Yanbu Reefs

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

• Visit Saudi: Yanbu destination - Saudi Tourism Authority destination page, updated August 19, 2026. Confirms Yanbu base, Seven Sisters offshore coral walls and possible hammerhead reports, and Yanbu Beach snorkeling.
• Visit Saudi: Diving in the Depths of Yanbu - Official May 2024 feature on Yanbu diving instruction, local outfitters, reefs and wrecks. Marketing claims are not access or safety guarantees.
• Visit Saudi: A Weekend Break at Yanbu - Official October 2024 guide to Sharm Yanbu Bay, swimming and waterfront, historic district and local markets.
• Visit Saudi: Yanbu Historic District - Official description of the historic district; says no general admission ticket.
• PADI: Scuba Diver, Yanbu - Independent PADI dive-center listing for Yanbu, covering training, boat and shore diving, snorkeling, gear rental and English/Arabic service. Published listings do not confirm departure slots.
• Sport Scuba Diver: October 2026 weekend departures - First-party date-specific October 2026 Friday/Saturday two-dive schedule, Seven Sisters and Iona routes, snorkel seats, 475 SAR scuba, 350 SAR snorkel, try dives, cancellations and permit rules. Must reconfirm schedule and price.
• PADI: Coral Reef Divers, Yanbu - PADI listing confirms local scuba, snorkeling, reef trips, island excursions, rental and night-dive service advertising; does not supply dated reservations.
• SSI: Saudi Diving Center, Yanbu - SSI listing places training center in Yanbu, advertises freediving and snorkel programs plus shore, boat and wreck dives. No independently verified 2026 freedive departure calendar.
• Saudi Water Sports and Diving Federation: Saudi Diving Center - Federation public membership record for Yanbu center; describes dive permit handling, instruction, dive trips, air and nitrox services. Status checked October 2026.
• Coral Beach KSA: Seven Sisters trip - Operator-sold Seven Sisters Friday excursion with Al Aziziyah Marina meeting point and Advanced Open Water prerequisite, listed SAR 650 but marked out of stock at research. Not evidence of current bookability.
• Master Liveaboards: Seven Sisters and Umlajj itinerary - Direct overnight operator itinerary embarking at Yanbu Port and covering Seven Sisters, offshore walls, Iona wreck and, beyond this guide boundary, Umlajj; 7 nights, 10 logged dives minimum and AOW recommended.
• Master Liveaboards: Saudi Master schedule - Direct operator scheduled Yanbu-based Seven Sisters/Five Corals and Seven Sisters/Umlajj liveaboards from October 2026 onwards; schedule and promotional prices are changeable.
• Saudi Red Sea Authority: Visitor yachting guidance - Official practical marine-activity guidance: designated areas, applicable permits, accredited dive centers, safety equipment and licensed supervisors. Source page sometimes blocks full-page retrieval.
• Saudi Red Sea Authority: Marine activity service licensing - Authority portal identifies marine tour operator and vessel-charter licensing categories. Does not prove any specific local charter is licensed.
• Saudi Government: Diving Permit service - National government Zawil diving-permit service for individuals, including visitors, with listed free e-service. Actual operator, vessel and site permissions must be confirmed.
• Saudi Government: Tourist visa information - Saudi national portal explains eligible visitor eVisas and general visa-on-arrival categories; verify nationality-specific terms.
• Saudi eVisa official terms - Official application terms: eligible passport, six months validity, eVisa generally one-year multiple-entry, no more than three months stay, fee displayed at application.
• Saudi Council of Health Insurance: Tourist insurance - Official tourist-visa insurance information; does not establish coverage for diving or evacuation.
• Saudi Red Sea Authority: Seasonal coastal guidance - Official visitor marine-season framing: milder spring/autumn and winter suitability for diving, without month-level Yanbu boat guarantees.
• National Center for Meteorology: Kingdom climate - Saudi weather authority general season pattern and heat ranges; not a precise Yanbu underwater forecast.
• National Center for Meteorology: Yanbu forecasts - Official live Yanbu weather alerts and forecast; check immediately before marine departure. Do not preserve historical forecast as future condition.
• Saudi Press Agency: NCW and SWSDF reef guidelines - July 2025 official announcement cautioning against anchoring on coral or seagrass and promoting sustainable diving.
• Saudi government: Emergency contact numbers - Official 911 general emergency, 997 ambulance, 994 Border Guard/Coast Guard, 998 Civil Defense, 937 MOH.
• DAN: Dive emergency hotline - DAN 24/7 dive medical emergency number +1-919-684-9111; DAN Europe Middle East coverage and European hotline also listed.
• DAN: Flying after diving - DAN minimum recommended flying intervals: 12 hours single no-stop dive, 18 hours after multiple/repetitive no-stop dives, at least 24 hours for mandatory decompression; longer buffers help.
• DAN: Chamber availability caution - Explains why chamber availability and capability must be checked directly, and the need for initial medical stabilization.
• Royal Commission Hospital: Yanbu Medical Center - Primary hospital network page identifies Yanbu Medical Center as a medical resource, not a verified recompression chamber.
• Mouwasat: Yanbu Hospital - Provider page states Yanbu general hospital has emergency services; no verified diver recompression capability.
• Saudi civil aviation: Yanbu airport AIP - Saudi aviation primary airport entry confirms OEYN, Prince Abdulmohsin Bin Abdulaziz Airport, regional international operation.
• Madinah airport: Ground transport - Official MED airport lists car rental, taxi and app-based transfers; this is an alternative gateway, not a local Yanbu airport.
• Visit Saudi: Local currency, ATM, emergency contacts - Official Saudi riyal, common card payment and ATM access; emergency details.
• Visit Saudi: Female traveler etiquette and tipping - Tourism authority says tipping accepted but not mandatory; public attire must respect decency law.
• Saudi eVisa: Public decorum - Official visitor code asks for modest dress in public places.
• UNFCCC: Saudi travel practicalities - UN organizer travel guidance: Saudi Type G plugs, 230 V 60 Hz and Arabic/English travel context.
• United States State Department: Saudi Arabia travel advisory - Current countrywide advisory and emergency/health context; recheck risk profile before travel.
• SnorkelForecast: Yanbu model-based historical surface temperatures - Historical modeled sea surface data, 2023 to 2025; supports broad cooler winter/warmer summer pattern, not dive-depth or future safety predictions.
• Destination hero photo by Imam Abiyyu - Unsplash License. Photographer profile: https://unsplash.com/@imabiyyu | Location: Yanbu, Saudi Arabia