Residing on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, there’s more to The Red Sea than meets the eye.
A world of raw beauty, mystery, and natural wonder, beyond its crystalline waters and sweeping deserts, the Red Sea reveals an extraordinary landscape, where exploration beckons, adventure awaits, and marine life flourishes within the world’s fourth-largest barrier reef system.
Spanning 28,000 square kilometres of paradisiacal terrain, the Red Sea is home to an archipelago of over 90 untouched islands, desert dunes, mountain canyons, resplendent beaches, and an exclusive collection of iconic resorts – five of which are already welcoming guests. A firm priority on Saudi’s luxury tourism agenda and Vision 2030, the Red Sea is in the midst of a transformative journey, on course to become a pioneering luxury and regenerative tourism destination, responsibly developed by Red Sea Global. With a view to preserving the most valuable assets, nature, and environment, the developer is leading the way, balancing luxury tourism with ecological responsibility to deliver the largest tourism destination in the world powered 100 per cent by renewable energy.
Five Luxury Resorts Celebrating Red Sea’s Natural Wonders
To realise their vision for The Red Sea, the developer is actively working to protect and enhance key habitats across 22 islands and six inland sites that serve as home to existing and upcoming resorts. From scaling rugged peaks to gliding across turquoise waters and snorkelling between majestic coral reefs, Red Sea resorts pay homage to the spectacular natural setting and rich cultural heritage of the region, effortlessly weaving them into the design and guest experiences. Located on pristine private islands, the first resort to open was Six Senses Southern Dunes, followed by The St. Regis Red Sea Resort, Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Desert Rock, and Shebara – owned and entirely operated by Red Sea Global.
As a leading eco-luxury destination, Red Sea resorts offer the most glorious getaways in the region, with endless attractions in store, both off the coast as well as inland and beneath the sea’s surface.
Red Sea Coral Reefs
The Red Sea has one of the most resilient and biodiverse coral reef systems on the planet, home to approximately 210 species of hard corals and 120 species of soft corals, brimming with marine life. A spectacle awaits divers and snorkellers who wish to witness these creatures in their natural habitat – from dazzling schools of snapper and grouper to elusive eels weaving through the coral formations. The reefs serve as a sanctuary to endangered species such as the Halavi Guitarfish and the Hawksbill Sea Turtle.
Blue Holes: The Red Sea’s Mysterious Underwater Caves
These deep circular sinkholes that appear as striking azure abysses against the surrounding turquoise waters are possibly one of the most fascinating natural wonders of the Red Sea.
These submerged caverns, sculpted over thousands of years, have long captivated divers, scientists, and adventure seekers eager to explore these enigmatic formations. Beyond their
visual beauty, blue holes serve as vital refuge for marine biodiversity thriving in its depths, sheltering species from the harsher conditions of the open ocean.
Mangrove Rivers: The Lifeblood of the Red Sea
Meandering through the islands of the Red Sea, the mangroves are a vital part of the ecosystem, acting as natural nurseries for marine species and providing shelter for a variety of birds. These ancient waterways, shaped over centuries, are important nesting, feeding, and roosting sites for species such as the Goliath heron, pink-backed pelican, reef heron, and black kite.
Exploring the Inland Red Sea
Beyond the coastline, the Red Sea’s towering red granite mountains, sculpted by time, rise dramatically from rolling dunes, offering an entirely different kind of natural spectacle. Whether hiking, biking, climbing rugged peaks, or sandboarding down golden dunes, guests can appreciate the beauty and power of the landscape in deeply personal and meaningful ways. The inland’s beautiful and dramatic topography, where dunes meet mountains, is rich in ancient archaeological sites depicting Nabataean and other pre-Islamic remains, as well as Islamic-era ports and castles.
Red Sea Global’s large-scale conservation and development project preserves the islands’ natural beauty and promotes sustainable tourism, ensuring that the Red Sea continues to serve as a geographical marvel and historical and ecological treasure for many generations to come.
