Farasan Islands

The Farasan Islands are a scattered archipelago of about 200 islands in the southern Red Sea, forming part of the Jizan Region and representing one of the kingdom's most important marine and ecological assets.

The main island, Farasan, is dominated by the ruined Portuguese fort of Al-Qanfud, built from coral stone in the sixteenth century and partially restored, a reminder that the islands were once a waystation on the maritime route between Europe and the Indian Ocean.

Around the islands, the Red Sea drops away into coral gardens of extraordinary variety, shelving platforms of staghorn and table coral frequented by hawksbill turtles, moray eels and schools of glassfish that draw divers from across the region.

Mangrove channels winding between the islands create another habitat entirely — still, tea-coloured water lined with avicenna trees and punctuated by the jumping of small fish, best explored by kayak or small boat at slack tide.

The islands are also one of the few places on the Red Sea coast where dugongs are regularly spotted, grazing on seagrass in the shallows between the coral reefs, and the surrounding waters host spinner dolphins that can sometimes be seen from the morning boats.

The Saudi government declared the Farasan Islands a protected area in 1996, limiting development and regulating fishing to preserve the reef systems and their associated biodiversity, and a marine research station on the main island supports ongoing studies of Red Sea ecology.

Day trips from Jizan are the most practical way to visit, with small boats departing each morning for the crossing to the main island and its surrounding dive sites, returning before sunset; accommodation on the islands remains limited, so most visitors make this a long day rather than an overnight stay.

The coral reefs around the Farasan Islands are considered among the most biodiverse in the Red Sea, a region already renowned for its marine life, and scientific surveys have recorded more than 250 species of coral and over 1,000 species of fish in these waters.

Birdwatchers visit the islands for the chance to spot resident and migratory species that use the archipelago as a stopover on the East Africa-West Asia flyway, including several species of tern, egret and the occasional osprey.

The best season for diving runs from March to May, when water temperatures are moderate and underwater visibility reaches its peak, revealing the full colour range of the Red Sea coral gardens.

The Farasan Islands offer Saudi Arabia's most diverse marine environment, with over 1,000 fish species and 250 coral species recorded.

The Portuguese fort of Al-Qanfud provides a historical layer that connects the islands to the Age of Exploration.

The chance to see dugongs, dolphins and sea turtles in their natural Red Sea habitat is a compelling reason to visit.