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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Red Sea and Arabia

Red Sea and Arabia

Saudi Arabia

Quiet Red Sea reefs, a spring nursery of young whale sharks and islands where turtles come ashore to nest.

Red Sea shore at Al Shati on the Jeddah corniche, Saudi Arabia
Al Shati, Jeddah corniche · Photo: Suhrid on Unsplash
On pause, travel not recommended

On pause, travel not recommended. A government travel advisory says not to travel here, so we do not offer trips. Sources: Recomendaciones de viaje: Arabia Saudi, Embajada de Espana en Riad, 2026; Saudi Arabia travel advice, UK FCDO, 2026; Whale shark hot spot offers new conservation insights, KAUST, 2019.

Why: Because of the regional conflict, EU and US citizens may be advised against travelling to Saudi Arabia, and the UK reports missile and drone attacks on cities including Jeddah and Yanbu, so please check your own government's website. Our ethics check for trips is paused. What we know: Shib Habil reef near Al Lith is a rare gathering place for young whale sharks, which are endangered, and no clear tourism code has been confirmed. If trips ever happen, we would only join them in the water if a clear legal code exists, with no touching and no chasing.

We share this country as a story and do not offer trips. This is not a judgement of the people or the ocean here. It only means that today we could not find a visit that meets our animal-welfare and safety standards. Places change, so we look again every year.

⚠️ Official travel advice is a separate question, and it differs by passport. EU citizens or US citizens may be advised against travelling there, so please check your own government’s website before you plan.

ScubaSnorkellingWhale sharksTurtlesSharks

Why Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast runs for hundreds of kilometres of reefs, lagoons and offshore islands that few divers have seen. Off Al Lith, young whale sharks gather in the first half of the year, most often in April and May. Scalloped hammerheads are sometimes met on deeper offshore dives, and green and hawksbill turtles nest on the northern islands in summer. A small number of shy dugongs graze the seagrass and are only ever seen by chance from the boat. November to April has the kindest air, while June to September is very hot. Government travel advice for Saudi Arabia changed in 2026, with warnings for several cities and the Yemen border area, so Ocean Calling is only researching it for now and does not offer trips there.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

KazakhstanUzbekistanDem. Rep. CongoSomaliaKenyaSudanChadRussiaFranceMaliMauritaniaBeninNigerNigeriaCameroonTogoGhanaCôte d'IvoireBurkina FasoCentral African Rep.IsraelLebanonPalestineTunisiaAlgeriaJordanUnited Arab EmiratesQatarKuwaitIraqOmanMongoliaIndiaNepalPakistanAfghanistanTajikistanKyrgyzstanTurkmenistanIranSyriaArmeniaRomaniaBulgariaGreeceTurkeyAlbaniaCroatiaPortugalSpainSri LankaChinaItalyAzerbaijanGeorgiaEritreaYemenSaudi ArabiaN. CyprusCyprusMoroccoEgyptLibyaEthiopiaDjiboutiSomalilandBosnia and Herz.MacedoniaSerbiaMontenegroKosovoS. SudanUmluj and the Red Sea islands, Saudi ArabiaYanbu, Saudi ArabiaJeddah and Obhur, Saudi ArabiaAl Lith, Saudi ArabiaGulf of Aqaba coast, Saudi Arabia

When to go

Nov-Apr. Timing changes by place and by animal, so check each place below.

Official travel advice or our ethics check means we do not send guests here.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

On pause, travel not recommended

We follow government travel advice. We will look again when it changes.

This is not a judgement of the people or the ocean here. It only means that today we could not find a visit that meets our animal-welfare and safety standards. Places change, so we look again every year. Checked 30 Sep 2026.

⚠️ Official travel advice is a separate question, and it differs by passport. EU citizens or US citizens may be advised against travelling there, so please check your own government’s website before you plan.

Sources for this check
The story

Where in Saudi Arabia

We share these places as stories and research notes. We do not offer or sell trips here.

Umluj and the Red Sea islands

On pause, travel not recommended

Calm lagoons and island reefs where green and hawksbill turtles feed and nest.

What lives here: Reef fish, Bumphead parrotfish, Green and hawksbill turtles, Reef sharks, Rays

Also seen: Nesting turtles (Jun to Sep, science led only and not a guest visit)

When: Nov-Apr. November to April has milder air and calm lagoons. Turtles nest from June to September.

Yanbu

On pause, travel not recommended

Offshore reefs and walls known for barracuda, eagle rays and seasonal hammerheads.

What lives here: Hammerheads (cooler months, possible), Barracuda, Eagle rays, Reef sharks, Turtles

Also seen: Dolphins (from the boat, occasional)

When: Dec-Apr. Hammerheads are most often reported in the cooler months, roughly December to April.

Jeddah and Obhur

On pause, travel not recommended

City diving on wrecks and coral walls, a short boat ride from the shore.

What lives here: Wrecks, Coral walls, Eagle rays, Napoleon wrasse, Barracuda

Also seen: Dolphins (from the boat, occasional)

When: Nov-Mar. November to March is the most comfortable time. Summer air is very hot.

Al Lith

On pause, travel not recommended

A reef where young whale sharks gather, mostly in the first half of the year.

What lives here: Reef fish, Rays

Also seen: Young whale sharks (Jan-Jun, most often Apr-May, not guaranteed)

When: Jan-Jun. Tagging research found young whale sharks here from about January to June, most often in April and May. Sightings are never certain.

