Be one of the first divers and few people who discover the beauty and mystery of the untouched reefs in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the east coast of the Red Sea is open now to be discovered for scuba divers. The Saudi water offers an amazing variety of dive sites as expected from the Red sea, clear visibility with different types of marine life & big pelagic fish. On the top of all this in Saudi Arabia there are many undiscovered and untouched reefs waiting to be discovered and you can be part of this very exciting experience.
Yanbu
Five corals and seven sisters
Here we will visit the Northern part of the Saudi water, passing by the highlight spots like «7 sisters» and «5 corals». In this itinerary there are many astonished reefs and good possibility for close encounter with tiger sharks, silky sharks and whale sharks in crystal water and great visibility.
South Al Lith
Farasan Banks
From AL Lith we are going to discover the Southern part of the Saudi water. Passing by the most famous islands of Farsan banks, which is a large area (around 250 km) with the big variety of beautiful reefs and big opportunity of big pelagic fish, such as silky sharks and hammerhead schools.
Facts About Saudi Arabia
Population: approx. 33 million
Capital: Riyadh (Riyadh), approx. 7 million
Language: The official language is Arabic. English is important and widely used as a business language.
Religion: Islam (majority)
Currency: Saudi Arabian Riyal (RI, SAR in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 10, 5, and 1 RI
Electricity: 125/215 V, 50/60 Hz., English plug or adapter
SIM card: You can easily buy your sim card online: https://www.arabsim.com/. It’s send as eSim and instantly active.
Airport: Both our routes start close-by from Jeddah. Closest international airport is Jeddah.
Few countries are as often misunderstood as Saudi Arabia and with its extraordinary natural beauty on land and in the water, it deserves a kind of a visit. Never in its history Saudi Arabia changed as rapidly as under Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in the past few years. The strict separation of the sexes has been lifted, but the absolute ban on alcohol is still in place. Women in particular are experiencing freedoms that were long unthinkable for them. In the past, they were only allowed to go out on the street wearing a headscarf or even a face veil, with a long robe over the body. Today, it is mainly young women who stroll through the shopping malls with their hair down or work in the office, drive cars and go to the movies.
Saudi Arabia is a young country, with 40 percent of the population under 25. The people are extremely friendly and eager to show you the beauty of their country and take you around their city.
And also more and more Western goods are imported and the country is also opening up politically more and more. Holding up, as example, the freedom conference between the Ukraine and Russia in summer 2023.
Visa
Visas are issued for 143 US$ for most European countries, countries within the Schengen Agreement, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. The visa is valid 90 days with multiple entries. Also holders of vald visas or resident permit from one of the above mentioned countries can apply without problems for a Saudi visa.
We advise our guests to obtain an e-visa prior of their departure, which will be issued within a few working days.
For all other nations, not mentioned above, we can apply for a visa through the boat owner. The costs are 150 US$, including the handling fees.
Tourist visa requirements general info:
https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/about-e-visa
Food
Some of the common food items in Saudi Arabian cuisine include wheat, rice, lamb, chicken, yogurt, potatoes, seafood and dates. Some additional foods and dishes include: Hininy. Madfoon.
Kabsa is perhaps the most famous dish in Saudi Arabia and is considered the national dish of the country. It’s an aromatic rice and roast chicken dish served on large communal platters.
Climate
Saudi Arabia is characterized by a desert climate, with the exception of the southwestern part of the country, which exhibits a semi-arid climate. Summers in the central region are extremely hot and dry, ranging from 27°C to 43°C in the inland areas and 27°C to 38°C in coastal areas.
Water temperatures in the Jeddah region are perfect for diving from March till June with average temperatures from 24 until 30 degrees.
Sightseeing
If you have time before or after your liveaboard trip, we highly recommend a visit to the old town of Jeddah. There is a lot of history to dig in. Jeddah is famous fort he beautiful coral red wooden balconies that distinguish the traditional houses which are between 100 and 400 years old. Not to miss out on the most beautiful and famous of these houses, the Nasif House. Also worth seeing ist the highest artificl water fountain with a hight of 312 meters, the fish market and the Al Tayebat museum.
