Saudi Explorer, Saudi Arabia

Excellent food and drinks

“I saw some sea creatures that they have never seen before, quite impressive”

Adel Z, United States United States
Read 15 more reviews

Highlights

  • Itineraries to Seven Reefs, Five Sisters, and Farasan Bank
  • Hot Tub onboard
  • Large sun deck area

Saudi Explorer liveaboard is one of the few diving liveaboards operating along the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast. Built in 2019 and accommodating a maximum of 20 guests in 10 double cabins, all with en-suite facilities and air conditioning. Bed types can be either double or twin style, and all cabins are located on the main or upper decks offering views outside. There is an indoor saloon area for dining and relaxing, along with a TV and bar. The sun deck is spacious and has comfortable seating and space to soak up the Saudi Arabian sunshine. On the main deck, you’ll find a large dive deck area where divers can store their dive gear and get ready to enter the water at dive sites.

The Red Sea offers divers many opportunities to visit amazing dive spots, and the Saudi Explorer dive liveaboard covers the top dive hotspots in up-and-coming Saudi Arabia. These include itineraries that visit the reefs of Yanbu (Seven Reefs), Rabigh (Five Sisters), and Al Lith (Farasan Bank). The reefs and marine life of Saudi Arabia are truly amazing and with fewer liveaboards operating here, it’s easy to avoid the crowds.

Book your next Saudi Red Sea dive trip online to reserve your space on the Saudi Explorer liveaboard.


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Included: VAT, Drinking Water, Soft drinks, Tea & Coffee, Welcome Cocktails, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Night Dives, Beach Towels, Cabin Towels, Deck Towels.

Required Extras: Fuel Surcharge (7 EUR per day), Gratuities (15 EUR per day), Port Fees (35 EUR per day).

Optional Extras: Airport Transfer (19-175 EUR), Hotel Transfer (19-175 EUR), Nitrox, Nitrox Course, Rental Gear.

Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.

* Extra fees are shown per person.

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Boat features

  • Camera Station
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Air Conditioned saloon
  • Aircon Cabins
  • Sun Deck
  • Indoor Saloon
  • Warm Water Showers
  • Custom built for diving
  • Charging stations
  • En-Suite bathrooms
  • Seaview Cabins
  • Separate Rinse for u/w Camera
  • Dedicated Local & International Crew
  • Leisure Deck
  • Bar

Food & Drinks

  • Western Food
  • Local Food
  • Vegetarian Options
  • Buffet style
  • Free Soft Drinks
  • Welcome Cocktails
  • Al Fresco Dining

If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies.


Diving

  • DIN Adaptors
  • Nitrox available
  • Rinse Hoses
  • Dive deck
  • Tenders for diving
  • Shaded Diving Area

The crew speaks English.


Gear Rental

There is diving gear available on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. See below for further details on inclusions and pricing. Show prices.


Drawings & Vessel Layouts

#deckplan floorplan

Boat Specifications

  • Year built 2019
  • Length 34 meters
  • Beam 7.8 meters
  • Top speed 11 knots
  • Cruising speed 8 knots
  • Engines 2 Man Marine 600HP
  • Max guests 20
  • Number of cabins 10
  • Number of bathrooms 11
  • Tenders 2
  • Water capacity 30 tons
  • Fuel capacity 50 tons
  • Freshwater maker 2 x 1 ton/day

Boat Navigation and Safety

  • Radar
  • Depth Sounder
  • GPS
  • Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
  • E.P.I.R.B. Distress System
  • Emergency Rafts
  • Life Vests
  • Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
  • Oxygen
  • First Aid Kits
  • Fishfinder
  • Satellite & mobile phones
  • Bilge pump alarm
  • Search light
  • Engine room CCTV
  • Crew trained in first aid
  • Emergency flares

Saudi Explorer Reviews

  • 8.7 Fabulous
  1. Vessel
    8.3
  2. Crew
    8.7
  3. Food
    9.2
  4. Diving
    9.1
  5. Value
    8.1
  • 10 Exceptional
  • Adel Z
  • United States United States
Had a great week in Saudi

I saw some sea creatures that they have never seen before, quite impressive

Recommended for
Diving in the southern areas of the Red Sea
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Yousef F
  • Canada Canada
All in all lovely Experience

Farsan Banks is an amazing trip. Guides do their best to ensure everyone is getting the most out of the dives based on their experience level. We’d be the only boats on the site. Hammers, reef sharks and dolphins! The organization from JED to the port could be better. Some people waited 3 hours without notice. Also no net because its quite remote you don’t see any land.

