Top 10 Dive Sites in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast is one of the most underrated dive destinations on the planet. Stretching roughly 1,800 kilometres from the Gulf of Aqaba in the north to the Yemeni border in the south, the Saudi coastline fronts the same Red Sea ecosystem that produces world-famous diving in Egypt and Sudan — except that access restrictions, until recently, kept visiting divers almost entirely away. As Saudi Arabia has opened to tourism since 2019, international divers are beginning to discover reefs in a condition that the heavily dived Egyptian coast can rarely match: wall corals in pristine health, shark populations that have not been thinned by years of fishing pressure, and whale sharks that gather reliably off Al Lith without a single cruise ship in sight. Water temperatures range from 22°C in January and February to 32°C in August. Visibility is typically 20–30 metres on the offshore reefs. Open the map to explore dive site locations along Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast.
1. Sha'ab Hammamat, Yanbu Region
The Yanbu reefs north of the city of Yanbu al-Bahr represent some of the most accessible serious diving on the Saudi Red Sea. Sha'ab Hammamat is a classic Red Sea offshore reef with a wall dropping from the surface to beyond 40 metres, draped in soft tree corals and massive sea fans. Napoleon wrasse are common here, large and unafraid — a sign of minimal spearfishing pressure. Schools of masked butterfly fish fill the upper reef, and grey reef sharks patrol the wall edge. Visibility routinely exceeds 25 metres. Water temperature is around 25°C in the optimal October–April season. Yanbu serves as the base for day trips to the outer reefs. Advanced Open Water recommended for the wall. Best November through April.
2. Al Lith, Whale Shark Aggregation
Al Lith, roughly 200 kilometres south of Jeddah, has emerged as one of the world's most reliable whale shark aggregation sites, with individuals gathering in the shallow coastal waters from March through November around the seasonal plankton blooms. Unlike the whale shark hotspots in Mexico or the Philippines where operators manage dozens of boats per day, Al Lith remains lightly developed. The encounters take place in shallow water, often 3–8 metres, over sandy bottom, with whale sharks feeding on fish spawn. Snorkelling is as productive as scuba for whale shark encounters, but the accompanying reef structure provides coral garden diving to 15 metres. No minimum certification required for the shallows, though Open Water is recommended for reef sections.
3. Farasan Banks, Southern Red Sea
The Farasan Banks are a group of coral reefs and islands near the Saudi-Yemeni maritime border, among the most remote and biologically rich marine habitats in the entire Red Sea. Access is restricted and requires special permits, but the diving delivers for those who obtain clearance: massive concentrations of fish life that ecologists describe as resembling what Red Sea reefs looked like before intensive fishing. Hammerhead sharks, grey reef sharks, and leopard sharks share the reefs with enormous Napoleon wrasse and dense schools of bigeye trevally. Coral coverage is exceptional, with large table corals and branching Acropora that have clearly never been broken by anchor or fin. Technical logistics; best accessed by private liveaboard with appropriate permits. Advanced Open Water minimum.
4. Abu Galawa, Yanbu
Abu Galawa is a circular reef enclosing a sheltered lagoon near Yanbu, a classic lagoonal reef structure that creates diversity in a single site. The outer wall drops from a few metres to 30, populated with the full cast of Red Sea reef species: crocodilefish lurking motionless on the coral, snowflake moray eels poking from crevices, and lionfish hovering in mid-water under ledges. Inside the lagoon, the sandy floor is shallow enough for training dives but interesting enough for experienced divers looking for flatworm, nudibranch, and macro subjects. The lagoon wall's inner face has good soft coral growth. Open Water for the lagoon; Advanced for the outer wall. Boat access from Yanbu; year-round diving with October through April preferred.
5. Jeddah Reefs, Near Shore
The reefs immediately off Jeddah's coastline have survived the city's rapid development surprisingly well in their offshore sections. Sites like Ras Hatiba and the outer reef structures 30–40 minutes by boat from the Corniche provide genuine Red Sea diving with current-fed walls, good coral health, and respectable fish populations. Visiting divers based in Jeddah can reach these sites easily through the several established dive centres in the city. Depths range from 5 to 30 metres on the wall sections. Water temperature is warmer here than in the north — expect 28–30°C from May through October. Visibility averages 15–20 metres on the near-shore sites, improving to 25 metres on the outer reefs. Suitable for Open Water divers at most sites.
