Dive Sites and Areas of Saudi Arabia
Very few liveaboards operate dive tours from Saudi Arabia, but a select few offer an exciting opportunity to dive into new reefs, wrecks, and islands. A few of the best places to dive are;
Farasan Island and Farasan Banks
Farasan Island, located off the coast in the far South of Saudi Arabia, is a dive hot spot not to be missed. Home to Farasan Banks, consisting of small reefs and a few islands, the diving here is not to be missed. With dive sites having a white sandy bottom and clear blue waters, the marine life and corals here are very diverse. Large Gorgonian fans and walls of black coral can be seen here. Shark sightings are common, including whitetip reef sharks, silky sharks, grey reef sharks, and even hammerheads.
Yanbu
Yanbu is known as the ‘Pearl of the Red Sea,’ despite this port city having historical interest, it is also known as Saudi Arabia's diving capital. With access to dive areas such as the Seven Sisters Coral Reef, boasting some of the best reef systems in the world, it hosts a reef wall and masses of healthy coral and is well known for its Hammerhead shark sightings. Yanbu is also a departure point for some Saudi Arabian liveaboard dive safaris.
Rabigh
Located along the Saudi coast between Jeddah and Yanbu, diving in Rabigh can offer great rewards. Amazing coral reefs with healthy numbers of marine life, including barracudas, sea turtles, and schools of jackfish.
Abu Galawa
Abu Galawa is part of the Seven Sisters Coral Reef and is home to a famous Chinese World War II shipwreck and amazing marine life and corals to explore.
How to Get There and Port of Departure
Flights to Jeddah are available from most international destinations, and the liveaboard usually arranges transfers to the ports of departure. Popular ports of departure are Yanbu, Al Lith, and Jeddah. Please check your chosen itinerary for full details of the departure port.
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