Dahab Webcam – Sinai’s Windsurfing Lagoon on the Red Sea

The Dahab Webcam looks out from the boardwalk of the Five Squares windsurfing station, on the lagoon south of the town center in Dahab, on the Sinai coast of Egypt. The station’s timber hut, with its blue “5 Squares” sign and a row of flags on the roof, fills the left of the frame. A rigged windsurf board often lies on the slatted deck in front, and beyond it the sand runs down to the water, where small motorboats sit at anchor and sails cross the Gulf of Aqaba. On a windy afternoon the beach fills with rigs being carried in and out. On a calm day the boards stay on the sand and the water can lie almost flat. A second camera, on its own tab, shows the shaded lounge under the station roof, with cushioned benches, red chairs and the surf shop counter.

About Dahab

Dahab is a small town on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Sharm el-Sheikh, with a population of 3,169 in 2023. The name means gold in Egyptian Arabic. The town has three main areas: Masbat in the north, which takes in the Bedouin village of Asalah, Mashraba to its south, and Medina in the southwest. Dahab is usually described as the diving capital of South Sinai, but the lagoon on its southern edge belongs to the wind sports, and this camera sits right on it.

The camera is run by Five Squares, a windsurfing, kitesurfing and wingfoiling school whose other station is in Mui Ne, Vietnam. Its Dahab base is on the grounds of the Ganet Sinai hotel, which has its own beach in the lagoon area and looks out over the Gulf of Aqaba, with the Jaz Dahabeya and Swiss Inn hotels within walking distance. The station keeps more than 250 boards and more than 350 sails, rents JP, NeilPryde, Tabou and Gaastra equipment, and teaches on Starboard boards with Hot Sails Maui rigs. More than ten instructors work here, each with at least five years of experience, and two motorboats are kept for rescue.

The lagoon itself is the reason so many people learn here. It is shallow and enclosed by sandbars, so a beginner who drifts off course can walk back to the beach along a bar instead of being carried out to sea. Riders with more experience head beyond it for flat water fast enough for speed runs and for the swell that builds outside the headland.

Weather and Climate in Dahab

Dahab is warm in every month. January is the coolest, with average highs of 21 C (70 F) and lows of 10 C (50 F), and spring heats up quickly to highs of about 29 C (84 F) and lows of 17 C (63 F) in April. July is the hottest month, averaging 36 C (96 F) by day and 25 C (77 F) at night. October stays summery at about 31 C (87 F) in the afternoon and 20 C (68 F) after dark, which makes autumn one of the more comfortable times to be out on the water.

The sea runs between 21 C (70 F) at its coolest in winter and 28 C (82 F) at its warmest in late summer, so Five Squares stays open all year. The station works from 9 am to 5 pm, and those are the hours when the beach in front of the camera is at its busiest. After closing time the frame tends to settle into a quiet view of sand, moorings and open water.

Things to Do Near Dahab

A three-day beginner course at the station is the obvious first step for anyone who has never stood on a board, and the Ganet Sinai beach also offers snorkeling and diving. The best-known dive in the area is the Blue Hole, a few kilometers north of Dahab. It is a sinkhole just over 100 meters (330 feet) deep with a tunnel known as the Arch, 26 meters (85 feet) long, whose ceiling sits at 55 meters (180 feet). Recreational divers usually go in at The Bells, follow the reef wall and finish on the Blue Hole saddle at a depth of 7 meters (23 feet), well above the Arch.

Inland, the classic excursion from Dahab is Mount Sinai, which rises to 2,285 meters (7,497 feet), with Saint Catherine’s Monastery immediately north of the mountain. Many tours set off after midnight and climb in the dark to reach the summit for sunrise. There are two ways up: the longer path, about two and a half hours on foot and passable by camel, or the steeper route of 3,750 Steps of Penitence in the ravine behind the monastery.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Dahab located?

Dahab is in South Sinai, Egypt, on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula, facing the Gulf of Aqaba. Sharm el-Sheikh is about 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the southwest, and the Ganet Sinai hotel, where the camera stands, runs an airport shuttle there.

What can you see on the Dahab Webcam?

The main view looks along the boardwalk of the Five Squares station toward the beach and the Gulf of Aqaba, with the station hut on the left, boards and sails on the sand, small motorboats offshore and windsurfers on the water when the wind picks up. The second tab shows the lounge and surf shop under the station roof.

What is the weather like in Dahab?

Warm all year. Average highs run from 21 C (70 F) in January to 36 C (96 F) in July, and October is still about 31 C (87 F) in the afternoon.

Is Dahab good for learning to windsurf?

Yes, mainly because of the lagoon. It is shallow and enclosed by sandbars, so a learner who drifts can walk back to the beach. Five Squares runs a three-day course for beginners, and the station covers kitesurfing and wingfoiling as well.

What are the opening hours of the Five Squares station in Dahab?

The station is open all year, from 9 am to 5 pm. Those are the hours when the beach on the Dahab Webcam is at its busiest.

How warm is the sea in Dahab?

The water ranges from about 21 C (70 F) in winter to 28 C (82 F) in late summer, so swimming, snorkeling and windsurfing all carry on through the year.

Can you see the Blue Hole from the Dahab camera?

No. The camera is on the lagoon south of the town center, while the Blue Hole lies a few kilometers north of Dahab, so it is well out of shot.

Source: Five Squares Windsurfing Station