With the huge coastline of the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia offers some of the best diving spots. Scuba diving in Saudi Arabia enables divers to come up close and interact with the diverse marine life. Further, scuba diving in the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia is a thrilling activity for beginners as well as professionals. Divers can experience less-explored coral reefs, old shipwrecks, and beautiful sea creatures.
Scuba diving tours in Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, new shipwrecks are discovered every now and then. Artificial reefs and wrecks with objects like big planes and ships are continuously being added to an already immersive scuba diving experience. The unique red coral reefs impart mesmerizing beauty to the dive spots. Numerous diving schools have been set up in the coastal cities of Saudi Arabia to provide an all-around experience and tours to tourists and locals. Here are some of the best diving centers in Saudi Arabia.
Top cities for scuba diving in Saudi Arabia
1. Scuba diving in Jeddah – For challenging scuba diving
Jeddah is known for offering several best diving spots in Saudi Arabia. When in Jeddah, Tourists cannot miss the calm beauty of the Boiler Wreck, the Ann Ann Wreck, Miss Marie Port, and many other dives. The Boiler Wreck is an artificial wreck near the Abu Madafi Reef with amazing corals and rare moray eels. The Ann Ann wreck is one of the top difficult dives in Saudi Arabia as most of the wreck provide a challenging environment even for experienced divers. The Cable Wreck at Abu Tair Reef is popular for divers of all levels. This is famous for spotting guitar sharks, goatfish, white-tip sharks, blue-striped snappers, stingrays, and many more sea creatures. The wrecks and ports in Jeddah are rich in corals and sea life and have many diving shops and staying places nearby.
Top scuba diving spots in Jeddah: Boiler Wreck, Cable Wreck, and Ann Ann Wreck
Scuba Diving in Jeddah price: SAR 350 per person
Marine creatures you may spot: Goatfish, guitar sharks, moray eels, and white tip sharks
2. Scuba diving in Jazan – Beautiful Farasan Islands
Jazan has several small islands that are open to divers of all skill levels. Situated off the coast of Jazan, the Farasan Islands are located in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. Here the dive depth can range from the usual 10-meter depth to a mind-boggling 500-meters. The islands are thriving with marine life. If divers are lucky, they can easily spot clownfish, sharks, moray eels, barracudas, etc. Divers can also see magnificent whale sharks. The islands have breathtaking views, and tourists can plan a week’s getaway to explore the whole area.
Top scuba diving places in Jazan: 84 Islands in the Farasan Islands
Marine creatures you may spot: Whale sharks, clownfish, barracudas, and moray eels
3. Scuba diving in Yanbu – Unexplored marine life
Yanbu has the famous Seven Sisters dive, where tourists get to see the rare hammerhead sharks in Marker No. 39, Marker No. 32, and Marker No. 41. These reefs have soft corals housing squirrelfish, snappers, pick handle barracuda, and many other fish species. Abu Galawa, an underwater dive, lined with corals and home to many species of sharks, is also situated in Yanbu’s Red Sea. Yanbu has unexplored underwater areas leaving room for divers to engage in explorative scuba diving activities. Tourists can easily travel to Yanbu through flights. It only takes about an hour to reach Yanbu from Jeddah’s international airport.
Top scuba diving spots in Yanbu: Seven Sisters dive, and Abu Galawa
Marine creatures you may spot: Squirrelfish, snappers, and barracuda
4. Scuba diving in Jubail – Stunning Al Fanateer
Jubail has the best blue water diving spot for those who want to have a personal, less-crowded diving experience. Divers can explore the Fanateer Reef and the Jana Reef in the Persian Gulf. The Al Fanateer Beach in Jubail is one of the most popular beaches in the KSA, with separate diving, jogging, and walking areas. Apart from scuba diving in Jubail, tourists can also take exquisite boat trips to take a good view of the place’s scenic beauty.
Top scuba diving spots in Jubail: Jana Reef and Fanateer Reef
Marine creatures you may spot: Sharks, Whales, Starfish, Goatfish, and Barracudas
5. Scuba diving in Dammam – Jana and Karan Islands
Dammam is another spot for less crowded diving. Divers get the best experience owing to artificial reefs, sunken ships, and schools of a variety of fishes. The city serves as the gateway to the islands of Jana and Karan. Jana Island is best for beginners as the water is relatively calm. The conditions are best for snorkeling and scuba diving both. Here, children can also take part in diving activities. Karan Island offers up-close interaction with rare green turtles.
Top scuba diving spots in Dammam: Jana Island and Karan Island
Scuba Diving in Dammam price: SAR 300-350 per person
Marine creatures you may spot: Green turtles, parrotfish, stingrays, and barracudas
6. Scuba diving in Al Khobar – Seashore diving sites
Half Moon Bay in Al Khobar is a small saltwater dive with a depth of approximately 25 m. The Bay has been the preferred choice for thousands of learning divers. For training, the shore diving site has artificial reefs with corals and objects like cement structures, sunken cars, etc. The coral reef has a variety of fishes with a small number of sharks. Scuba divers can also visit private beaches like Saudi Aramco Beach, King Fahad Military City Beach, King Faisal University Beach, etc., which are located around Half Moon Bay.
Top scuba diving in Al Khobar: Half Moon Bay
Marine creatures you may spot: Sharks and rare whale spotting
7. Scuba diving in Umluj – For all types of divers
Umluj or the Maldives of Saudi Arabia offer access to clear Red Sea water and beautiful coral reefs. Scuba divers from across the world come to explore the wonders of the Red Sea in Umluj. Scuba diving in Umluj is appropriate for both amateurs and professionals. Divers can take boat from any of the beaches in the city and reach the diving spot along with instructors for expert help.
Marine creatures you may spot: Parrotfish, squirrelfish, and bannerfish
Suggested Read: 10 Best Places To Visit In Al Khobar For A Vacation To Remember
Things to remember while diving in Saudi Arabia
- Scuba divers should not plunge straight away into the waters. They should always do a test run in swimming pools to understand the scuba equipment before the dive.
- One should be hydrated. Scuba diving reduces the water content in a human body, so it is important to keep a check on that.
- Scuba divers should always listen to their instructors. It is extremely important to cooperate and coordinate with a diving guide.
- One should not get overboard with their diving and wander off wherever they want. One must stay with the group at all times.
- Maintain a distance in the reefs or wrecks from the objects.
Scuba diving in Saudi Arabia is an amazing activity to explore the seascape of the country. The country has breathtaking seascape, calling tourists to dive into the waters and experience the corals and sea life like no other place. All beaches, wrecks, and reefs are easily accessible. The Scuba diving spots have nearby hotels, resorts, and fine-dining restaurants, making the whole scuba diving experience even more memorable.
Scuba Diving In Saudi Arabia FAQs
What is the depth of Cable Wreck Jeddah?
The depth of the Cable Wreck is around 24 m, which is not very deep.
How to reach Yanbu for scuba diving?
Cheap flights are available from Jeddah international airport to Yanbu. It takes only 1 hour to reach Yanbu from Jeddah.
Which are some scuba diving shops located in Jeddah?
Some of the scuba diving shops in Jeddah are Blue Reef Divers, Dolphin Divers, Gulf Diver Group, Al-Haddad Divers, and many more.
Why is Jubail famous for scuba diving?
Jubail is famous for its Fanateer and Jana Reef and also for its sand beaches.
Which is the best place to spot green turtles in Saudi Arabia?
Karan Island near Dammam is the best place to spot green turtles.
