From Jeddah: Boat Trip and Diving for Certified Divers

The best part of this Jeddah outing is simple: you spend the day reaching Red Sea sites by boat instead of staying close to shore. The route may include Anas Reef, Duqais, Chicken Wreck, Crazy 8, wreck sites, or coral islands, with two guided underwater sessions built into a roughly five-and-a-half-hour trip.

I like the small group limit of 10 and the fact that tanks and weight belts are included. I also like the practical touches on board, such as snacks and soft drinks, plus guides who can work in Arabic, English, Italian, and Russian.

The main thing to check before paying is your recent experience and equipment needs. You must have logged activity within the past six months to use scuba gear, and most of the major equipment costs about 145 SAR extra to rent. One serious complaint also points to inconsistent organization, so confirm the plan directly with the center.

Key points to know before you go

• Two boat-based underwater sessions: You spend about an hour on each underwater session, with a rest period between them.

• Sites can change: The boat may visit Anas Reef, Duqais, Chicken Wreck, Crazy 8, wreck sites, or coral islands, depending on the day’s plan.

• Only tanks and weights are included: BCD, regulator, wetsuit, mask, and fins cost about 145 SAR to rent if you need them.

• Six-month rule matters: If you have not logged a scuba session in the previous six months, you will snorkel instead.

• Bring official identification: Keep your ID, passport, or visa with you during the boat ride.

• Good value for a small group: At $93 per person, the price covers the boat, two guided sessions, tanks, weights, snacks, and drinks, but not a full meal or rental kit.

Setting out from Al-Haddad Scuba in Jeddah

Your day begins at Al-Haddad Scuba, the base for Haddad Scuba. Allow time for check-in, equipment arrangements, and questions before heading to the yacht. The published schedule gives the outward boat journey about one hour, followed by the first underwater session.

That opening ride is part of the experience, not just a transfer. You get out onto the Red Sea and leave the city behind, with the boat carrying you toward reefs, wrecks, or offshore coral areas. The exact site is not fixed, so you should think of this as a guided regional outing rather than a guaranteed visit to one named location.

I would bring your passport, visa, or Saudi identification even if you normally use another form of ID. One person specifically found this important during the boat ride, and it is a sensible precaution for any marine trip in the area.

The group limit is 10 people. That is small enough to make equipment questions easier and reduce the feeling of being processed through a large operation. The actual mix can include certified scuba participants and snorkelers, so the boat may not be devoted only to underwater guests.

What the Red Sea sites may offer

The possible locations include Anas Reef, Duqais, Chicken Wreck, Crazy 8, wreck sites, and coral islands. These names suggest a mix of reef scenery and underwater structures, but the operator does not promise one specific site for every departure.

That flexibility can work in your favor. The guide can choose from several areas rather than forcing the whole group toward one location. Conditions, boat planning, and the needs of the day may shape the route, so I would ask which site is planned when you arrive.

The underwater appeal is the Red Sea’s coral and fish life. One especially positive account describes intact coral and plenty of fish, with the boat finding sites that were not crowded by other boats that day. You should not treat that as a guarantee, but it gives you a useful picture of what a good day can look like: clear focus on the reef, time in the water, and less competition at the site.

The possible wreck locations add variety. A wreck is not the same experience as a coral reef, and the appeal depends on the exact site and visibility. If you are especially interested in one named wreck, ask before departure instead of assuming Chicken Wreck or another location will be included.

The first one-hour session

The first underwater session is scheduled for about one hour after the boat reaches the operating area. Tanks and weight belts are included, which keeps the basic cost clearer for certified participants who bring their own kit.

You will need to sort out the rest of your equipment. BCD, regulator, wetsuit, mask, and fins are not included, with rental listed at approximately 145 SAR. That figure can make a large difference to the total price, especially if you are carrying no personal equipment.

Check every item before leaving the dock. A positive account describes rented equipment as being in top condition, but a separate account reports arriving without a regulator, wetsuit, or other expected kit. Those two experiences do not line up, so you should confirm what has been reserved for you rather than relying on the basic booking description.

