Diving

Diving is the main reason most visitors come to Yanbu, and the reefs justify the journey. The Red Sea off Yanbu is less visited than the better-known sites at Jeddah, Aqaba, and Sharm el-Sheikh, which means the coral is in better condition and the fish populations are more intact. Several dive centres operate in the city, offering guided boat dives to specific reef sites as well as equipment hire, PADI courses, and introductory dives for beginners.

The reefs lie a short boat ride offshore and contain the range of marine life the Red Sea is known for: moray eels, lionfish, grouper, turtles, rays, and the occasional reef shark. Visibility is best from October through May — water temperature around 22°C and visibility regularly exceeding 20 metres. The summer months bring warmer water and reduced visibility.

Non-diving snorkelling is possible close to some shore sites along the coast, though the best reefs require a boat. Dive centres can provide information on current conditions and organise shore-based snorkelling excursions if diving is not your preference.

things to do sight
A story
Yanbu's reefs escaped the intensive dive tourism that has stressed the sites around Jeddah and the northern Red Sea over recent decades. The result is coral in better condition and fish populations that are less habituated to — and less depleted by — divers. The reefs here were already well-regarded when Jacques Cousteau filmed in the Red Sea in the 1950s; the Yanbu section has maintained more of that original character.