Gulf of Aqaba coast

On pause, travel not recommended

Clear northern reefs where turtles nest and hammerheads have been seen around offshore pinnacles.

What lives here: Reef fish, Green and hawksbill turtles, Whitetip reef sharks, Hammerheads (rare, offshore pinnacles)

Also seen: Dugongs (rare, from the boat)

Animals

Animals recorded in Saudi Arabia

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Huge spotted whale shark gliding through open blue waterWhale sharkRhincodon typusSeen in 54 countries in the AtlasEndangeredScalloped hammerhead shark cruising in deep blue Red Sea waterScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewiniSeen in 57 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredTiger shark with clear stripes swimming over a reefTiger sharkGaleocerdo cuvierSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedWhitetip reef sharks resting stacked in a reef creviceWhitetip reef sharkTriaenodon obesusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasVulnerableGreen turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHawksbill turtle swimming, pointed beak in profileHawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricataSeen in 88 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredDugong grazing on seagrass over a sandy seabedDugongDugong dugonSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasVulnerableIndian Ocean humpback dolphin showing its pale dorsal humpIndian Ocean humpback dolphinSousa plumbeaSeen in 13 countries in the AtlasEndangeredSchool of bumphead parrotfish swimming over coralBumphead parrotfishBolbometopon muricatumSeen in 16 countries in the AtlasVulnerableScarred Risso's dolphin spyhopping out of the waterRisso's dolphinGrampus griseusSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernOceanic whitetip shark with pilot fish in sunlit Red Sea waterOceanic whitetip sharkCarcharhinus longimanusSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredWall of grey reef sharks cruising in blue waterGrey reef sharkCarcharhinus amblyrhynchosSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasEndangeredGreat hammerhead seen from above over rippled white sandGreat hammerheadSphyrna mokarranSeen in 20 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredPod of bottlenose dolphins swimming over a Red Sea coral reefIndo-Pacific bottlenose dolphinTursiops aduncusSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedPantropical spotted dolphin gliding at the calm ocean surfacePantropical spotted dolphinStenella attenuataSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo spinner dolphins swimming over sand in clear waterSpinner dolphinStenella longirostrisSeen in 66 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBlue-spotted ribbontail ray resting on sand, seen from aboveBlue-spotted ribbontail rayTaeniura lymmaSeen in 22 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWhite-spotted eagle rays gliding over coral at Heron Island, Great Barrier ReefSpotted eagle ray (ocellated eagle ray)Aetobatus ocellatusSeen in 28 countries in the AtlasEndangeredRed lionfish with spread fins over sand in Dauin, PhilippinesLionfish (red and common lionfish)Pterois volitans and Pterois milesSeen in 80 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWell camouflaged scorpionfish on dark sand in Lembeh StraitScorpionfishScorpaenopsis speciesSeen in 22 countries in the AtlasVaries by speciesTitan triggerfish swimming over a reef slope in blue waterTitan triggerfishBalistoides viridescensSeen in 40 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernHumphead wrasse swimming over a coral reef in Raja AmpatHumphead wrasse (Napoleon wrasse)Cheilinus undulatusSeen in 34 countries in the AtlasEndangeredHalavi guitarfish resting on a sandy seabed in clear shallow waterHalavi guitarfishGlaucostegus halaviSeen in 2 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredCommon bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo blacktip reef sharks swimming over sunlit sand in turquoise waterBlacktip reef sharkCarcharhinus melanopterusSeen in 38 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSchool of bigeye trevally swirling near the seabed at AmedBigeye trevallyCaranx sexfasciatusSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat barracuda cruising in open blue water, showing jagged teethGreat barracudaSphyraena barracudaSeen in 84 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernEstuary seahorse with textured orange skin on dark sandCommon (estuary) seahorseHippocampus kudaSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBluestreak cleaner wrasse with black stripe and blue tailBluestreak cleaner wrasseLabroides dimidiatusSeen in 51 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSilky shark swimming near the surface in blue waterSilky sharkCarcharhinus falciformisSeen in 48 countries in the AtlasVulnerableDay octopus beside a coral head on a sandy Red Sea reefDay octopusOctopus cyaneaSeen in 35 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernDark cormorant perched on a pale rock ledge with its head raisedSocotra cormorantPhalacrocorax nigrogularisSeen in 8 countries in the AtlasVulnerableWhite-eyed gull perched on a corrugated roof against a blue sky, with a dark hood and red billWhite-eyed gullIchthyaetus leucophthalmusSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAdult brown booby standing on a rock with its bill open against blue sky, PrincipeBrown boobySula leucogasterSeen in 104 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGiant trevally swimming close to a coral head, with small reef fish in blue water behind itGiant trevallyCaranx ignobilisSeen in 33 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat cormorant perched on a branch, with white head plumes and a glossy blue-black backGreat cormorantPhalacrocorax carboSeen in 90 countries in the AtlasLeast Concern
Curious?

Why this is a story, not a trip

Read our ethics check above. If you would like to talk about it, Rocío is happy to explain.

Ask RocíoBack to the Ocean Atlas

Also in Red Sea and Arabia
BahrainDjiboutiEgyptEritreaIranIraqIsraelJordanKuwaitOmanPakistanQatarSudanUnited Arab EmiratesYemen

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