For the first time since I quit my 9-5 job as a magazine editor five years ago, I found myself wishing I were still working at a lifestyle magazine – just to write and publish one of the most opinionated opinion pieces I’ve ever had in mind. But then I thought to myself: I still have my own platform. So I decided to write it anyway. 

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Those who’ve been following my content closely know very well that Dahab is my favorite destination in Egypt. I’ve been visiting regularly for over a decade – sometimes multiple times a year, and sometimes I stay for a month or more. It’s like my home away from the big city’s hustle and bustle; and pollution. 

Aside from Dahab’s magical nature and distinctive charm, one of my favorite things about the bohemian beach town was that it used to feel like Egypt’s closest thing to a place where coexistence actually exists. In Dahab, it never mattered what your background was, your social class, or whether you were wearing a bikini or a burkini on the beach. Everyone’s the same here. Everyone minds their own business. Sounds too good to be true, right?

Sadly, though, Dahab has garnered a lot of attention among both international and local tourists alike – not only for its astonishing nature, but also for its affordability. Even with the current inflation in Egypt, Dahab remains one of the most affordable holiday destinations in the country. Ignoring the fact that I still remember a time when I could rent an apartment for EGP 2.5K a month, while now, locals are struggling to pay rent because landlords are charging everyone tourist prices. So, even though the town’s cost of living is still way cheaper than other cities, rent alone can cost around EGP 20K per month now. There are cheaper apartments in Cairo, but that’s not the topic of this article. 

What I’m trying to shed light on here is how mass tourism is hurting more than it’s helping. Generally, when outsiders visit or move to a destination, they’re supposed to adapt to its culture. Unfortunately, the rule of thumb in Egypt is the exact opposite. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not trying to trash my own homeland. I spent more than seven years of my life promoting Egypt as a top travel destination, because it deserves every ounce of it. However, it’s only fair to acknowledge the flaws as well, in an attempt to make an actual change, and not just aimlessly criticize. 

So, where were we? Yes, Dahab’s culture… A coastal town in the Sinai desert, by the Red Sea’s Gulf of Aqaba, originally inhabited by the Bedouin Muzzeina tribe – all of this should give you an idea of the vibe: laid-back, slow-paced, eco-friendly, sustainable, you name it. But when mass tourism season arrives, you’ll find yourself avoiding central areas like Mashraba, or avoiding traveling during the summer or national holidays altogether. For some reason, visitors will arrive with their portable Boombox JBL speakers, judgmental looks, and the egocentric belief that this universe revolves around serving the human race alone. 

Littering cigarette butts and plastic on the beach, crashing into coral reefs with kayaks, and teaching kids it’s okay to traumatize jellyfish are among some of the quite disturbing behaviors I’ve witnessed firsthand during peak season. But one thing that drives me crazy is the rising phenomenon of parking cars right by the sea at Lagoona Beach, nose-dive style. I sometimes wonder what part of ‘natural protectorate’ people don’t get, but then I realize the term is probably not even in their dictionary. The beach is already filled with cigarette butts and broken glass. But is it so hard to understand that this is a public beach and not a public parking lot? There’s literally endless parking space just a few meters away from the sea, where I seem like the only person who puts it to use on the days I visit.

The craziest thing is when I complain to drivers for parking right beside or behind me when I’m just trying to lie down on the beach like a normal beachgoer, I’m looked at as if I’m an alien. As if it’s alright to inhale car fumes, take in the motor’s heat, or simply as if the cars are not occupying space that should be reserved for other humans who’d like to sit where there’s swimmable water. 

Last week, mid one of these frequent arguments, some other guy decided to intrude and gaslight me. He even decided to judge me for renting shade from one of the Bedouins! He claimed that this type of behavior normalizes “renting space” on a public beach. *inserts facepalm emoji* Not sure why I was being attacked for renting a couple of sticks and a piece of cloth – from an indigenous woman trying to make a living – to protect me and my dog from the scorching sun. Was that dude trying to say he’s unhappy that locals are offering a simple service, that by the way, he’s not whatsoever forced to use or pay for? Aren’t WE the guests in their land or what? He proceeded to badmouth and curse me to his friend – I obviously didn’t let it slide and gave him a piece of my mind, but he ended up killing the mood. 

Why and when have people become so unhinged? Why is respecting the environment and the space we take up too much to ask for? And are our vacationing options now limited to either this or gated communities and QR codes (throwing shade at the North Coast aka Sahel)? Where can I have a normal summer in Egypt? Anyone, please?

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