Almonda | Northern Egypt, Southern Egypt, Saudi Arabia

Boat

Built in 2017, M/Y Almonda is a substantial Saudi Arabia liveaboard designed to carry divers comfortably into some of the least crowded reef systems of the Red Sea. At 39.9 metres long and 8.57 metres wide, she offers far more usable space than her capacity of 24 guests might suggest. A cruising speed of around 10 knots and twin 1,050 hp MAN engines give her the range to operate from Al Lith, Yanbu or King Abdullah Economic City, depending on the itinerary.

Inside, the air-conditioned salon provides a bright social area with sofas, entertainment equipment and room for presentations or underwater image review. The separate dining room seats all 24 guests at two large tables. Three buffet meals are served daily, supported by snacks and a selection of non-alcoholic drinks throughout the cruise. Catering normally begins with dinner on embarkation day and finishes with breakfast on disembarkation day.

Outdoor life is equally spacious. A shaded lounge and bar create a relaxed setting between dives, while the upper sun deck combines seating, sunbeds and a Jacuzzi. The forward decks provide clear views over Saudi Arabia's island-dotted coast, and the wide stern gives direct access to the working dive area and tenders.

Almonda is engineered for extended operation at remote sites. The vessel carries 14 tons of fresh water, 16 tons of fuel, two Cummins generators and comprehensive navigation and communication systems. Two 6.5-metre Zodiacs transport divers to exposed reef edges, while the main platform remains large enough for organised entries, exits and equipment storage.

For travellers looking beyond the heavily visited Egyptian Red Sea, Almonda offers an appealing combination of onboard comfort, long-range capability and access to coral reefs where another safari boat may not be visible for days.

Cabin

Almonda accommodates 24 guests in 12 air-conditioned staterooms, all with private bathrooms. The layout includes eight deluxe twin cabins, two lower-deck double cabins and two main-deck master suites, giving couples, friends and solo travellers several booking options.

The cabin categories are:

• 8 Deluxe Twin Cabins: two single beds
• 2 Lower Deck Double Cabins: one queen-size bed
• 2 Main Deck Master Suites: one queen-size bed and a more spacious location

Standard cabin facilities include:

• Individually controlled air conditioning
• Private ensuite shower, toilet and washbasin
• 32-inch flat-screen television with a selection of entertainment
• Porthole or sea-view window depending on location
• Mirrored storage cabinet and luggage space
• Hair dryer, bathrobes and fresh towels
• Ability to connect a computer to the television for reviewing underwater images

Cabin air conditioning may be temporarily switched off while scuba cylinders are being filled. Portholes must remain closed during navigation, and wet dive equipment is not allowed inside cabins or the salon. Guests are also asked to follow the vessel's marine-toilet instructions carefully.

Diving

Almonda's stern is arranged around a large dive platform with personal equipment boxes, bench space, rinse access and three camera tables. Two 6.5-metre tenders powered by 45 hp outboards allow divers to reach offshore plateaus and drop-offs safely, then return directly to the main vessel.

The published equipment inventory includes 29 aluminium 12-litre cylinders, five 15-litre cylinders, two 350 l/min compressors and one 600 l/min compressor. DIN valves are standard and INT adaptors are available. The boat can produce enriched-air blends; the technical page lists EAN 32% and EAN 36%, while the FAQ describes complimentary Nitrox 28. Certified divers should confirm the blend planned for their departure rather than assuming a fixed percentage.

Typical programs offer two or three dives per day, with night diving when the selected reef and local regulations permit. Some sites specifically prohibit night dives. All dives follow no-decompression profiles, and the operator sets a maximum depth of 40 metres. Detailed briefings allow experienced buddy teams to explore within the agreed plan, while less experienced guests may be placed with a guide or stronger group.

