Dive with us the Farasan Banks, famous for their out-of-this-world reefs and wild islands. Sizeable fish and magical walls are waiting for you this coming spring on our Saudi diving safaris. Jacques Cousteau's first expedition to the Red Sea aboard his beloved Calypso was in 1963, and exactly in these waters which he called one of the most amazing and most pristine places on Earth.

The Farasan Banks are a large collection of islands made up of islets and coral reefs. The entire region is of volcanic origin. The madrepore (stony coral) columns growing on the rim of the old craters formed these vertical walls from the depths of over 300 metres. The islets, mainly circular or oblong in shape, are often surrounded by an outer coral belt which are testament to their volcanic origins. At first glance the islands and islets seem to be similar however each has its own secret, starting with the different composition of the fossilised coral layers that determined their formation.

The very fine coral sand on the shores is an ideal home for turtles that lay their eggs there all year round. Bird colonies nesting in the low vegetation make this group of islands a rare and beautiful natural oasis.