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The True KSA — Business, Tourism, Economy, Culture

The True KSA · Coasts & islands

Two seas. Hundreds of Saudi shoreline stories.

Compare Red Sea islands, historic port cities, Gulf waterfronts and family-friendly coastal escapes. Find practical guidance, licensed experiences and places to stay.

Explore destinationsAsk the KSA Concierge

Independent guide; not a government website. Checked: 15 October 2026

Illustrative aerial view of turquoise Red Sea shallows, island shore and distant boat

Illustrative image

Tourism at a glance

National indicators for context. They count the whole Kingdom, not the Red Sea, Gulf or islands alone.

Saudi Arabia, national total — 2025

  • 122.6 million

    Domestic and inbound tourists

  • SAR 303.7 billion

    Combined tourism spending

  • +5.8%

    Tourist growth vs 2024

  • +7.0%

    Spending growth vs 2024

Not a coast-only count: no single official visitor total exists for the Red Sea, Gulf and islands combined.

Source:Ministry of Tourism — Tourism investment dashboard — 2025 indicators (opens in a new tab)· 2025 data· Checked: 15 October 2026

Destinations

Six coastal destinations on the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.

Coast

Destination

Experience

Showing 6 of 6 destinations

  • Illustrative Jeddah waterfront promenade at sunset with city skyline and familiesIllustrative image

    Red Sea · Red Sea city

    Jeddah

    Coral-stone heritage in Al-Balad, a long waterfront, museums and family attractions make Jeddah a flexible city-and-sea break. Confirm attraction hours and any seasonal event schedule before travelling.

    • Waterfront
    • Heritage
    • Family
    Visit Saudi: Jeddah (opens in a new tab)
  • Illustrative snorkeling scene over a Red Sea reef near a coastal boatIllustrative image

    Red Sea · Red Sea diving and heritage

    Yanbu

    A Red Sea hub for diving and marine trips, with a historic quarter and a slower waterfront pace. Choose a licensed operator and check sea conditions, equipment and experience requirements.

    • Diving & reefs
    • Family
    • Heritage
    • Waterfront
    Visit Saudi: Yanbu (opens in a new tab)
  • Illustrative small boat approaching pale islands and turquoise shallowsIllustrative image

    Red Sea · Island and lagoon coast

    Umluj & Al Wajh

    Explore the coast between Umluj and Al Wajh through licensed boat trips, beaches and island scenery. Routes, landings and access can vary with sea and conservation conditions; confirm directly with the operator.

    • Islands
    • Resort
    • Family
    Resorts on this coast
  • Illustrative mangrove-lined island inlet and local fishing boatIllustrative image

    Red Sea · Protected island nature

    Jazan & Farasan Islands

    Farasan combines island coast, mangrove and bird habitats, local heritage and seasonal nature experiences. Farasan is a protected area: check current access rules, ferry services and tour availability before setting out.

    • Islands
    • Wildlife
    • Heritage
    • Family
    NCW protected areas (opens in a new tab)Visit Saudi: Jazan (opens in a new tab)
  • Illustrative Gulf waterfront promenade at sunset with a Saudi father and childrenIllustrative image

    Arabian Gulf · Arabian Gulf waterfront

    Dammam & Al Khobar

    Pair the Dammam and Khobar waterfronts with parks, food and indoor family attractions. Official statistics treat Dammam and Khobar as separate city destinations, and group them with Dhahran as one metropolitan area for hotel supply.

    • Family
    • Waterfront
    Visit Saudi: Dammam (opens in a new tab)Visit Saudi: Al Khobar (opens in a new tab)
  • Illustrative mangrove boardwalk and tidal inlet on a Gulf coastIllustrative image

    Arabian Gulf · Gulf nature and parks

    Jubail

    Jubail offers a family-friendly mix of waterfront, parks and nature. Use marked paths, follow reserve guidance, and check which public areas and guided activities are open on your dates.

    • Wildlife
    • Family
    • Waterfront
    Visit Saudi: Al Jubail (opens in a new tab)

Why two coasts?

Saudi Arabia faces the Red Sea in the west and the Arabian Gulf in the east. They suit different trips — and fall under different authorities for marine tourism.

Farasan Islands and the Jubail Marine Protected Area appear in the National Center for Wildlife's protected-area directory. Source:National Center for Wildlife — Protected areas (opens in a new tab)· Live page

Family ideas by destination

Ideas, not promises: access, ages, hours and operators change. Use the check line on each card.

Activities, age requirements, public access, ferries and seasonal experiences can change. Confirm with the official venue, licensed operator or relevant authority before booking.

More family travel ideas

Coastal experiences

Ways to spend time on both coasts. Availability depends on operators, seasons and conservation rules; nothing here is a booking or an availability promise.

