SSI x Edges of Earth: Saudi Arabia – The Diving Frontier They Never Told You About
April 14, 2025
The Red Sea has earned a reputation as home to some of the best coral reefs, wreck dives, and shark encounters in the world. Divers trek from far and wide to experience it, most often heading to the iconic dive destinations: Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, and Marsa Alam in Egypt. From liveaboards in Egypt to shore dives to research vessels, there are plenty of ways to explore the Egyptian side of the Red Sea. But what is often overlooked is the Saudi Arabian side—a far less visited one that offers just as much for those willing to make the journey. For us on the Edges of Earth expedition, Saudi Arabia quickly became one of those must-see places, not only for diving but also for the region’s developing ocean science, marine conservation, and restoration efforts happening here.
Where is Saudi Arabia?
It is important to understand where Saudi Arabia sits on the map and why it has become more of a conservation hotspot over the last decade. Situated in the heart of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. The country borders Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait to the north; Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE to the east; and Oman and Yemen to the south.
Its western coastline spanning the Red Sea stretches an astonishing 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles), making it an untapped dive mecca for the world’s diving enthusiasts. This is because Saudi’s borders were largely closed to tourists only until 2019. Entries were solely limited to religious pilgrims and business travelers—which offers a good reason why Egypt has long been the region’s premier dive destination.
Since King Abdulaziz Al-Saud established the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932, the country has undergone a radical change, according to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Once a society largely based within its vast desert, it has rapidly evolved into a modern, developed nation and a hub for economic, technological, and scientific progress—and its seas are now an area of focus for the country overall. Now, in its nascent days of tourism, Saudi Arabia is setting an ambitious goal of attracting 150 million visitors to the country by 2030—and the Red Sea is central to this vision.
So, why is this region such a hotspot for marine conservation?
It comes down to the fact that the Red Sea is highly accessible, with a 5,000-year-old shelving and fringing reef system that is shallow in many areas. And yet, according to the Reef Ecology lab at KAUST, "the Red Sea is one of the most understudied areas in the world in terms of marine biodiversity, with the high level of endemism indicating that additional evolutionary partitions potentially await discovery."
Over the years, reef surveys have revealed valuable insights into the diversity and resilience of the coral, along with the species that depend on these reefs for survival.
There is so much worth protecting in this under-explored area that global ocean experts are convening here.
One example of this is the organization SHAMS, which was established by the government to make the Red Sea a symbol of marine conservation and sustainable development through their work in the tourism sector and with fisheries. Their mission aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, focusing on positioning the country as a global leader in sustainability practices.
SHAMS is taking a holistic approach to managing coral reefs and sea turtle populations, using research to guide conservation efforts. By involving local stakeholders, they aim to drive regional and international actions to address shared environmental challenges. Their work includes expanding scientific knowledge on coral reefs and sea turtles, conducting baseline reef assessments, habitat mapping, and coral restoration around the city of Jeddah’s waters.
They also identify human impacts and implement natural capital accounting, a framework that assesses the true value of ecosystems—not just for their resources but for the essential services they provide to us all.
Since 2021, KAUST has been leading a major effort called the "Coral Restoration Initiative" on Shushah Island, located off the northern coast of Saudi Arabia near the massive development of the sustainable city of NEOM. The initiative focuses on a 100-hectare restoration demonstration designed to inspire global innovation in scaling coral.
This program incorporates world-class "propagation, planting, and monitoring approaches, and international expertise to accelerate solutions for reef ecosystems at a time of unprecedented environmental change," as stated by the university.
Shushah Island was selected for its shallow reefs, which are among the most promising on Saudi’s side of the Red Sea, with some regions showing nearly total coral cover, while others are in urgent need of restoration. And that is just some of what is happening in Saudi Arabia, making it one of the more progressive countries in the Middle East.
For those diving in Saudi for the first time, Jeddah is the perfect starting point and is widely considered the nation’s "diving capital."
During our days at sea, we explored some of Saudi’s most sought-after sites and quickly understood why they are so special—and also why there is such a strong commitment to their preservation. Venturing to hotspots like Irq Ghurab, Qattan Alshoaiba, Tafya East and North, and Crazy Eight via liveaboard, we saw firsthand the remarkable coral cover and the vibrant marine life swarming each reef. The calm, flat, and warm waters made the diving here idyllic. And compared with some of the more extreme conditions my team and I have faced, calling it simply peaceful or relaxing would be a drastic understatement.
But whether you are a beginner scuba diver or a seasoned professional, these conditions offer something for everyone.
The calm conditions make it ideal for those newer to scuba diving, while the insanely diverse palette makes it a feast for the eyes for experienced divers.
Leading our dives was Al-Haddad Scuba, one of Jeddah’s largest operators, which runs liveaboard trips twice a week year-round. Jeddah is also home to other notable SSI dive centers, such as Future Experts Group and Descent Dive Club. These centers are known for supporting conservation work in the region and for their community engagement.
For example, Future Experts Group established the "Let’s Think Club" in 2003, targeting girls and women aged 13-22. The club discusses important subject matter on conservation practices that they might not be able to find information on otherwise—one example of which is recycling and waste management.
But they do not just talk about it; they actually do it—collecting and sorting these materials to ultimately deliver them to processing plants. Their work extends to beach cleanups, setting up mobile health clinics on busy beaches, creating marketable products from recyclables, planting coral, and raising awareness about marine conservation.
But what stood out to us the most were the people involved in all of this work. Genuinely excited to share their world, the Saudi teams across all the organizations we met along the way were eager to show us what they have been personally a part of to prepare Saudi Arabia for the future.
As global tourism accelerates, these teams have been working to keep their home—and their ocean—not just stable but thriving. Like everywhere else around the world, human impacts have left their mark on this slice of ocean. But the tireless efforts of these people advancing restoration and conservation make the future of Saudi’s Red Sea feel brighter than we could have dreamt when considering this country on our expedition trail.
So, if you are planning your next dive trip, consider Saudi Arabia. But remember, as a country that has only recently opened its doors to global tourism, there are important rules, regulations, and considerations to follow. Choose your dive operators wisely, be mindful of the impact you are making, and do your research on the best times and ways to visit—this information may be more critical here than in other dive destinations.
Saudi Arabia has a rich and complex history, with locals and expats who take immense pride in calling the Red Sea a bright spot of environmental responsibility. As visitors, we must respect where the country has been, where it is today, and where it is trying to go. Above all else, we must recognize just how lucky we are to experience this region in its earliest days of broader accessibility for exploration.
Be among the first to explore Saudi Arabia’s world-class dive sites—start planning your trip today!
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Andi Cross is an SSI Ambassador and lead of the Edges of Earth expedition, highlighting stories of positive ocean progress and how to explore the world more consciously. To keep up with the expedition, follow the team on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and their website.