Exploring Saudi Arabia's marine wonderland

[al-Hasani]

No sweet heart ... that is a Hyundai Santro job .. at best Azeera.

@Yzd Khalifa will be very unhappy with this underestimation.

I think that I know what he is doing. He works for the government, more precisely the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if I remember correctly. Or was it the Riyadh police? Or the Ministry of Interior? I don't keep a notebook of what users are doing here, LOL.

@Yzd Khalifa do I remember correctly?
Anyway back to topic.

Extinct volcano in Red Sea off coast Ad Darb in Jizan Province

List of Red Sea sharks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[al-Hasani]

 

[al-Hasani]

​

 

[al-Hasani]

One of the many hundreds of isolated islands in Tabuk Province.

Ahmad al-Balawi in action again:

 

[Black Eagle 90]

KSA and other GCC countries need to develop a potent military especially their Navies and Air Force

 

[al-Hasani]

KSA has 1,300 islands with no inhabitants​

RIYADH: ARAB NEWS
Published — Friday 12 April 2013
Last update 12 April 2013 8:42 pm
The Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) revealed that there are more than 1,300 Saudi islands scattered along the Kingdom’s coastline in the Red Sea and the Gulf, across 3,800 kilometers.
The continental shelf led to the formation of a variety of small and large islands, situation above sea level in the formation of rocks.These islands differ in origin and composition, however the vast majority are coral, while the remaining are desert, continental and volcanic islands.
Most of the islands along the Saudi coastline are flat, while some islands in the Red Sea are above sea level with highlands such as Tiran Island at 581 meters above sea level, Sanafir and Yabua islands at 112 meters above sea level.
The director of the SGS said that the majority of those 1300 islands are uninhabited due to their tough natural composition and climatic conditions as well as the lack of economic resources, with the exception of Farasan, Sajid Islands and Qummah Islands in Red Sea, in addition to Tarout, Abu Ali and Qannah Islands in the Arabian Gulf, which are inhabited by a small population size.

KSA has 1,300 islands with no inhabitants | Arab News — Saudi Arabia News, Middle East News, Opinion, Economy and more.

Farasan Island, Saudi Arabia جزيرة فرسان، المملكة العربية السعودية by Alrefaei_A, on Flickr​

Le Lagon bleu (sans Brooke Shields) by Délirante bestiole [la poésie des goupils], on Flickr

Purity by منصور العطياني, on Flickr

Biodiversity of Saudi Arabian Red Sea Coral Reefs​

Details
‪The Red Sea is one of the most understudied areas in the world in terms of marine biodiversity, and yet the high level of endemism indicates that additional evolutionary partitions await discovery. Beginning in late 2012, we plan to operate a series of regional research cruises to complete a survey of reef fauna over the next three years. The underlying motivation is to demonstrate how coral reef biodiversity is produced and maintained; the conservation motivation is therefore compelling. A core team of experts will address particular fish and coral taxa on every cruise, while other taxa will be addressed by experts participating in at least one of the cruises. All participants will sample reefs near KAUST to create a common, central study location with comprehensive coverage. By using information on the geographic distribution of reef fauna, along with our inferred genetic relationships, we will provide a much stronger scientific foundation for establishing MPA networks that can maintain representative examples of biodiversity in each region and preserve source populations that may act to replenish coastal stocks.

‪Working with the IUCN, we intend to establish the conservation status of species from numerous families, many targeted by local fisheries, in order to determine levels of protection needed to preserve the biodiversity of the region. The connectivity data from the research proposed herein would therefore be especially valuable, as would the goal of identifying previously-unrecognized endemic species. Based on preliminary findings, we believe this project will result in a number of new species descriptions. Further, this research will be the first to address whether the Red Sea reef communities survived glacial salinity crises, or whether they are the product of recent and rapid speciation under diversifying ecological conditions. Are the Red Sea reef communities millions of years old, or thousands of years old? We hope that these expeditions can provide insight to this long-standing evolutionary enigma.

