Whale Shark Encounters
March to June is the peak season for spotting whale sharks in the Al Lith area.
Unique Experiences
Pristine Coral Health
Because the area is still largely unexplored, the hard and soft coral gardens are thriving and largely undamaged.
Liveaboard Diving
The best way to explore remote areas like the Farasan Banks is via liveaboard, which allows access to sites untouched by day traffic.
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Plan the experience
Diving in Saudi Arabia offers a "hidden frontier" experience, featuring over 1,600 km of mostly untouched Red Sea coastline with pristine coral reefs, vibrant marine life, and significant wreck sites, largely unaffected by mass tourism. The Red Sea's high biodiversity, with approximately 1,200 fish species (20% endemic), provides excellent opportunities for both reef diving and spotting large pelagics like sharks and rays.
Diving Areas
- Jeddah (Makkah Province): The primary hub for diving in the Kingdom, offering easy access to shore dives and boat trips to outer reefs.
- Ann Ann Wreck: A popular 90-meter-long freighter sinking in 1977, lying upright at 32 meters, covered in soft corals.
- Boiler Wreck: An older vessel (often called Cable Wreck or Mismari) ideal for spotting turtles, rays, and moray eels, often combined with wall dives.
- Abu Faramish/Abu Madafi: Outer reefs with massive coral bommies and excellent visibility.
- Yanbu (Al-Madinah Province): Known as the "capital of diving" in the north, offering breathtaking drop-offs and coral gardens.
- Seven Sisters: A series of coral reefs famous for schools of hammerhead sharks, especially in the cooler months.
- Iona Wreck: A 19th-century British steamship wreck.
- Al-Lith/Farasan Banks (South): A remote, pristine area offering some of the best diving in the region.
- Farasan Banks: A vast collection of islands and submerged pinnacles where pelagics are abundant, including hammerheads, silkies, and manta rays.
- Jabal Al-Lith: Renowned as a seasonal whale shark gathering spot (usually Feb-May).
- Tabuk Province (NEOM/Duba): The northernmost, least explored area featuring deep walls and pristine reefs that rival top Egyptian dive sites.
Best for
Who this destination suits
Advanced divers, underwater photographers, liveaboard guests
Best season
When to travel
Saudi Arabia is a year-round destination, but the best time for Red Sea diving is October to May.
Getting there
Arrival planning
To get to Saudi Arabia for a diving trip, you need to fly into one of its major international airports, obtain a tourist eVisa, and then travel to a coastal city like Jeddah or Yanbu, which serve as the main diving hubs.