Farasan Islands Diving — Saudi Arabia

The Farasan Islands are a remote archipelago off Saudi Arabia's southern Red Sea coast, designated as a wildlife sanctuary and home to one of the region's largest dugong populations. Virtually undived until recently, the reefs are in exceptional condition with seasonal manta rays and whale sharks. Getting here requires a ferry from Jizan and permits, but the pristine wilderness rewards the effort.

Score
59.5 / 100
Country
Saudi Arabia
Region
Red Sea
Area
Jizan Province
Nearest airport
Jizan Regional Airport (GIZ)
Visibility
10–30 m
Water temperature
25–33 °C
Max depth
30 m
Current strength
moderate
Dive types
reef, drift, pelagic, mangrove
Best months
October, November, December, January, February, March
Minimum certification
Open Water
Access type
boat
Average 2-tank dive cost
$110 USD
Budget tier
mid range
Key species
dugong, manta ray, whale shark, hawksbill turtle, grouper, barracuda
Google rating
4.4 (55 reviews)
Top operators
Farasan Dive Expeditions
Nearest hyperbaric chamber
King Fahd Central Hospital Hyperbaric Unit, Jizan (~80 km)
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World Class
Intermediate
Farasan Islands
Saudi ArabiaRed Sea
59.5

SCORE

16.7000°N

41.9833°E

The Farasan Islands are a remote archipelago off Saudi Arabia's southern Red Sea coast, designated as a wildlife sanctuary and home to one of the region's largest dugong populations. Virtually undived until recently, the reefs are in exceptional condition with seasonal manta rays and whale sharks. Getting here requires a ferry from Jizan and permits, but the pristine wilderness rewards the effort.

Saudi's Southern Red Sea Wilderness

Visibility10–30 m
Temperature25–33°C
Max Depth30 m
Currentmoderate
2-Tank Dive$110
Best MonthsOctober, November, December, January
CertificationOpen WaterIntermediate

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

ML72.0CH72.0VIS62.0SV48.0TMP82.0DA52.0OP55.0TS42.0GT45.0VAL62.0CRD92.0SP32.0

Marine Life

72.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity
68
Megafauna Encounters
78
Reef Fish Abundance
70
Macro Life
55
Endemic Species
62
Marine Life Diversity
72.0
Coral & Reef Health
72.0
Visibility & Conditions
62.0
Dive Site Variety
48.0
Water Temperature
82.0
Depth & Access
52.0
Operator Quality
55.0
Topside Experience
42.0
Getting There
45.0
Value & Cost
62.0
Crowding
92.0
Social Proof
32.0

Key Species

dugongmanta raywhale sharkhawksbill turtlegrouperbarracuda

Dive Types

reefdriftpelagicmangrove

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.

Activities for Non-Divers

Farasan Fortmangrove kayakingbird watchinggazelle spotting

Nearby Cultural Sites

  • Farasan Fort
  • Ottoman-era merchant houses
  • German House

Non-Diver Partner Score

4/10

Limited topside — plan ahead for non-diving partners.

Family FriendlyNot recommended
Restaurants & Nightlifenone

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.

Learn More at DAN.org
Hyperbaric Chamber80 km — King Fahd Central Hospital Hyperbaric Unit, Jizan
Nearest Hospital80 km

No hospital on islands; ferry to Jizan (80 km) for hyperbaric and hospital — dive conservatively and carry emergency O2

Skill LevelIntermediate
Current Strengthmoderate

Top Operators

Farasan Dive Expeditions

PADI

4.3
25 reviews
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Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives
25+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification
Open Water
“Accessible to most certified divers with basic open water skills.”

What will challenge you

  • →Moderate currents. Expect to drift — this is not a skill-builder site for a first trip after certification.
  • →Variable visibility
  • →Navigation in low viz

What will surprise you

  • →Thermoclines can drop water temp by 8°C between the surface and depth. Your wetsuit choice should match the minimum, not the average.
  • →Permit-restricted access. Book 6+ months ahead through a licensed operator.
  • →Farasan Islands has more marine life variety than most divers expect
  • →Local operators know spots the guidebooks miss
Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down. Tidal dependency: slight. Optimal window: First light to 11am for best visibility..

Morning
  • Viz
    high
  • Current
    moderate
  • Crowd
    light
  • reef exploration
  • photography

Best light and calmest conditions before afternoon wind picks up.

Afternoon
  • Viz
    moderate
  • Current
    moderate
  • Crowd
    moderate
  • drift diving
  • second tank

Wind chop can reduce viz. Still diveable but morning is better.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month Viz (m) Temp (°C) CurrentSea RainConfidenceHighlights
Jan20–3029ModCalmLight70%reef fish active, peak season crowds
Feb20–3029ModCalmLight70%reef fish active, peak season crowds
Mar20–3029ModCalmLight70%reef fish active, peak season crowds
Apr20–3029ModCalmLight70%reef fish active
May20–3029ModCalmLight70%reef fish active
Jun10–2031ModModWet70%reef fish active
Jul10–2031ModModWet70%reef fish active, manta season
Aug10–2031ModModWet70%reef fish active, manta season
Sep10–2031ModModWet70%reef fish active, manta season
Oct10–2031ModModWet70%reef fish active
Nov20–3029ModCalmLight70%reef fish active
Dec20–3029ModCalmLight70%reef fish active
Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects59
Wide angle69
Viz stability58
Hover friendliness55
Natural light53

Recommended kit

  • →General reef kit — mid-range wide or a 60mm macro depending on the specific site
Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget
$1,950–$2,800

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US)
$810–$990
Accommodation / day
$50–$100
Diving / day
$90–$110
Food / day
$15–$30
Transfers + misc
$50–$150
Mid-range
$3,050–$4,600

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US)
$1,150–$1,450
Accommodation / day
$120–$220
Diving / day
$110–$140
Food / day
$35–$65
Transfers + misc
$50–$150
Splurge
$5,200–$8,250

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US)
$1,800–$2,200
Accommodation / day
$260–$500
Diving / day
$140–$190
Food / day
$75–$150
Transfers + misc
$50–$150

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here