‪If you have taxonomic expertise with a particular group of coral reef organims and would like to discuss potential collaboration or participation in one of the sampling cruises, please contact Prof. Berumen.
Collaborators
Brian Bowen, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
Luiz Rocha, California Academy of Sciences
Andrew Baird, James Cook University
Howard Choat, James Cook University
Joseph DiBattista, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
numerous others to be determined!

Coral Reef Ecology Lab - Biodiversity of Saudi Arabian Red Sea Coral Reefs

​

Dangerous Red Sea sharks | INFOgraphics | RIA Novosti

​

Any trolling/off topic posts/derailing of the thread from the usual suspects here will be reported directly to the moderators by PM.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

because of lack of tourism - meaning fewer deep sea divers and snorkelers - i'd imagine that on Saudi side of the sea the coral reefs are less molested and look nearly flawless

 

[al-Hasani]

because of lack of tourism - meaning fewer deep sea divers and snorkelers - i'd imagine that on Saudi side of the sea the coral reefs are less molested and look nearly flawless

This is a very correct observation.

During his first exploration of the Red Sea the legendary underwater explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau observed about the shorelines of Saudi Arabia and Sudan - "Life abounds in bank after bank of exuberant coral structures, second only to those of the Great Barrier Reef in extent and exceeding it perhaps in splendour. Here there is deep clarity, blazing colour, and active fauna".

For years cloaked in secrecy, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has exploded on to the tourist track. International Cultural Tourism has been evident for many years with groups coming from Japan, America and Europe. Saudi Arabia is now realising a national heritage and opening sustained dive tourism. Our Saudi Arabia dive trips are from Liveaboards and proving to be a great success. This is as a result of spectacular diving with newly discovered dive sites and an abundance of large pelagic activity both on our Yanbu and Farasan Banks itineraries, with several species of sharks including silkies, oceanics and tigers, as well as giant mantas.

It has been said that Saudi Arabia is one of diving's last frontiers, and it is a fact that very few westerners have ever been able to dive here. The appeal of diving almost untouched, barely explored reefs is undeniable. With an incredible variety of marine life and some of the most flourishing coral reefs to be found anywhere in the world - it is no wonder that so many famous explorers have dived here.
The Red Sea is rated as one of the top ten diving destinations in the world. Egypt, Sudan and Jordan offer fantastic diving, but how many of you have dived the Saudi Arabian Red Sea? How many of you know anyone who has? Without question, many if not most of the outer reefs in that region have never been dived. The diversity of marine life and fauna along the reefs really are quite exquisite and offer the diver a high quality and extremely memorable diving experience.

Diving holidays to Saudi Arabia | Red Sea Diving Holidays | Liveaboards in Saudi Arabia | Yabul and Farasan Banks are Saudi Arabia's top dive sites

Jacques Cousteau - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Basically it's one of the best out there!

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

This is a very correct observation.



Diving holidays to Saudi Arabia | Red Sea Diving Holidays | Liveaboards in Saudi Arabia | Yabul and Farasan Banks are Saudi Arabia's top dive sites

Jacques Cousteau - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Basically it's one of the best out there!

Mashallah.

In my life hopefully i'll see the coast lines. I have gone snorkeling and diving in Sharm el Sheikh (Misir), that was 2003. Good times.

 

[al-Hasani]

Mashallah.

In my life hopefully i'll see the coast lines. I have gone snorkeling and diving in Sharm el Sheikh (Misir), that was 2003. Good times.

Insha'Allah you will when a real tourism sector becomes a reality in KSA and the restrictive visa rules change. Even today it is quite hard for citizens to get the opportunity to explore the coastline through diving as many of the areas are protected and thus restricted.

But some people have dived in those protected areas despite that. You just don't want to encounter the coastal guard while doing that, LOL.

I was on the beach here in Denmark today and the sea is not comparable to anything in KSA by any stretch of imagination despite Denmark being famous for having some of the best beaches in Europe.​

 

[al-Hasani]

 

[al-Hasani]

Jeddah kicks off Cruise Arabia road show​

​

Saleh Fareed

Tourism experts have expressed hope that the GCC states could become cruise tourist destinations in the near future. This hope was raised on Monday as the Cruise Arabia road show 2015 kicked off here in Jeddah with the attendance of a delegation consisted of the Ministry of Tourism Oman, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) .

