Ever imagined plunging into a world painted in shades of blue and coral? On Saudi Arabia’s western coast, Jeddah stands as the gateway to one of the most captivating underwater realms on Earth—the Red Sea. Here, crystal-clear waters host more than 1,200 species of marine life, from the sleek sailfish to the regal Napoleon wrasse, often called the “queen of the coral reefs.” Beneath the sunlight-dappled surface, the seascape reveals an ecosystem as dazzling as any natural wonder above ground.

A Year-Round Diving Haven

The Red Sea offers more than 500 dive sites, making it a true all-season paradise for divers. Its warm, inviting waters remain comfortable throughout the year, while spring brings particularly clear visibility and calm currents—perfect for new divers and seasoned adventurers alike. With its consistently mild conditions, Jeddah’s coast invites exploration 12 months a year, offering a different mood and marine palette with every season.

Adventures for Every Kind of Explorer

Whether you’re traveling with family, friends, or solo, Jeddah’s diving spots and coastal activities cater to all experience levels. Families can snorkel through shallow coral gardens alive with colorful fish, while thrill seekers can explore deeper wrecks and dramatic drop-offs. Beyond diving, visitors can try kayaking, surfing, and freediving—each offering fresh perspectives on the region’s marine beauty.

Hidden Gems Along Jeddah’s Coast

Sharm Obhur

Just north of central Jeddah lies Sharm Obhur, a favorite among local divers. Its shallow reefs make it ideal for beginners, but even experienced divers find wonder in its thriving coral gardens and vibrant sea life—home to turtles, clownfish, and a kaleidoscope of soft corals.

Abu Tair Island

Adventurers can dive into history at the Abu Tair wreck site, where the remains of the Greek ship Stavronisos rest off Jeddah’s southwest coast. The wreck’s cables and structure have become a haven for countless species, offering striking photographic opportunities for those searching for macro marine life.

“Ann Ann” Wreck Site

Off Abu Faramish, this hauntingly beautiful site features a sunken vessel now encrusted with bright corals, forming a vivid underwater mosaic. It’s a living example of how marine ecosystems reclaim human artifacts, creating a spectacular dive for underwater photographers.

Mount Laith Island

Located south of Jeddah, Mount Laith is famed for hosting gatherings of whale sharks—the gentle giants of the sea. Its surrounding reefs are among the most colorful in the region, and its sandy beaches invite divers to unwind amid serene coastal scenery.

Why Jeddah Stands Out

Unrivaled Marine Biodiversity: From graceful rays to elusive hammerhead sharks, Jeddah’s underwater world offers encounters rarely seen elsewhere.

Top-Class Facilities: Modern dive centers provide professional instruction, reliable gear, and guided excursions for beginners and experts. Night dives and private tours make the experience even more memorable.

Culture Beyond the Shore: After surfacing, visitors can experience Jeddah’s cultural heartbeat in the historic district of Al-Balad, or enjoy fresh Red Sea seafood at one of the city’s beachfront restaurants.

Ideal Climate: With sunshine and warm seawater year-round, Jeddah ensures comfort both in and out of the water.

Insider Tips for an Unforgettable Dive

• Check your certification before diving; local dive shops also offer beginner courses.
• Consider dive insurance for safety and peace of mind.
• Practice marine respect—avoid touching corals or disturbing wildlife.
• Hydrate before and after dives to prevent fatigue.
• Monitor weather and visibility to choose the best dive conditions.

Scuba diving from Jeddah is more than just an adventure—it’s a journey into a living, breathing masterpiece crafted by nature. Each descent unveils another chapter of the Red Sea’s story, where history, color, and marine life converge in breathtaking harmony.

Whether you’re chasing the thrill of discovering a shipwreck or floating among schools of glittering fish, Jeddah promises experiences you’ll carry long after you resurface.

Saudi Arabia has unveiled a new Package Visa pilot programme designed to make travel to the Kingdom easier by allowing eligible visitors to secure a tourist visa through approved travel and tourism service providers as part of a bundled travel package.

The initiative is a joint effort involving the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, and the Insurance Authority. It forms part of the Kingdom's broader strategy to streamline entry procedures and enhance the visitor experience.

The Package Visa expands on earlier visa reforms, including the tourist e-Visa, visa on arrival, and Stopover Transit Visa. Together, these measures helped Saudi Arabia attract more than 29 million international visitors in 2025.

Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb said the programme demonstrates the Kingdom's commitment to making travel more convenient and accessible while strengthening partnerships across the tourism industry.

He said the new initiative enables travel providers to offer a more seamless visitor experience by combining visa processing with travel services, reflecting Saudi Arabia's continued focus on innovation and tourism growth.

During the pilot phase, eligible travellers can book complete travel packages through qualified providers, with each package including round-trip flights, accommodation at licensed hotels and the electronic tourist visa application. Providers may also add attractions, events and tourism experiences to create more comprehensive itineraries.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, the programme is expected to reduce administrative procedures for visitors while helping travel companies develop higher-value packages that encourage longer stays and increased tourism spending.

Participation in the pilot is limited to travel providers that meet strict operational standards, including offering digital booking platforms, round-the-clock technical support and dedicated customer service.

The launch comes as Saudi Arabia continues to record strong tourism growth. The Ministry of Tourism's 2025 Annual Statistical Report showed the Kingdom welcomed approximately 123 million domestic and international tourists last year, representing a 6% increase compared with 2024.

Tourism spending reached a record SR304 billion, up 7% year-on-year, while the sector accounted for 4.9% of Saudi Arabia's GDP in 2024, with its contribution continuing to expand in 2025.

The report also revealed that 29.3 million international visitors generated SR176.6 billion in inbound tourism spending, while 93.3 million domestic travellers spent SR127.1 billion. Non-religious travel represented around 52% of inbound overnight visits in 2025, compared with 44% in 2019.

