
• Luxury room (1 bedroom) for two guests – from 60.
• Villa for four guests (2 bedrooms) – from 70.
Services
Dahab city can be reached in 15 minutes by the free shuttle bus provided by the hotel twice a day.
The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool (300 square meters), several restaurants, a hookah lounge, billiards, a spa, an Internet cafe, a massage parlor, a first-aid post, a fitness room, sports grounds and a play area for children.
The hotel has free internet, a bank and small shops.
There is no animation, but water aerobics in the pool and evening discos are held for tourists. Once a week, the administration organizes a national show.
Beach and extras
The beach is sandy, but there are a lot of corals and stones at the entrance to the sea. Approximately 150 m you can walk from the shore knee-deep in water, then the line of the seabed drops. The beach is guarded. Diving is carried out from special pontoons.
The hotel also provides additional services for an additional fee:
- diving club;
- all water sports;
- fishing;
- boat trips and coral reef diving;
- jeep tours - exploring the desert world;
- car rental with driver;
- ATV racing.
Food
Meals are offered according to standard resort standards BB (Bed and Breakfast), HB (Half Board) and AI (All Inclusive).
Only breakfast is included in the package with the BB meal system, which is usuallyconsists of vegetable salads, bread, cheese and sausage (without hot dishes).
The HB system means the so-called half board, when a tourist can have breakfast and dinner for free. Lunch is not included and is available at an additional cost.
It is the half board that is the most popular, as people come to hotels of this type for outdoor activities and leave the hotel for the whole day, returning only in the evening.
AI system means all inclusive (until 10pm). As part of the AI, you can have free breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as get local soft and alcoholic drinks poured into glasses. All drinks (including plain water) bottled, imported, wine, fresh juices and drinks in bars are subject to an additional charge.
Sea Sun Hotel 4 – reviews and opinions
Thousands of travelers have stayed at the hotel over the years with very different expectations and ideas about international and local levels of relaxation, so the reviews are also very diverse.
Most tourists note the cost-effectiveness of a holiday at the Sea Sun Hotel 4, reviews of which are quite favorable, taking into account the cost of the trip and the quality of services.
Given the reasonable prices for tours, the hotel is completely suitable for people who prefer outdoor activities, go in for sports, diving, surfing and go on excursions, returning to the hotel mainly for an overnight stay.
As tourists visiting Egypt note, Sea Sun Hotel 4is not very suitable for those who come to sleep, drink and lie on the beach, it is better to stay in othershotels with a developed entertainment system.
Among the advantages of the hotel, tourists point to peace and tranquility, as well as the proximity of the sea and diving centers.
Food also corresponds to the price of the tour. The food is simple and satisfying, although a bit monotonous. The menu includes meat, vegetables, fish, sweets and fruits.
Often in positive reviews, the small size and compactness of the hotel and infrastructure are noted, when everything is nearby and you don’t have to spend extra time and effort walking through long halls, stairs and passages, as in many other hotels.
The hotel has excellent masseurs. According to tourists, massage sessions at Sea Sun are much better than in other hotels.
True, there are not entirely positive reviews about the Sea Sun Hotel 4(Dahab). They include a description of some of the shortcomings.
Many tourists talk about s alty tap water in the room, faulty plumbing and air conditioners that are often difficult to turn off.
The presence of flies in the rooms and restaurants is noted (it is interesting that the hotel staff use a kind of electric shocker against them - an electric fly swatter). Also, the hotel is often dusty (affects the proximity of the desert).
Reviews also mention old linens and battered hotel furniture, broken sunbeds and beach umbrellas.
On the forums you can find a lot of different reviews about the hotel "Sea Sun" (this is how the name "Sea Sun" is translated). Quite often, if Sea Sun Hotel 4is mentioned anywhere(Sharm el-Sheikh), these reviews, as a rule, refer to the Sea Sun Hotel in Dahab, sometimes the name of the nearest large resort town is included in the name of the hotel.
Attractions
When staying at a hotel, you can:
- make an excursion to the Monastery of St. Catherine on the site of the biblical Burning Bush, which is famous for its ancient frescoes; it is founded next to a church built at the beginning of our era;
- make a dawn ascent to Mount Sinai, where pilgrims from all over the world gather to atone for sins and repeat the path of Moses, who received the tablets of the covenant from the Lord here;
- look at an interesting natural monument - the Colorful Canyon, which was formed as a result of an earthquake centuries ago and is a gorge with sandstone rocks with amazing patterns of different colors;
- go to the Ras Mohammed (Head of Mohammed) marine protected area, which in ancient times was called Cape Poseidon, where rare fish and coral species live, and in the Magic Lake the water is twice as s alty as in the sea;
- take a tour of Pharaoh's Island with an ancient crusader fortress.
The most popular excursions are connected with the plots of the Bible - a trip to a monastery surrounded by sands and climbing Sinai.
Also, many tourists go to sea on a boat with a bottom made of transparent material, when you can watch life on coral reefs without diving.
If time permits, then you canmake longer trips and visit Sharm el-Sheikh, Cairo, Luxor and other cities and historical monuments of Egypt, go on a camel trip through the Arabian desert, stay in Bedouin villages and so on.
Tips for holidaymakers at the Sea Sun Hotel 4 (Sharm El Sheikh)
Due to the shallow water in the sea, it is better to enter not from the shore, but from the pontoons.
You should not walk barefoot on the beach, as the coastal area is covered with corals, rocks and sea urchins. You need to use special slippers, you can buy them right on the spot for 5-7 dollars or bring your own.
The hotel does not accept Russian-language TV channels, but there is Internet. In this regard, many tourists bring laptops in order not to get bored in the evenings.
Hotel staff only speak Arabic or English, so please bring a dictionary or phrase book.
It is better to bring instant tea and coffee bags with you (boiling water can be taken at the bar), and buy fruit, soft drinks and spirits in Dahab (the cheapest is in the Assala area).
Diving and snorkeling equipment can be rented, but it's best to bring your own mask and snorkel.
No need to take tours for excursions at the hotel or Pegas agency, it is much cheaper to buy tickets in Dahab.
Staff will be very friendly to tourists if the tourists themselves are friendly. The smile returns to those who smile.
On vacation it is always more fun to be in a big company, so you should try to make friends with other tourists.
Conclusion
Coming toSea Sun hotel, tourists get the opportunity to spend their holidays economically and in a relaxed atmosphere, as well as get wonderful experiences from sea swimming, windsurfing or kite surfing, colorful pictures of the underwater world and interesting excursions.
