If I could just jump in here and give my 2 cents worth on my recent trip to KSA....
Saudi Arabia has now started issuing tourist visas and there are many dive operations in Jeddah and north that might / maybe be doing liveaboards in the somewhat near future. Yes, I realize that is about as vague as it gets but the kingdom is a rapidly changing place and they are quickly developing their tourist industries, particularly scuba.
I did strictly shore dives from the Sheraton Beach Resort and studied under Jason Sikat, one of their in-house instructors as well as being a freelance military and cave instructor. I could not imagine having had a better instructor and experience for my rescue diver certification. MY impression was that all the DM's and Instructors, for the most part, at the Sheraton were of a high caliber. The reef was in excellent condition, the atmosphere at the club was chill and peaceful, and very professional all around.
There are boats that leave locally but most of the big dive trips leave out of Yanbu, about 2 hours to the north of Jeddah. I think anyone who makes the trip to Saudi Arabia in the next couple of years are going to be amazed by the impression this country makes on you. Now granted, as a Muslim who went primarily to offer my Umrah my experience may have been different but I must also frame this as a nordic-blood American covered in tattoos. At no time was I made to feel uncomfortable even in short sleeves while holding hands with my wife either in the streets of Jeddah or in the Al Haram mosque. Yes, women should wear abiyah but it is no longer mandatory and people generally won't give you any hastle if you are not. Personally, I would welcome the opportunity to wear a full length robe in public only so I could go commando underneath.
Yes, as an American our politics may be different and it may be hard to digest the concept of an authoritarian and autocratic ruler but on a day to day basis it just doesn't make a difference on how I go about living my life, just like in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has now started issuing tourist visas and there are many dive operations in Jeddah and north that might / maybe be doing liveaboards in the somewhat near future. Yes, I realize that is about as vague as it gets but the kingdom is a rapidly changing place and they are quickly developing their tourist industries, particularly scuba.
I did strictly shore dives from the Sheraton Beach Resort and studied under Jason Sikat, one of their in-house instructors as well as being a freelance military and cave instructor. I could not imagine having had a better instructor and experience for my rescue diver certification. MY impression was that all the DM's and Instructors, for the most part, at the Sheraton were of a high caliber. The reef was in excellent condition, the atmosphere at the club was chill and peaceful, and very professional all around.
There are boats that leave locally but most of the big dive trips leave out of Yanbu, about 2 hours to the north of Jeddah. I think anyone who makes the trip to Saudi Arabia in the next couple of years are going to be amazed by the impression this country makes on you. Now granted, as a Muslim who went primarily to offer my Umrah my experience may have been different but I must also frame this as a nordic-blood American covered in tattoos. At no time was I made to feel uncomfortable even in short sleeves while holding hands with my wife either in the streets of Jeddah or in the Al Haram mosque. Yes, women should wear abiyah but it is no longer mandatory and people generally won't give you any hastle if you are not. Personally, I would welcome the opportunity to wear a full length robe in public only so I could go commando underneath.
Yes, as an American our politics may be different and it may be hard to digest the concept of an authoritarian and autocratic ruler but on a day to day basis it just doesn't make a difference on how I go about living my life, just like in Saudi Arabia.
making travelling interesting at times.
