Things to do · Read time ~5 min
Things to do in Saudi Arabia — have you tried diving?
You're sitting on one of the world's most extraordinary underwater environments. Most residents have never seen it.
There's a particular kind of restlessness that hits you in Saudi Arabia — whether you're a business traveler on your third visit this year, an expat who's exhausted the restaurant circuit, or a resident who's done AlUla twice and wants something different.
The answer almost no one reaches for is sitting right there on the western edge of the country: the Red Sea.
Saudi Arabia shares one of the most biodiverse bodies of water on the planet. Over 1,200 species of fish. Coral coverage that would make a Sharm el-Sheikh dive guide emotional. Visibility that can reach 30 metres on a calm morning. And because the coast was restricted for so long, most of it has never been heavily dived. The reefs are extraordinary precisely because so few people know about them.
Sound familiar?
Diving in Saudi Arabia isn't just for dive enthusiasts. It's for anyone with a free day and a willingness to try something new. Here are some of the people who've discovered it:
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The business traveler
You flew in Sunday night, your first meeting is Tuesday morning. Monday is a blank page.
A morning dive out of Jeddah Corniche puts you underwater before lunch and back at your hotel by early afternoon. No gear needed — just show up.
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The long-term expat
You've been here two years. Brunches, malls, the same rooftop. You want something that feels genuinely new.
Diving will rearrange how you think about the country. The Red Sea outside your window is one of the richest marine ecosystems on earth — and most expats have never seen it.
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The resident family
The kids have a long weekend. You want to do something memorable without a six-hour drive.
Jeddah's reefs are 30 minutes from the city. Kids 10 and up can try a supervised Discover Scuba session. No certification, no stress.
✈️
The Saudi tourist
You've done Diriyah, AlUla, and NEOM. You want something that surprises you.
An overnight liveaboard from Yanbu will take you to reefs most of the diving world hasn't discovered. It's genuinely off the map.
What's actually out there
People who dive the Saudi Red Sea for the first time describe the same thing: the scale of it. Not just the coral — the fish. Dense, unhurried, unafraid. Reefs that haven't learned to be cautious around humans.
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Coral gardens in Jeddah
Healthy fringing reefs just 20 minutes offshore. Parrotfish, surgeonfish, moray eels. A full afternoon of exploration without leaving the city.
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Sea turtles in Yanbu
Yanbu's reefs host some of the highest sea turtle density in the Red Sea. Seeing one hover above coral at 12 metres is the kind of thing you describe at dinner for weeks.
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Sharks at the Farasan Banks
Grey reef sharks, hammerheads, and seasonal whale sharks. Remote and untouched — an expedition dive for when you want the full experience.
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Walls and drop-offs
Saudi reefs aren't just flat gardens. Some sites have sheer walls descending 30+ metres, draped in soft coral and patrolled by schools of barracuda.
How easy is it to get in the water?
Much easier than most people expect. There are three levels of entry, depending on how committed you want to be:
Try it today — no certification needed
Half a day
A Discover Scuba Diving session lets you breathe underwater with an instructor. You'll cover basic skills in shallow water, then do a guided dive to around 12 metres. No booking in advance needed at most Jeddah centres — just show up.
Get certified — dive anywhere in the world
3–4 days
An Open Water Diver course earns you a lifetime certification recognised at every dive destination on earth. Courses run in Arabic and English, and the checkout dives happen in the Red Sea.
Book a guided trip — let someone else plan it
1–2 days
Already certified? Browse guided dive trips with local experts who know exactly which sites are worth the journey. Gear, transport, and briefings included.
The excuses that don't hold up
Most people who haven't tried diving have a reason ready. Most of those reasons are outdated or just wrong:
"I need to be certified first"
Not to try it. A Discover Scuba Diving experience lets you breathe underwater with an instructor right beside you — no prior training needed. Most people are underwater within an hour of arriving at the dive centre.
"It sounds expensive"
A single guided dive in Jeddah costs less than a dinner at most hotel restaurants. Gear is provided. There's nothing to buy before you go.
"I'm not a strong swimmer"
You don't need to be. Divers move slowly and control their buoyancy with their breathing — not their arms. Introductory dives are in calm, sheltered water with a guide at your side.
"The Red Sea is too far from Riyadh"
Jeddah is 2 hours by air. A weekend trip — Friday morning flight, dives Saturday, flight back Sunday — is one of the most popular formats for Riyadh-based divers.
"I don't have enough time"
This one comes up a lot from business travelers. But a Discover Scuba session runs about three hours start to finish. A guided reef dive for certified divers takes a morning. You can be back at your hotel, showered and reviewing emails, before most people have finished their conference lunch.
If you're in Jeddah — which sits directly on the Red Sea coast — you are already at the dive destination. The reef doesn't require a separate trip. It's right there.
You're already here. The reef is waiting.
Browse guided dive trips around Jeddah and Yanbu. Vetted local guides, all gear provided, dives for every level — from first-timers to experienced divers after something special.
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