Well... WaterBoy700, I can tell you that I can take the Blue Hole off my Bucket List. It was a fantastic experience. It is majestic and mystical. By the way, lower budget is not a problem. Dahab is fairly inexpensive. You can find local accommodation for a decent price right in town. I personally stayed at Ibis Styles Dahab Lagoon which is a 4 star hotel located on a private beach in a laguna. I paid CAD$35/night including breakfast. I could eat a local Egyptian dinner for about CAD$7. So really, what was the most expensive was to fly there and the Deep Dive Certification (which was very reasonable, actually).
If you now feel like going, please contact either Adham Lashen or Magdi Zagloul (the owner of Diver’s House dive shop, in Dahab) and dive with Mohsen E. L. Saka, who is the most experienced Dive Master and Instructor in the village (who also works as a chamber tender at the local Dahab Medical Center). They can also provide you with accommodation on site (Divers House Hotel). This accommodation is even cheaper than the hotels outside of town. They also offer packages with meals, accommodation and dives all included. You can add them on Facebook and communicate with them. They will make you an offer and they have competitive pricing.
Jasmine restaurant right in front of the dive center has great Shisha, local food and music at night.
They are so genuinely nice and welcoming, you will seriously wonder why you waited so long before going. I have lived one of the very few experiences in my life where, especially as a woman traveling alone, I felt the safest, the most welcomed, the most respected, and enjoyed my entire vacation in a stunning location. Plus, I managed to get my Deep Water Certification one on one with the greatest dive master of the entire village, get 2 dives in the famous Blue Hole, learn some more Egyptian Arabic, mingle with friendly locals, and really enjoy my vacation!!!!!!
If you want more information, please let me know... but gather all your pennies and go for it, man.
ENJOY!