Scuba Diving from Yanbu

Scuba diving from Yanbu gives access to the northern Red Sea reefs off Saudi Arabia's Al Madinah province, where coral walls, reef fish and clear warm water draw both beginners and certified divers. Several PADI-listed dive centres operate in the Yanbu Al Bahr area, among them OPAL Diving Club, Blue Diver Center and Scuba Diver, with details on the padi.com dive-centre pages. Dives are made by boat or from shore within about 5 to 20 km of the harbour (an estimate), and a typical outing is a half-day boat dive. Prices are not published here and vary by centre, so they should be confirmed directly. Divers normally need a recognised certification card and logbook, while some centres may offer introductory options for non-certified visitors; this should be checked in advance. Fitness requirements are moderate, and a medical questionnaire is standard practice. Minimum age limits are set by the dive centre. Tanks, weights and often basic equipment can be supplied by the centre, while divers usually bring swimwear, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen and a dive computer if owned. Operator reputation rests on the PADI affiliation, and visitors should confirm the instructor's current credentials. Safety is handled through a pre-dive briefing on depth, time, buddy procedures and signals, with a surface support boat on boat dives. Specific evacuation plans, including access to recompression facilities, are not published and should be discussed with the centre. Water temperature is about 26 to 30 C, and diving is possible year-round, with October to May the most comfortable period for surface conditions and air temperatures. Summer brings very high air temperatures, and strong wind or swell can limit access to exposed sites. Reef protection rules apply, so divers should avoid touching coral or marine life.