Secrets of the Red Sea: Saudi’s Jebel Al-Lith Island

Roughly 40 kilometers off the sleepy port town of Al Lith, Jebel Al Lith Island floats like a mirage on the Red Sea—a wild, wave-lapped gem that Saudi divers have quietly adored for years, but few others know exists.

There are no buildings here. No beach umbrellas. Just a single crescent of white sand wrapped around volcanic rock, backdropped by water so blue it looks filtered. It takes about an hour by boat to reach it—long enough to feel like you’re slipping away from the mainland, but close enough for a weekend escape.

Underwater is where the island really speaks. Jebel Al Lith sits at the gateway to the Farasan Banks, one of the most biodiverse reef systems in the entire Red Sea. Think electric coral gardens, sea turtles gliding past, and—if you’re lucky—a gentle whale shark cruising by in the right season. The diving here is rich, raw, and rarely crowded.

On land, things are blissfully simple. You pitch a tent, cook what you caught, and let the stars handle the rest. If you come in spring or early summer, you might spot nesting hawksbill turtles or see bioluminescence sparkling along the shore at night.

Out here, the Red Sea doesn’t shout. It whispers. And if you listen closely, Jebel Al Lith might just tell you something you didn’t know you needed to hear.