Dive Site: Farasan Islands

About Farasan Islands

The Farasan Islands, situated in the southern Red Sea off the coast of Jazan, represent Saudi Arabia's premier destination for biodiverse diving. This UNESCO Biosphere Reserve encompasses over 84 coral islands, islets, and shoals, featuring reef ecosystems of extraordinary pristine quality due to their isolation and minimal human impact. It is considered one of the most genuinely frontier diving experiences globally. Underwater, divers encounter a landscape of deep walls, steep drop-offs, and vibrant coral formations plunging dramatically to depths beyond 40 meters. The untouched coral systems boast massive bommies and healthy reefs, providing habitat for a wide array of marine species. Visibility is often crystal clear, enhancing the exploration of this diverse topography. Marine life is abundant and includes frequent sightings of pelagic species such as schooling hammerheads, barracuda, tuna, and various other sharks, especially between November and February. Oceanic manta rays are reliably seen during the summer months, particularly from May to September, and whale sharks can be encountered from February to May. This rich biodiversity makes every dive a unique experience. Diving here often involves strong currents and deep profiles, making it ideally suited for intermediate and advanced divers. Liveaboard trips are the recommended way to access the best dive spots in this remote location, ensuring an adventurous exploration of these scarcely visited waters.

Dive site facts: Farasan Islands

Depth

10–40 m

Typical dive

15–40 m

Current

Strong

Visibility

20–25 m

Water temperature

24–29°C

Entry

Liveaboard / Tender

Level

Advanced

Dive type

Wall, Pelagic, Deep, Drift, Reef

Night dive

Possible

Region / port

Southern Red Sea / Jazan

Coordinates

22.3694° N, 38.5989° E

Conditions & Currents

Currents around the Farasan Islands can be strong, especially in deeper areas and around exposed sites, making it a challenging environment suited for advanced divers. Divers should be prepared for potential strong currents that can pull them off the wall, and moderate currents that may require active finning to hold position. Drift diving is common due to the consistent water movement along walls, with controlled entries often necessary. While specific details on thermoclines are not consistently reported for Farasan, the Red Sea generally can experience them at depth, especially during warmer months. Visibility often exceeds 20-30 meters, reaching up to 25 meters even with strong currents, providing clear views of the marine topography. Due to the remote nature, boat traffic is minimal, ensuring an undisturbed dive experience.

Marine life & sighting chances

Hammerhead shark

Nov-Feb · common

Oceanic manta ray

May-Sep · occasional

Barracuda

common

Tuna

common

Whale shark

Feb-May · occasional

Reef shark

common

Jack

common

Nudibranch

occasional

Seahorse

occasional

Red Sea clownfish

common

Green turtle

occasional

Coral trout

common

Dive profile & how the dive runs

Dives at the Farasan Islands typically begin with a negative entry from a tender, especially when strong currents are present, allowing immediate descent to the wall or reef. The dive often follows a wall profile, navigating through impressive underwater topography with depths frequently reaching 15-40 meters. Divers will explore vibrant coral formations and steep drop-offs, keeping an eye out into the blue for pelagic encounters such as schooling hammerheads. The route progresses along the reef, often as a drift dive, guided by the current. Turn points are determined by air consumption and current conditions, ensuring conservative dive planning. Safety stops are conducted in the shallows, often sheltered behind reef structures, before ascending back to the tender.

Underwater photography

For photography at the Farasan Islands, wide-angle lenses are essential to capture the expansive coral systems, deep walls, and large pelagic species like hammerhead sharks and mantas. Strobes are recommended to bring out the vibrant colors of the healthy corals and schooling fish, especially in deeper sections of the walls. Due to potential strong currents, excellent buoyancy control is paramount to avoid damaging delicate corals and to maintain stable shots. When encountering larger marine life, maintain a respectful distance and avoid chasing subjects to ensure natural behavior and ethical wildlife photography. Be prepared for varying light conditions as you explore different depths along the walls.

Combine with nearby dive sites

• Abu Galawa

  Known for coral gardens and diverse marine life.

• Farasan Banks

  A large area of remote reefs and islands attracting numerous pelagics.

• Al Lith Marine Sanctuary

  A protected marine area with thriving ecosystems, accessible from Al Lith.

Getting there & logistics

Access to the Farasan Islands is primarily via liveaboard, departing from ports such as Al Lith, which is accessible through internal transfers from major international airports like King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) in Jeddah. Alternatively, some liveaboards might depart from Jizan. Trip lengths typically range from multi-day itineraries, allowing exploration of this remote archipelago. There are generally no specific dive site permits or fees mentioned for Farasan itself beyond the liveaboard cost. The islands are usually combined into itineraries that focus on pristine Red Sea diving, often including other remote reefs and banks in the southern region of Saudi Arabia, emphasizing untouched environments and pelagic encounters.

Safety & environment

The nearest recompression chamber is located in Jeddah, a significant distance from the remote Farasan Islands, highlighting the importance of cautious diving practices. Evacuation in this secluded area would likely be prolonged, requiring air or sea transport back to a medical facility. Comprehensive dive insurance covering emergency medical treatment and evacuation is therefore absolutely essential. Site-specific hazards include strong currents and deep dive profiles, which necessitate advanced dive training and experience. Divers must strictly adhere to depth limits, no-decompression limits, and proper ascent rates. Always follow the dive guide's instructions, especially regarding negative entries and drift diving techniques, to ensure safety in these challenging conditions. Maintain excellent buoyancy control to avoid contact with marine life and delicate corals.

Who it suits — and who it doesn't

FAQ

Farasan Islands FAQ