6. Sharm Maqna, Gulf of Aqaba
Sharm Maqna sits on the Saudi side of the Gulf of Aqaba, just north of the Jordanian border, in a region where the water is cooler, clearer, and more exposed to the open Gulf than the central Red Sea. The site is a classic Gulf of Aqaba wall dive: vertical coral-encrusted faces plunging to 40 metres, excellent visibility often above 30 metres, and cooler water — around 22–24°C in winter — that supports rich soft coral growth. The marine life here has strong crossover with the Aqaba sites across the Gulf in Jordan and the Sinai reefs across in Egypt: large moray eels, abundant anthias, occasional hammerheads in the autumn. Advanced Open Water required. Access through the new NEOM-region tourism infrastructure is developing.
7. Farasan Al-Kabir Island, Farasan Archipelago
Farasan Al-Kabir is the main inhabited island of the Farasan Archipelago, which lies entirely within Saudi waters and was designated a protected area specifically for its marine and terrestrial biodiversity. The island's surrounding reefs are largely undived by international visitors. The outer reefs feature walls and slopes carpeted in pristine hard corals, with turtle populations that reflect the near-total absence of poaching pressure. Green and hawksbill turtles graze openly on the reef crest. Coral coverage on the lagoonal side is exceptional for soft corals. Shark populations are healthy: white-tip reef sharks are common, and hammerheads appear seasonally. Logistics require a Saudi-registered vessel and permits, but Saudi dive operators in Jizan are developing this as a destination. Best October through April.
8. Seven Seas Reef, Yanbu
Seven Seas Reef is one of the regularly dived outer reefs accessible from Yanbu, a horseshoe-shaped coral structure that creates a current-fed channel between its two arms. The channel dive is the highlight: at the right tidal stage, the current accelerates through the horseshoe and carries divers past dense walls of anthias, batfish, and glassfish, with barracuda and jack hunting from above. Napoleon wrasse are unmistakable presences here, sometimes approaching divers out of apparent curiosity. The ends of the horseshoe are manageable at slack tide for less experienced divers. Advanced Open Water for the channel; Open Water at slack. Boat from Yanbu. Visibility peaks October through April at 25–30 metres.
9. Mastabah Reef, Near Jeddah
Mastabah Reef lies about two hours south of Jeddah by boat and is among the most biologically complete reefs accessible from the city. The site combines a shallow lagoon system suitable for training and macro photography with outer walls and a deep drop-off on the southern face that attracts large pelagics. Residents include a population of spotted eagle rays that moves along the reef slope daily, and large grouper aggregations have been observed here in the November–January cooler season. The lagoon interior has exceptional coral garden diving at 5–10 metres. Night dives on the lagoonal reef reveal large numbers of sleeping fish, octopus, and hunting lion fish. Open Water for lagoon sections; Advanced for the outer wall. Best October through April.
10. The Wreck of the Loullia, Yanbu
The Loullia is a freighter that sank in the 1970s near Yanbu and now rests on a sand and coral bottom at about 20 metres. The wreck has accumulated significant biological interest: vast schools of glassy sweepers occupy the interior, and the hull is encrusted with sponges and soft corals. A resident population of large grouper has established itself in the holds. The propeller and stern section are particularly photogenic, framed by sea fans that have grown around the structure. Penetration of the main holds is straightforward with a torch. The site is close to Yanbu and suitable for a morning dive before heading to offshore reefs in the afternoon. Open Water with wreck specialty. Visibility 15–20 metres. Year-round access.
Planning Your Saudi Arabia Dive Trip
Jeddah and Yanbu are the two main bases for Red Sea diving on the Saudi coast. Jeddah has a larger selection of international flights and dive operators; Yanbu accesses some of the most pristine outer reef systems. Both cities have PADI-certified dive centres with rental equipment, though gear quality varies and bringing your own regulators and computer is advisable. The best diving season runs October through April when water temperatures are more comfortable and visibility is highest; August can be extremely hot above and below water. Liveaboard services are still developing on the Saudi coast but are available for extended trips to the Farasan Banks region from Jizan. Saudi Arabia e-tourist visas are available online for most nationalities. Female divers face no specific restrictions; the dive community is welcoming to international visitors. Open the map to locate dive centres and plan your route along the Saudi Red Sea coast.