  • Illustrative field researchers observing coastal water and reef from a boatIllustrative image

    Island boat trips, snorkelling and diving

    Day trips from Red Sea towns such as Umluj, Al Wajh and Yanbu visit island shallows and reefs. Snorkel or dive only with a licensed operator and guide who briefs you on the site, equipment and your experience level.

    Before you book: Operator licence, any route or landing permission, sea state, age and health limits.

    SRSA licensed service providers (opens in a new tab)
  • Illustrative guided family kayaking through mangroves with life jacketsIllustrative image

    Family kayaking and mangrove wildlife

    Mangrove channels on both coasts shelter birds and young fish. Where an operator offers guided kayaking, it is a calm way for families to see them — always with life jackets and a guide. In protected areas such as Farasan, wildlife watching follows the National Center for Wildlife's rules.

    Before you book: Whether the activity is actually offered, guide licence, tides, heat and protected-area access.

    NCW ecotourism in protected areas (opens in a new tab)
  • Illustrative historic Jeddah coral-stone lane with traditional rowshan architectureIllustrative image

    Coastal heritage

    Historic Jeddah's coral-stone houses and rowshan balconies, Yanbu's historic district and Farasan's heritage tell the story of Red Sea trade and pilgrimage routes. A licensed guide adds context.

    Before you book: Opening hours, guided-visit rules and dress and photography guidance at each site.

    Heritage & culture guide
  • Illustrative family sailing trip with life jackets on the Arabian GulfIllustrative image

    Gulf waterfronts and family sailing

    On the Arabian Gulf, Dammam and Al Khobar combine corniche walks with supervised sailing and boat outings, while Jubail adds parks and marked nature paths.

    Before you book: Operator licence, life jackets for every child, wind and heat.

    Check a licensed provider (opens in a new tab)
  • Illustrative low-rise island resort beside a turquoise Red Sea lagoonIllustrative image

    Resort stays

    Island and coastal resorts on the Red Sea range from desert-lagoon retreats to island villas. Status changes quickly: some are open, others are announced or under development.

    Before you book: Current operating status, official booking page, transfers and family policies.

    Hotel status table

Hotels and stays

Three different things are often mixed up. Read each label before planning a stay.

  • Open resorts

    Welcoming guests now, per the operator or developer's own announcement.

  • Announced projects

    Named brands with no opening confirmed yet. Not bookable as a stay.

  • Licensed supply

    All hotels and apartments licensed by the Ministry of Tourism, of any size. Check a property with the Ministry's inquiry service.

18 properties listed

Status checked 15 October 2026 against the operator or developer source on each row. Status changes often — confirm on the official property page before booking. Brand lists are not a count of hotels on the whole coastline.

Hotel and licensed-activity inquiry (opens in a new tab)Visit Saudi (opens in a new tab)

Institutions, research and forums

Who does what. A regulator sets and enforces rules; a developer or operator runs destinations and hotels; a research centre studies the sea; an event brings an industry together.

Government and regulators

Research and knowledge

Developers and operators

Forums and industry events

Responsible coastal travel

A visitor checklist. Each point links to the authority responsible for the current rule.

  1. 1

    Book marine trips and water activities with appropriately licensed operators.

    Source:Ministry of Tourism — Licensed activities inquiry service (opens in a new tab)· Live service
  2. 2

    On the Red Sea, check whether a Saudi Red Sea Authority permit, trip approval or yacht authorization applies to your route — within its geographic scope.

    Source:Saudi Red Sea Authority — Regulations (opens in a new tab)· Live page
  3. 3

    Do not enter restricted, military or protected zones without authorization.

    Source:National Center for Wildlife — Regulations (opens in a new tab)· Live page
  4. 4

    Follow the captain, licensed guide, lifeguard and site instructions, and use the required safety equipment.

    Source:Ministry of Tourism — Tour-guide licence (opens in a new tab)· Live page
  5. 5

    Do not touch, stand on, collect, feed or damage coral, wildlife, mangroves or other natural features.

    Source:National Center for Wildlife — Regulations (opens in a new tab)· Live page
  6. 6

    Keep rubbish on board or secured and dispose of it at designated points; avoid single-use plastic where practical.

    Source:National Center for Environmental Compliance — About the center (opens in a new tab)· Live page
  7. 7

    Check sea and weather conditions, ferry or transfer schedules, age and health limits and cancellation terms before booking.

    Source:Ministry of Tourism — Licensed activities inquiry service (opens in a new tab)· Live service
  8. 8

    In a protected area, follow the National Center for Wildlife's current visitor and ecotourism requirements and use a licensed guide.

    Source:National Center for Wildlife — Ecotourism in protected areas (opens in a new tab)· Live page

This is a visitor-oriented checklist, not a complete statement of Saudi law or legal advice. Current official requirements take precedence.

Visitor and hotel data

Visitor measures and accommodation supply are kept apart. Each table states its year, scope and definition.