Important diving provisions include:

• Complimentary Nitrox for certified divers
• 12-litre cylinders and weights for standard diving
• A limited number of 15-litre cylinders; availability and price must be confirmed
• Three camera tables and compressed-air hose
• Personal dive-equipment storage
• Two Zodiac tenders
• Professional dive guides and site briefings
• Nitrox and other scuba courses available at additional cost with advance registration
• Rental equipment excluded from the standard package and requiring advance reservation

Currents at Farasan Banks are often mild but can strengthen around exposed points. Seven Sisters and Five Corals can bring medium to strong current, deeper plateaus and blue-water shark searches. A surface marker buoy, computer and good buoyancy control are therefore essential even when the general route is described as intermediate.

Other Information

The following details reflect the operator's published itinerary and FAQ pages. Inclusions can change by departure, charter or promotion, so the final booking confirmation remains authoritative.

Published as included:

• Airport and hotel transfers associated with the scheduled cruise
• Cabin accommodation and full-board meals
• Three buffet meals per day, from first-night dinner to final-morning breakfast
• Snacks throughout the trip
• Soft drinks, juice, tea, coffee and mineral water
• Nitrox for certified divers
• Standard dive support, including briefings, 12-litre cylinders and weights
• Night dives where permitted by the site and conditions
• Cabin, beach and dive-deck towels
• Complimentary toiletries
• Laundry and pressing service
• Wi-Fi while mobile-network coverage is available
• Stand-up paddleboard use
• National-park fees
• Fuel surcharge and port fees

Published as excluded or payable separately:

• Saudi entry visa
• International and domestic flights
• Gratuities: one itinerary page lists USD 80 per person per trip, while the FAQ describes a customary 400 SAR; reconfirm the current guideline
• Land excursions
• Scuba-diving courses, including Nitrox certification
• Rental scuba equipment
• Private dive guide unless specifically added
• Travel insurance and specialist dive-accident insurance
• Alcoholic beverages; alcohol is not available in Saudi Arabia
• Any hotel or transfer outside the routing confirmed for the selected departure

Practical details:

• Main routes: Farasan Banks; Seven Sisters, Five Corals and Umlajj
• Embarkation ports: Al Lith for Farasan Banks; Yanbu or KAEC for northern routes
• Airport: Jeddah International Airport is the usual gateway
• Approximate transfers: Jeddah–Al Lith 2.5 hours; Jeddah–KAEC 1 hour; Jeddah–Yanbu 3.5 hours
• Check-in / check-out: Published guidance requests check-in from 18:00 and check-out by 09:00
• Internet: Free when a mobile signal exists; unavailable in some remote areas
• Payments onboard: Cash in USD or SAR; Visa and Mastercard are advertised
• Languages: Dive guides generally speak English and German; crew English levels vary
• Environmental rules: No fishing, collecting coral or shells, feeding animals, touching or walking on reefs; gloves and dive knives are prohibited
• Safety: Fire and smoke alarms, extinguishers, emergency oxygen, first-aid equipment, life jackets, life rafts, radar, GPS, SSB, VHF, satellite phone and EPIRB
• Insurance: Coverage for evacuation and hyperbaric treatment is strongly recommended and is not included

Almonda concentrates on two exceptional Saudi Red Sea regions: the Farasan Banks south of Jeddah and the Seven Sisters/Five Corals systems around Yanbu and Rabigh. The following route flows are representative rather than fixed daily schedules. The captain chooses sites according to wind, current, visibility, permits and the experience of the group.

Farasan Banks Diving Adventure

Farasan Banks cruises normally begin and end at Al Lith, approximately 210 kilometres south of Jeddah. After the first night in port, the vessel needs only a few hours to reach a wide field of wild islands, submerged atolls and coral plateaus. Spring can bring plankton-feeding whale sharks close to Al Lith, but any encounter remains seasonal.

Northern Banks and Mar Mar area
Early stages of the route may explore Mar Mar Island and the surrounding reefs of Dohra, Jadir and Malathu. Mar Mar offers a protected overnight setting, while nearby walls and plateaus combine hard-coral gardens, soft corals, gorgonians, turtles and schooling fish. Long South Reef is more exposed: current along its outer edge can attract grey reef sharks, hammerheads, barracuda and trevally.