The professional team is another important part of this session. Several people found the staff friendly and professional, and one particularly positive account praised the divemaster’s effort and care. At the same time, another person reported no instructor presence and raised serious safety concerns. I would ask who is leading the session, what equipment is assigned to you, and how the group will be managed before entering the water.

The break, snacks, and short meal stop

After the first session, the schedule allows about one hour for a break. This is useful because two underwater sessions in one day require more than simply climbing back onto the boat and going straight down again.

The trip includes snacks and soft drinks. Water is also available, and the published description presents the refreshments as a complimentary part of the boat ride. However, a full meal is not included, and the inclusion list separately excludes food.

The schedule also shows a 15-minute breakfast stop. Since food is listed as excluded, I would not count on a full breakfast being supplied. Bring whatever meal or substantial snack you need, along with any personal drinks you prefer. During Ramadan, one person reported receiving drinks and snacks, which suggests the basic refreshments were still available at that time.

Use the break to check your equipment, drink, and talk with the guide about the second site. It is also the best moment to clarify whether you are heading to a reef, wreck, or another area. If you are snorkeling rather than using scuba equipment, this pause may be even more important because the day can involve different site plans for the two activities.

The second one-hour session

The second session is also scheduled for about one hour. By this point, you will have a better feel for the boat, the guide, and the water conditions, so you can make more informed decisions about how much time you want to spend looking at coral, fish, or underwater structures.

The two-session format gives you more than a quick taste of the Red Sea. If the first location is mainly reef and the second offers a wreck or different coral area, the contrast can make the day more rewarding. Still, the route is flexible, and you should not book this expecting a fixed pair of named sites.

If you have been out of the water recently, be honest about it. The stated rule is firm: without logged scuba activity in the previous six months, you will not be permitted to use scuba gear and will snorkel instead. One person who had not been active for about a year described being kept off the boat and offered shore sessions at an extra cost. That account also raises a useful warning: confirm in writing how the six-month rule will be handled, especially if your last session was several months ago.

This is not a minor technical detail. At $93, much of the value comes from the boat ride and two offshore sessions. If you are switched to shore snorkeling or a separate paid refresher, the product you receive may be quite different from the one you intended to book.

The return ride and the real time commitment

After the second session, the return journey is listed at about 80 minutes. Add the one-hour outward ride, two one-hour underwater sessions, the one-hour break, and the 15-minute breakfast stop, and the total comes to roughly 330 minutes.

That makes this a half-day commitment. You should not schedule a tight afternoon appointment immediately afterward, since boat timing and equipment returns can take longer than the simple timetable suggests.

The ride back gives you time to dry off and pack up, but towels and a change of clothes are not supplied. Bring both. A wet swimsuit or wetsuit becomes uncomfortable quickly on an 80-minute return trip, and a dry layer will make the end of the day much easier.

You return to Al-Haddad Scuba. The tour does not include hotel transport in the information provided, so plan your own way to and from the starting point.

Equipment costs and preparation

The $93 price is most attractive if you already own your core equipment. Tanks and weight belts are included, but the following items cost extra to rent:

• BCD
• Regulator
• Wetsuit
• Mask
• Fins

The stated rental estimate is about 145 SAR. Ask whether that is the full package price for your booking and whether each item will be ready at the center or the marina. This question matters because one poor experience involved equipment not being available after the group reached the marina.

Pack a swimsuit, dry clothes, towel, sun protection, and a meal or substantial snack. Food is excluded, while snacks and soft drinks are included. If you use nitrox, note that nitrox tanks are not part of the price.

You should also carry your certification information if you normally use it, although the provided details specifically stress your recent logged activity rather than naming a particular certification card requirement. Most importantly, do not hide a long gap between sessions. The six-month rule affects whether you receive scuba time or snorkeling.