On the occasion, speeches and presentations by Oman Tourism, TCA Abu Dhabi and DTCM were followed by presentations. According to the attending delegations, Cruise Arabia road show aims at raising awareness of the Arabian Peninsula's unique destination offering among major players from the international cruise industry.

The Cruise Arabia partners showcased cruise tourism opportunities in the Arabian Peninsula and the diversity of the region’s destination offering — including its city skylines, desert landscapes, mountains, tropical areas and beaches; the world’s most sophisticated malls and traditional souks; natural wilderness and adventure experiences; and its art, culture and heritage.

The partners also shared details of the region’s world-leading hotels and burgeoning gastronomy scenes to encourage tourists to extend their stays prior to or post cruise travel.

“Following significant investment in infrastructure for cruise tourism across the region, the Middle East is increasingly recognized as a key growth market for the industry and by working closely with our partners from Oman and Abu Dhabi, we can contribute to this growth,” said Hamad Bin Mijrin, Executive Director of DTCM.

He also pointed out that Cruise Arabia, the collaborative initiative formed by Oman, Abu Dhabi and Dubai aimed to make the Gulf region an attractive route to the cruise industry as it gains in prominence as a cruise location. “We are aware of the importance of the cruise industry and are working towards making significant investments in infrastructure to meet the opportunity and drive demand in the region. This collation aims to play a major role in developing regional itineraries and facilities,” he said. Bin Mijrin noted that Awareness has definitely grown among GCC tourists and we hope that the cruise industry grows up in Abu Dhabi as a cruise destination.

After highlighting the main touristic spots in Oman, Khalid Al Zadjali, director of tourism events, ministry of tourism, said, “The joint venture agreement between Oman’s Ministry of Tourism, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in Dubai and Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority proves to in position the region as a premiere cruising destination.”

Meanwhile, Sultan Al Dhaheri, Director, Tourism Eco-Systems, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, said, “Abu Dhabi has long-term cruise industry ambitions and is working closely with our regional destination partners to progress a GCC-wide approach to fulfil the needs of operators.”

He added, “We are all putting intense effort behind reaching our goals and anticipate a gradual evolution of the regional cruise industry and uptake in cruise offerings from within the GCC and beyond.”

The delegation will visit next Riyadh, Khobar and Kuwait over the six day road-show, targeting a number of leading travel agents. MSC , Royal Caribbean and Costa Cruises, globe’s most popular cruise providers, have been chosen for Cruise Arabia.

Jeddah kicks off Cruise Arabia road show | Kingdom | Saudi Gazette

Man, I miss KSA and its immense beauty. What I would not give for some warm and sunny weather with some tropical beaches nearby like in KSA now! Or diving among some of the best coral reefs out there in crystal clear and warm waters! Especially when you are currently based in cold, windy and cloudy Denmark. On the other hand you don't miss certain other things.

@Arabian Legend

When will they remove that shipwreck in Haql bro? Just joking now it has become a tourist attraction just like that shipwreck in Zakynthos. Of course only on a local scale.

Sometimes I imagine myself as an old man in some resort/coastal city alongside the Red Sea in KSA welcoming foreign tourists etc. Hope that this one day can happen on a much bigger scale but still while keeping our millennium old culture and customs alive.

 

[Arabian Legend]

Jeddah kicks off Cruise Arabia road show​

​

Saleh Fareed

Tourism experts have expressed hope that the GCC states could become cruise tourist destinations in the near future. This hope was raised on Monday as the Cruise Arabia road show 2015 kicked off here in Jeddah with the attendance of a delegation consisted of the Ministry of Tourism Oman, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) .

On the occasion, speeches and presentations by Oman Tourism, TCA Abu Dhabi and DTCM were followed by presentations. According to the attending delegations, Cruise Arabia road show aims at raising awareness of the Arabian Peninsula's unique destination offering among major players from the international cruise industry.

