Obhur Red Sea Snorkel Cruise

The Red Sea has some of the healthiest coral reefs left on the planet, and Jeddah sits on top of them. Obhur Creek, a sheltered inlet about 30 km north of the city centre, is where the boats leave from. The water is calm, warm and clear, and you do not need to be able to dive or even swim especially well.

What a trip looks like

You board at one of the Obhur marinas, usually mid-morning. The boat runs out to a reef or a sandbank, drops anchor, and you snorkel in shallow, clear water with a guide in the water alongside. Most trips include two or three stops, lunch or a barbecue on board, soft drinks, and time simply floating about.

Half a day is the standard. Some operators run a longer full-day version that goes further out.

What you will see

Hard and soft corals, parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, clownfish in anemones, wrasse, the occasional turtle and, if you are lucky and the boat goes to the right spot, a reef shark keeping its distance. The reefs here start shallow, which is what makes them good for snorkelling — you are looking down at a metre or two of water, not squinting into the blue.

Some premium trips run out to Bayada, a white sandbank in open water sometimes called the Maldives of Jeddah. It costs more and the day is longer.

Usually included, usually not

Included on most boats: mask, snorkel and fins, life jackets, a guide, drinking water, and food. Not usually included: hotel transfer to the marina, wetsuits, underwater cameras, and tips.

Ask before booking whether gear is included, because a small number of cheaper operators expect you to bring your own.

If you are nervous in water

You will be fine. Life jackets keep you at the surface without effort, the guides stay with less confident swimmers, and nobody is asked to go deep. Children snorkel here regularly. Tell the crew when you board rather than at the point of getting in, so they know to keep an eye on you.

Swimwear and modesty

This varies more than anything else on the trip, so ask the operator directly. Some boats are relaxed and international; others expect conservative cover, particularly for women. A rash vest and leggings, or a full swim suit, work everywhere and also solve the sunburn problem. Nobody has ever regretted covering up on a Red Sea boat.

Reef etiquette, and it matters

• Do not stand on, touch or hold coral. It is a living animal and it dies where you grab it. Some species also sting.
• Fins kick harder than you think. Stay clear of the reef top.
• Take nothing — shells, coral fragments, anything.
• Use reef-safe sunscreen where you can, and cover up where you cannot.

When to go

Year-round. Water temperature rarely drops far enough to need a wetsuit. October to April is the pleasant season on deck; June to August the sun on the water is punishing and the boat is the only shade. Morning departures are calmer and cooler than afternoon ones.

Getting to the marina

Obhur is a 30 to 45 minute drive north from central Jeddah depending on traffic, and boats do not wait long past their departure time. Arrange your ride the night before rather than hoping to flag something down at 08:00.

Open to all

Jeddah welcomes visitors of any faith, so this is one of the things a mixed group can do together while the pilgrims in the party are in Makkah.