Saudi Arabia's Arabian Gulf coast sits on a shallow, semi-enclosed sea where water temperatures swing considerably across the year, cool in winter and very warm through summer. The nine sites in our database span reefs, drop-offs, pinnacles, wrecks, and artificial reef structures, with depths reaching down to forty-five metres. Jana Island and its surrounding reefs are the main draw, offering combinations of natural reef and submerged wrecks accessible by boat. Fanateer Reef near Jubail can be reached from shore. Sites suit beginners and intermediate divers, and the area sees less dive traffic than Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast.
2 areas
Monthly water temperature across Arabian Gulf's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water temperatures drop to around nineteen or twenty degrees Celsius in winter, so a wetsuit of five millimetres or more is advisable from November through April. Summer brings very warm water, exceeding thirty degrees from July through October. Visibility varies by site, ranging from five metres on exposed reefs to thirty metres on the cleaner offshore walls.
10 operators
Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Al Awjam, Saudi Arabia
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Al Awjam, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Water temperature around Arabian Gulf ranges from about 19°C in February to 32°C in September, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
In the warm season (about 32°C) a rash guard or 3mm shorty is comfortable in Arabian Gulf; in the coldest months (about 19°C) step up to a 5mm suit.
Fin maps 9 sites in Arabian Gulf (9 scuba diving sites and 2 snorkelling spots, with some suited to both), organised into 2 areas.