Recommended for
Marine life, Corals , No other boats
  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • David O
  • Belgium Belgium
If you are looking for diving off the beaten trail, this is it!

Experiencing something great without the crowds can be such a privilege in this day and age. That is exactly what this liveaboard offers, with the ease and comfort of a package trip. The crew is great, the cabins very comfy, the food excellent and the fact that this boat is twice the number of guest I've gotten accustomed to didn't bother me at all. The diving was good, despite most of large pelagic sharks out of sighr due to unusually warm water we still saw some of the big stuff. A word of caution though: due to absence of mass diving in this area, the actual conditions on the reefs in terms of currents and wildlife can be a bit of a surprise for the dive guides too, most dives are also deep dives with some ending up being genuine decompression dives. So not recommended for relatively inexperienced divers or for the faint of hearth.

Recommended for
Being the only boat around the reefs, the huge pod of dolphins we saw one morning anf the whale shark that casually popped up during a safety stop, the food that was just excellent
  • 10 Exceptional
  • Eva W
  • Germany Germany
Amazing Crew!

We loved this dive trip, especially the amazing crew. Every single member was funny, welcoming and helpful. Aman is one of the most knowledgeable guides I have met, with more than 40 years experience in the red sea and as one of the pioneers in Saudi. The boat is a bit older but well kept. The crew will clean all cabins daily and meticulously. They offered night dives every day, which gives you lots of choice. You should prepare for a lot of current but will be rewarded by sharks - even a whale shark for christmas and dolfins. The corals are amazing at some sites, others sadly have been suffering under the climate change. Nevertheless a trip worth taking.

Recommended for
Food, Dolfins, Whale Shark
  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Hooman Z
  • Canada Canada
Great crew, good food, amazing dive sites.

Saw lots of Nudibranches . Only 2 dives on the first day and one dive on the last day. I wish they accommodate a bit more dives. I have lost my wallet and they helped me a lot with regards to this unrelated incident. Thanks

Recommended for
Remote nature, clean rooms and friendly crew.
  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Hooman Z
  • Canada Canada
Great crew, good food, amazing dive sites.

Saw lots of Nudibranches . Only 2 dives on the first day and one dive on the last day. I wish they accommodate a bit more dives. I have lost my wallet and they helped me a lot with regards to this unrelated incident. Thanks

Recommended for
Remote nature, clean rooms and friendly crew.
  • 8.0 Very good
  • Alain P
  • Italy Italy
A must done !

Exclusivité absolue sur les sites.Conditions de navigations excellentes.Fort belles plongée sans combinaison dans de l'eau à 33° . Bateau,propriétaire et équipage d'un grand professionalisme ; je recommande :)

Recommended for
Seul bateau pendant toute la semaine, très bon bateau,équipage et guides professionnels
  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Edward S
  • Ireland Ireland
Biodiversity like no where else in red sea

If you want to diving in a location and be the only boat, dive unexplored reefs, get personal with hammerhead and silky sharks. This is the trip for you. Experience needed as dive can be deep.

Recommended for
Diving, people and remoteness
  • 7.2 Good
  • Heike L
  • Germany Germany
Spektakuläres tauchen

Neue Riffe, große biodiversität, nach Absprache eigenständiges tauchen möglich, spektakuläre weich und hartkorallenriffe und das wissen, dass die kaputten Korallen nicht durch Taucher sondern durch die Natur verursacht wurden.

Recommended for
The 3 best things are the Dive Guide, the staff and the reefs
  • 7.2 Good
  • Alena Miriam S
  • Czech Republic Czech Republic
Unexplored part of the Red Sea

Corals are in perfect condition, visibility is good, there is no other boat there. However water was still warm in November and sharks could be seen deep only. Without those deep dives with shark sights the dive sites would be very repetitive I disagree with the guide approach to safety, firstly they provided me a stage cylinder for increased safety (I am qualified for that, never needed to use it and stayed within my qualification limits) and set me no limits although I asked, then they took it from me with very stupid reasoning. They also skipped 2 dives only because few people were interested.

Recommended for
Coral diversity, deep diving