Safety, staffing, and organization

The strongest positive theme is professionalism. Several accounts describe the staff as friendly, helpful, punctual, and professional. One particularly good day had only four scuba participants and six snorkelers, with rented equipment reported to be in top shape and the boat reaching sites without other boats nearby.

That is the experience you want from a small-group marine trip: clear guidance, working equipment, and enough space for the crew to pay attention. The listed languages, Arabic, English, Italian, and Russian, also make it easier to ask questions before the boat leaves.

But you should take the safety issue seriously. One account describes long delays at the center, missing equipment, and no visible instructor. That is not a small complaint for an activity where equipment checks and clear supervision matter.

I would use the start of the day to confirm three things:

• Who is the guide or divemaster for the session
• Which equipment is assigned to you
• What happens if your recent logged activity does not meet the six-month rule

If the answers are unclear, pause before entering the water. The high rating from some outings does not erase the need for a basic safety check on your particular day.

Is $93 a fair price?

For a certified person with personal equipment, $93 is a reasonable price for a 330-minute boat outing with two guided sessions. You are paying for the yacht ride, access to offshore sites, tanks, weights, and a small group rather than a brief shore swim.

The value is less convincing if you need the full rental package. Add approximately 145 SAR for the BCD, regulator, wetsuit, mask, and fins, then budget separately for food and transport to the meeting point. Nitrox costs extra as well.

The strongest value comes when the group is small and the route reaches a quiet reef or wreck area. The weakest value comes if the boat plan changes, equipment is not ready, or you are moved to a shore-based alternative because of your recent activity record.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start gives you some protection, and reserve-now-pay-later booking keeps your money flexible. I would still use that flexibility to confirm the equipment and recent-activity rules before the cancellation deadline.

Who should book this Red Sea outing?

I would recommend it most strongly to a certified scuba participant who has logged activity within the past six months, understands that sites can change, and either owns the necessary kit or has confirmed a complete rental package.

It also suits someone who values a small boat group over a fixed sightseeing route. You may get a reef, wreck, or coral island, and the day’s appeal lies partly in that choice of sites.

I would be more cautious if you have not been in the water for six months, need a formal refresher, or expect all equipment and meals to be included. In that case, ask for written confirmation of the alternative arrangement and any extra charges before you travel to the center.

Snorkelers can join the boat, and the description says the trips are designed for different skill levels. However, the scuba and snorkeling sites may not always be the same, so you should ask what your group will actually do.

FAQ

Where does the trip start and finish?

It starts and finishes at Al-Haddad Scuba in Jeddah.

How long does the activity last?

The stated duration is 330 minutes, or about five and a half hours.

How many underwater sessions are included?

You receive two guided scuba sessions from the boat, each scheduled for about one hour.

Which sites will the boat visit?

The possible areas include Anas Reef, Duqais, Chicken Wreck, Crazy 8, other wreck sites, and coral islands. A specific site is not guaranteed.

What equipment is included?

Tanks and weight belts are included. BCD, regulator, wetsuit, mask, and fins are not included.

How much does equipment rental cost?

The listed approximate rental price for the main equipment package is 145 SAR.

What happens if I have not logged a scuba session in six months?

You will not be allowed to use scuba equipment and will snorkel instead.

Are food and drinks included?

Snacks and soft drinks are included. Full food is not included, so bring a meal or substantial snack. Nitrox tanks are also excluded.

What languages can the guides speak?

Guides are listed as speaking Arabic, English, Italian, and Russian.

Should you book it?

Book this trip if you want offshore Red Sea scenery, two proper underwater sessions, and a small group at a fair starting price. The best version of the day includes careful staff, sound rental gear, and a quiet reef or wreck site, with the boat giving you access that a shore outing cannot.

Before booking, confirm your logged activity from the previous six months, reserve every item of equipment you need, and ask who will supervise the sessions. If Haddad Scuba gives you clear answers, this can be a rewarding half-day on the Red Sea. If the answers are vague, choose a booking with firmer equipment and safety arrangements.