Sources · Destination Guide

Al Lith and Farasan Banks

Remote Saudi Red Sea walls and shark country, with a gentler Al Lith lagoon escape.

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Destination Guide Sources For Al Lith and Farasan Banks

Reference links used to build and maintain this guide.

35 sources • Updated Oct 29, 2026

Written by DiveJourney. Built from public sources and local operator knowledge. Last updated Oct 29, 2026.

Al Ahlam Marine - Our Packages - Al Lith/Farasan Banks multi-day product, four-day land itinerary, conflicting no-certificate wording.
Al Ahlam Marine - Al Lith Resort and Marina - Local lagoon snorkel and beginner training, day boats, resort services, rentals and exposed offshore diving.
Al Ahlam Marine - Al Leith Tour - Four-day day-by-day sample for island snorkeling, Wadi Thahb and resort leisure.
Al Ahlam Marine - Top Destinations - Jabal Al Lith protected lagoon and local island access; separates it from offshore walls.
Al Ahlam Marine - Services - Al Lith kayaking and local marine services; multi-day liveaboard operations.
Dream Divers - Itineraries - Al Lith Southern Charter transfer from Jeddah and vessel-specific tank and rental information.
DUNE Liveaboard - Farasan Banks - Direct 7-night Farasan Banks itinerary, AOWD/CMAS** with 50 logged dives, Jeddah departure, fees and insurance.
Master Liveaboards - Farasan Banks - Direct Farasan Banks itinerary, advanced and Nitrox requirements, species, sites, vessel access and inclusions.
Master Liveaboards - Saudi Arabia FAQs - Operator guidance on Saudi cruises, snorkeling limits, travel, safety, weather, gear and emergencies.
Master Liveaboards - General FAQs - Medical declarations, dive computer, insurance, cruising, children and crew tips; generic policies need booking confirmation.
Diving World Red Sea - Farasan Banks - Liveaboard itinerary and operator recommended November to May window, offshore conditions and Al Lith road transfer.
Saudi National Center for Meteorology - Climate of the Kingdom - Official national climate seasons and summer heat; broad-country guidance, not an offshore forecast.
KAUST Discovery - Whale shark populations are young and transient - Primary institutional summary of March-May seasonal juvenile whale sharks at Shib Habil near Al Lith.
PLOS ONE - Multi-method assessment of whale shark residency - Peer-reviewed Shib Habil acoustic/visual evidence for March-May peak, moderate January-February-June detections.
National Center for Wildlife - Protected Areas - Official Farasan Islands protected area is off Jazan; distinct from the Al Lith/Farasan Banks scope.
Saudi Red Sea Authority - Guide for Practitioners and Tourists - Marine activity and designated-area rules, listed licensed Al Ahlam provider, safety and permission guidance.
Saudi Press Agency - NCW and SWSDF conservation guidelines - 2025 official guidance to avoid feeding/touching marine life, anchoring on coral and seagrass, waste and spearfishing.
Visit Saudi - Official eVisa Terms and Conditions - Official eVisa passport requirement, eligibility conditions, validity and permitted stay.
Visit Saudi - Public Decorum Charter - Saudi public dress, behavioral and etiquette requirements.
Saudi National Platform - Diving Permit - Border Guard Zawil diving permit service, listed free; responsibility/implementation must be confirmed with operator.
Saudi National Platform - Issuance of Sailing Permits - Border Guard Zawil marine vessel permit mechanism and authorization.
Saudi National Platform - Protected Area Visit Permit - Conditional NCW protected-area access permit; does not establish Farasan Banks as the Farasan Islands reserve.
Dr Soliman Fakeeh Hospital - Hyperbaric Oxygen Service - Jeddah hospital directly confirms diving accident and decompression-sickness treatments.
Divers Alert Network - Flying After Diving - DAN minimum no-fly guidance of 18 hours after repetitive diving and added caution.
Divers Alert Network - Emergency Hotline - Published international diving emergency telephone number.
Divers Alert Network - What To Look for on a Dive Boat - Checks for oxygen, communications, safety equipment and evacuation planning.
Saudi Press Agency - Red Crescent emergency dispatch - Official confirmation of Saudi ambulance hotline 997 and unified 911 dispatch.
Saudi Press Agency - Border Guard emergency numbers - Official 911 for Makkah region and 994 elsewhere for Border Guard emergency support.
Saudi Standards Organization - Plug and Socket Campaign - Official dual-voltage history, 230V transition and British-type sockets.
Saudi Standards Organization - Electronic Display Standard 2026 - Official reference to standardized Saudi 230V 60Hz electrical supply.
King Abdulaziz International Airport - Official Site - Official Jeddah air gateway.
Saudi Air Navigation Services - Jeddah Airport AIP - Official aviation aerodrome listing for OEJN / Jeddah.
Visit Saudi - Traveling in Saudi Arabia - Official tourism statements on public clothing and tipping not being mandatory.
Destination hero photo by Ryan McMinds (historical) - Porites lutea, Al Lith. CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/). Cropped and resized for the cover.
Destination hero photo by Francesco Ungaro - Representative photo. Coral reef wall and fish, photographed in the Farasan Islands, Saudi Arabia. Unsplash License (https://unsplash.com/license). Photographer: https://unsplash.com/@francesco_ungaro. Cropped and resized for the cover.