The Cruise Arabia partners showcased cruise tourism opportunities in the Arabian Peninsula and the diversity of the region’s destination offering — including its city skylines, desert landscapes, mountains, tropical areas and beaches; the world’s most sophisticated malls and traditional souks; natural wilderness and adventure experiences; and its art, culture and heritage.

The partners also shared details of the region’s world-leading hotels and burgeoning gastronomy scenes to encourage tourists to extend their stays prior to or post cruise travel.

“Following significant investment in infrastructure for cruise tourism across the region, the Middle East is increasingly recognized as a key growth market for the industry and by working closely with our partners from Oman and Abu Dhabi, we can contribute to this growth,” said Hamad Bin Mijrin, Executive Director of DTCM.

He also pointed out that Cruise Arabia, the collaborative initiative formed by Oman, Abu Dhabi and Dubai aimed to make the Gulf region an attractive route to the cruise industry as it gains in prominence as a cruise location. “We are aware of the importance of the cruise industry and are working towards making significant investments in infrastructure to meet the opportunity and drive demand in the region. This collation aims to play a major role in developing regional itineraries and facilities,” he said. Bin Mijrin noted that Awareness has definitely grown among GCC tourists and we hope that the cruise industry grows up in Abu Dhabi as a cruise destination.

After highlighting the main touristic spots in Oman, Khalid Al Zadjali, director of tourism events, ministry of tourism, said, “The joint venture agreement between Oman’s Ministry of Tourism, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in Dubai and Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority proves to in position the region as a premiere cruising destination.”

Meanwhile, Sultan Al Dhaheri, Director, Tourism Eco-Systems, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, said, “Abu Dhabi has long-term cruise industry ambitions and is working closely with our regional destination partners to progress a GCC-wide approach to fulfil the needs of operators.”

He added, “We are all putting intense effort behind reaching our goals and anticipate a gradual evolution of the regional cruise industry and uptake in cruise offerings from within the GCC and beyond.”

The delegation will visit next Riyadh, Khobar and Kuwait over the six day road-show, targeting a number of leading travel agents. MSC , Royal Caribbean and Costa Cruises, globe’s most popular cruise providers, have been chosen for Cruise Arabia.

Jeddah kicks off Cruise Arabia road show | Kingdom | Saudi Gazette

Man, I miss KSA and its immense beauty. What I would not give for some warm and sunny weather with some tropical beaches nearby like in KSA now! Or diving among some of the best coral reefs out there in crystal clear and warm waters! Especially when you are currently based in cold, windy and cloudy Denmark. On the other hand you don't miss certain other things.

@Arabian Legend

When will they remove that shipwreck in Haql bro? Just joking now it has become a tourist attraction just like that shipwreck in Zakynthos. Of course only on a local scale.

Sometimes I imagine myself as an old man in some resort/coastal city alongside the Red Sea in KSA welcoming foreign tourists etc. Hope that this one day can happen on a much bigger scale but still while keeping our millennium old culture and customs alive.

Haqal and Diba are very nice places for tourism but unfortunately tourism in Saudi Arabia need a huge push and that many of the country institutions should cooperate. The SCTA is moving in the right direction yes and have some much for now but one hand can't clap.

What I would like to do is diving in the red sea and get some of treasure buried underneath.

 

[al-Hasani]

Haqal and Diba are very nice places for tourism but unfortunately tourism in Saudi Arabia need a huge push and that many of the country institutions should cooperate. The SCTA is moving in the right direction yes and have some much for now but one hand can't clap.

What I would like to do is diving in the red sea and get some of treasure buried underneath.

Very correct. Hence my thread about the tourism sector here on this section. SCTA is indeed moving in the right direction which is the most important thing and also that there has been a real push for the tourism sector from those in control. Firstly domestic and later foreign. The potential is literary enormous and KSA is already the 15th most visited country in the world although half of those visitors are religious pilgrims. Still vastly superior to over 90% of all the world's countries.

Our seas/islands/tropical waters/coral reefs/sea life is a treasure house and should be protected and become much more known for the common man. The potential for tourism cannot be underestimated on this field.

Diving in the Red Sea is a must.

 

[al-Hasani]

Amazing video;