Saudi Arabia
I dived the Farasan Banks itinerary which is run from February through to May. After that it gets too hot in the south so the boat moves north to dive a different itinerary. I thought the diving was fantastic - new dive sites are being discovered all the time, and the guides are actively exploring and discovering new areas to add to the itinerary. There is one other boat that was also running this itinerary, but we only crossed paths with them once during the entire trip.
Most sites are fringing reef, with a large plateau at 30-40m leading to a steep drop off. We tended to dive the more exposed end of the reef to give us the best chance of spotting pelagics. Most dives started with a swim out above the plateau to the drop-off, 20 minutes in the blue looking for big stuff, and then a slow swim back up to the reef for the final 20 minutes exploring the shallows. The water was warm - between 27 and 30 Celsius. At some sites we had light to medium current, but we generally drifted with it rather than having to swim against it. Entries and exits were a mix of zodiac diving or straight from the main boat, depending on the conditions and how close we could get to the reef.
We were briefed to expect schooling hammerheads, huge shoals of barracuda and tuna, and plenty of silky, whitetip, and grey reef sharks. However, the water temperature had warmed up to the point that the big stuff was much deeper than it had been several weeks before. The other group had one encounter with a group of around 30 scalloped hammerheads that circled them for 5 minutes, but we generally didn’t see as much pelagic life as in previous trips. The guides told me that the best time to dive was February through April when the water is around 25C. We did spot one or two lone hammerheads, a couple of eagle rays, and a mobula ray. But the best experience was a family of dolphins that hung out with us for 10 minutes during our safety stop.
I was most impressed by the condition of the coral reefs. I have never experienced such healthy corals and sponges. The entire reef is covered - no patches of rock or areas of dead or damaged coral. It’s pristine! And there are tons of small and medium fish life. The ecosystem seems to be in perfect balance - completely untouched. Swimming over the plateau areas we looked down on nesting trigger fish, reef sharks sleeping on sandy patches, small groups of juvenile barracuda and jack - the amount of life was exceptional.
Saudi Arabia has a poor reputation in the west, however, I didn’t experience anything negative during my travel into and out of the country. The new international airport (Terminal 1) is very modern and well organised. The arrivals area has food and coffee outlets, a huge aquarium, and is only a short walk to the transport waiting area. Credit card and wireless payments are readily accepted. The Saudis I encountered spoke good English and were friendly and helpful.
I didn’t venture further than the airports on this trip, however, I met a lady on the boat who lives in Dubai and regularly travels throughout the Gulf States. She had just completed a road trip around Saudi with another female friend and the photos looked fantastic! She didn’t encounter any problems from a safety point of view, in fact she said she felt it was one of the safest Middle Eastern countries she has visited.
There is no requirement for non-Muslim ladies to wear a headscarf, in fact there were many without at the airport. Both men and women should cover their legs and shoulders when out in public - loose trousers and a t-shirt is perfectly acceptable. Once on the boat, it was no issue to wear standard liveaboard clothing - the crew are all Egyptian so quite comfortable with guests wearing shorts and vests, swimsuits, etc.