National tourism, 2024 and 2025

Measure20242025
Domestic and inbound tourists~116 million122.6 million
Inbound tourists~30 million—Not shown in the 2025 source used here
Domestic tourists86.2 million—Not shown in the 2025 source used here
Tourism spending~SAR 284 billionSAR 303.7 billion
Inbound spendingSAR 168.5 billion—Not shown in the 2025 source used here
Domestic spendingSAR 115.3 billion—Not shown in the 2025 source used here

— Not shown in the 2025 source used here

Source:Ministry of Tourism — Saudi Arabia tops 100 million tourists for the second year (2024 release) (opens in a new tab)· 2024 data· Checked: 15 October 2026Source:Ministry of Tourism — Tourism investment dashboard — 2025 indicators (opens in a new tab)· 2025 data· Checked: 15 October 2026

Domestic overnight visitors by destination, 2024

Measure: “Visitors Overnight”, domestic, primary destination (Annual Statistical Report 2024). A destination measure, not a count of unique people and not inbound visitors. Do not add rows together: Jeddah is inside Makkah Province, and one traveller can count in several places.

Makkah Province (includes Jeddah)23.5 million
Jeddah (city)9.2 million
Eastern Province13.6 million
Tabuk Province3.1 million
Jazan Province2.9 million

City values for Dammam and Al Khobar appear only as chart labels in the report and could not be read reliably, so they are not shown.

Source:Ministry of Tourism (Deputyship for Decision Support and Data) — Tourism Statistics — Annual Statistical Report 2024 (PDF; publicly indexed copy) (opens in a new tab)· 2024 data· Checked: 15 October 2026

Licensed accommodation supply, H1 2025

Licensed facilities and room keys as of the first half of 2025. Supply, not live availability or hotel-chain inventory. Province-wide figures, not coastline-only.

AreaHotels: facilities / keysApartments & other: facilities / keys
Saudi Arabia (national)2,527 / 450,0742,799 / 94,805
Makkah Province (includes Jeddah)1,409 / 326,066565 / 22,813
Eastern Province145 / 16,234360 / 13,748
Tabuk Province74 / 4,80481 / 2,894
Jazan Province78 / 3,976118 / 3,675

National total: 544,879 licensed room keys.

Source:Ministry of Tourism — Hospitality Sector Performance — First Half 2025 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)· H1 2025· Checked: 15 October 2026

There is no single comparable official visitor total for the Red Sea, Gulf and islands combined. This page does not estimate one or add city figures together.

Sources and verification

Sources checked on 15 October 2026. Refresh statistics, hotel status, schedules and rules before relying on them.

Tourism statistics (4)
Rules, licensing and protected areas (11)
Destinations (10)
Hotels and developers (8)
Research and events (5)

The True KSA is an independent information platform and is not a government agency. This page is not legal advice.

Photographs on this page are generated illustrations. They do not show a named resort, reef, protected area or hotel.

Ask the KSA Concierge

There is no live chat yet. Use these questions to plan your coastal trip, then confirm each answer with the official source.

Open the coastal trip planner
  1. 1

    Which coast fits your trip?

    Red Sea for islands, reefs and resorts; Gulf for city waterfronts and family leisure.

    Filter destinations
  2. 2

    Do you need a visa?

    Check visa routes and entry rules before booking anything.

    Visa & Entry Guide
  3. 3

    Is your operator or guide licensed?

    Look it up in the Ministry of Tourism's licensed-activities inquiry.

    Licensed activities inquiry (opens in a new tab)
  4. 4

    Is your hotel open?

    Use the status table, then confirm on the official property page.

    Hotel status
  5. 5

    Travelling for business too?

    The Business guide has its own concierge planner for meetings and market entry.

    Business concierge

Next steps

Frequently asked questions

Which coast should I choose?

Choose the Red Sea for island, reef, diving and resort itineraries; choose the Gulf coast for city waterfronts, family leisure, parks and marine activities around Dammam, Al Khobar and Jubail. Combine them if your schedule allows.

Which areas suit families?

Jeddah, Yanbu and the Dammam–Khobar area have city services and family attractions. Umluj, Farasan and protected areas need more advance checks on boats, transfers, weather, access and age limits.

How many tourists visit the Red Sea and Gulf coasts each year?

Saudi Arabia publishes national totals and dated destination measures. They do not form one comparable annual total for the combined Red Sea, Gulf and islands geography, so this page shows the national figure and the dated local measures with their definitions.

Can I go to any island or reef?

No. Access depends on the location, operator, conservation rules, marine conditions and any applicable permits. Confirm through the licensed operator and the relevant authority.

How do I choose a hotel?

Start with the area and dates, then confirm the property's current operating status, official booking page, licence, transfers and family or accessibility needs. Announced brands are not necessarily open.