Egypt's very own Hippie beach town
By: Wael Sultan/Arab America Contributing Writer
When mentioning anything synonymous with “hippie” or “bohemian,” your mind might wander off to the Haight and Ashbury in San Francisco, Venice Beach, or perhaps even Portland. That’s because historically, the West Coast has always been the catalyst of the counterculture way of being. The Peace-and-Love movement that molded The 60’s and 70’s managed to migrate eastbound with a re-awakening message to end all wars and spread some
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In the heart of the Sinai Peninsula, washed by the majestic Red Sea, is the sea village of Dahab-Which in recent decades became an epicenter for the Egyptian counter-culture movement.
The bohemian beach town of Dahab tucked away in a quiet corner of the Sinai peninsula surrounded by breathtaking landscape. Historically, Dahab was a Bedouin fishing village With a population of about 15,000. By the 1960s, local and out-of-towner hippies were drawn to the village and its clear waters.
What makes Dahab so unique is that it’s not tourist-oriented. You don’t see the glamor brands from Sharm of Shiekh, Cairo, or Askkandria. The town successfully managed to retain its authentic charm compared with nearby Sharm El Sheik, which catered exclusively to foreign and affluent tourists.
The word Dahab is Arabic for gold, though no one is sure why the village got that name. One theory suggests that gold washed down from the mountains may have accumulated on the alluvial flood plain where the town was built. The name may also reference the color of the sands to the south of the village itself. Some locals even attribute the title to the picturesque sunsets.
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