Employment across Saudi Arabia's tourism sector reached nearly 1.03 million jobs in 2025. Women accounted for approximately 47% of Saudi nationals employed in tourism-related activities, a significant rise from 5% at the end of 2018.

Source: Saudi Gazette

The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language has introduced a two-month communicative Arabic language programme for non-Arabic-speaking cabin crew employed by Saudia, marking another step in efforts to strengthen Arabic language proficiency in professional settings.

The initiative follows a cooperation agreement between the academy and the national airline aimed at improving workplace language skills. The course focuses on practical communication, enabling participants to use Arabic confidently in day-to-day operational situations while enhancing interactions with passengers and supporting efficient service delivery.

According to the academy, the programme forms part of its broader portfolio of specialised language initiatives developed in collaboration with organisations across multiple sectors. These programmes are designed to promote Arabic language learning and encourage its wider application in professional and institutional environments.

Earlier this month, the academy also participated in Saudi Arabia's pavilion at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair, where it highlighted a range of projects aimed at expanding the global reach of the Arabic language.

Visitors to the pavilion were introduced to the academy's Arabic language courses for non-native speakers, language qualification programmes, and ongoing work to advance Arabic digital content and computational language processing technologies.

Source: ARAB NEWS

The Saudi Culture Pavilion at Al-Tayebat International City of Science and Knowledge Museum in Jeddah is offering visitors an immersive journey through the Kingdom's cultural heritage, highlighting the traditions, craftsmanship and regional identities reflected in Saudi Arabia's historic attire.

Recognized as one of the country's leading cultural and educational attractions, the pavilion presents an extensive collection of traditional garments that illustrate the distinctive clothing styles developed across Saudi Arabia's regions over generations.

The museum complex consists of 12 heritage buildings constructed in the traditional Hijazi architectural style and houses more than 365 exhibition halls. A significant portion of its galleries is dedicated to showcasing regional costumes, textiles and handcrafted items, combining carefully preserved artifacts with detailed historical interpretation.

Exhibits guide visitors across the Kingdom's diverse cultural landscape, featuring clothing and accessories unique to each region.

The western and Hijazi section displays women's garments such as the zaboun, maharem headscarves and mudawwara, alongside men's daqla, sidiriyah waistcoat and Hijazi turban. The collection is presented against traditional carved wooden rawasheen, a defining feature of Jeddah's historic architecture.

The central and eastern regions are represented through elegant Al-Ahsa bishts woven with gold zari thread, as well as intricately embroidered jalabiyas that reflect the area's long-standing textile traditions.

In the southern gallery, brightly colored mijnab garments and shirts decorated with vibrant cane-thread embroidery are exhibited alongside aromatic floral garlands and traditional silver jewelry, highlighting the region's distinctive artistic heritage.

The northern collection features the mhawthal and heavy abayas designed to withstand the harsh desert climate, illustrating how clothing evolved to meet local environmental conditions.

Youssef Mohammed Kiki, the museum's general supervisor, said the garments serve as valuable historical records, documenting the lifestyles, occupations and environmental conditions of communities across different regions of Saudi Arabia.

He added that by preserving these rare collections, the museum aims to strengthen younger generations' appreciation of the Kingdom's cultural heritage while offering visitors a deeper understanding of its diverse traditions.

Source: ARAB NEWS

Saudi Arabia has introduced temporary travel restrictions affecting three African countries in response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak, implementing a series of precautionary public health measures aimed at preventing the virus from entering the Kingdom.

The Kingdom's Public Health Authority (Weqaya) announced on Thursday that travelers arriving directly from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and South Sudan will be prohibited from entering Saudi Arabia until further notice, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

In addition, Saudi authorities have suspended the issuance of all entry visas for individuals who have been present in any of the three affected countries during the 21 days preceding their arrival in Saudi Arabia, even if they travel through a third country.

Health authorities have also strengthened screening procedures for passengers arriving from Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville). Travelers from these countries will undergo health assessments at border entry points and be subject to enhanced disease surveillance measures.

Weqaya said Saudi Arabia has not recorded any Ebola infections since 2019.

According to the World Health Organization, Ebola was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976 and has an average case fatality rate of about 50 percent. The virus has claimed approximately 15,000 lives since its discovery.

Separately, French health authorities confirmed on Wednesday the country's first Ebola case after a doctor contracted the virus while serving on a humanitarian mission in the DRC. The physician has since been admitted to a specialized quarantine facility for treatment and monitoring.

Source: ARAB NEWS

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has taken action against 21 Umrah service providers, suspending them from offering services to pilgrims after identifying performance deficiencies and regulatory violations.

According to the ministry, the decision is based on evaluations conducted during the previous Umrah season, which highlighted a noticeable decline in service quality among several operators, along with breaches of established regulations governing the sector.

Of the companies affected, 15 were suspended due to low performance scores under the ministry’s approved assessment framework, while six others were penalized for violations that required formal corrective measures.

Officials said the move forms part of early preparations for the upcoming Umrah season and reflects ongoing efforts to ensure that pilgrims receive consistently high standards of service.

The ministry explained that its evaluation system relies on a set of operational and supervisory indicators designed to measure compliance and service quality. These mechanisms are intended to strengthen competition among service providers, raise industry standards, and support the broader objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which includes enhancing the experience of pilgrims visiting the Kingdom and the Prophet’s Mosque.

Reaffirming its regulatory stance, the ministry emphasized that it maintains a zero-tolerance approach toward any shortcomings that could affect service quality or the rights of pilgrims. It added that continuous monitoring and evaluation of Umrah companies remain central to improving the sector and ensuring sustained service development.