South Gorgonian and Twenty Miles
South Gorgonian Reef is an isolated atoll whose walls support dense fans and colourful soft coral. The southern plateau descends toward deeper terraces used by jacks, tuna and sharks. Twenty Miles is a compact submerged tower surrounded by a sandy ring and coral blocks; dives spiral around the reef before finishing among anthias near its shallow top.

Dohra, Jadir and turtle islands
Dohra is also known as Turtle Island because turtles use its beaches for nesting. North Dohra offers a broad sandy plateau and current-fed drop-off where hammerheads may appear. North Jadir is generally more approachable, with intact hard coral, anemones, reef fish and frequent turtle activity.

Danak, Choppy and central reefs
Danak Island mixes sandy plateaus, coral towers and steep outer walls. Choppy Reef is distinguished by an emerald lagoon, huge black-coral growth and sponge-covered walls. Depending on conditions, the route may also include Qadd Humais, Mudarr, Jabbara, Fantasy Reef or Sha'ab Ammar.

Southern points and pelagic action
South West Malathu and North Mudarr are among the stronger big-fish sites. Their plateaus lead toward current-exposed tips where grey, silky and hammerhead sharks may cruise with barracuda, tuna and trevally. Dives are planned conservatively because the most active areas can also be the deepest and most current affected.

Return toward Al Lith
The final part of the safari may visit Mubarak, Marbat Al Khail or Canyon Reef before the vessel returns to port. The exact sequence is deliberately flexible, allowing the captain and guides to select the strongest combination of visibility, shelter and marine-life activity.

Seven Sisters & Five Corals Diving Adventure

Northern Saudi Red Sea itineraries may operate from Yanbu or King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). Some are return journeys, while others link two ports. The route joins the Five Corals of Rabigh with the Seven Sisters reefs offshore from Yanbu, producing a varied safari of plateaus, gorgonian walls, night-diving sites and pelagic encounters.

Five Corals of Rabigh
Joey Reef is the largest reef in the Five Corals area, with a lagoon, lighthouse and broad outer wall. Gorgonian forests flourish around 35 metres, while tuna, amberjack, barracuda, hammerheads and manta rays may pass through the blue. Night diving is permitted at Joey when conditions allow.

Maria South Reef offers a different shape, with a narrow plateau, coral towers and channels filled with reef fish. Dense schools of jacks, barracuda and tuna move along the ridge, while shallower caves shelter glassfish, sweetlips and snapper. Other Five Corals sites are selected according to current and visibility.

Transit toward Yanbu
The journey north can include reefs such as Marker 11, whose southern plateau and gorgonian wall provide a gentler introduction to the region. Trevally and tuna patrol the open side, with occasional grey reef or hammerhead sharks.

Seven Sisters plateaus
The Seven Sisters group includes Marker 32, Marker 34, Abu Galawa and Marker 39. These isolated reefs project into deep water, concentrating current and pelagic life. Abu Galawa South combines a sheltered lagoon with a broad coral plateau and shark-active outer edge. Its walls are especially rich in soft coral and large gorgonian fans, and selected areas can support night diving.

Mansi and Sha'ab Suflani
Mansi, sometimes identified around Marker 41/42, rises like a solitary column from deep water. Its vertical walls are covered with gorgonians, black coral and soft coral. Hammerheads, tuna, trevally and grey reef sharks may appear away from the wall. Farther south, Sha'ab Suflani drops into very deep water and rewards careful current assessment.

Umlajj extensions and return
Certain departures continue toward Umlajj or operate one-way between Yanbu and KAEC. These extensions add island scenery and less frequently visited reef systems. The final dives are chosen to keep the vessel within a safe return schedule and to provide a suitable surface interval before disembarkation.

Seasonal Conditions and Marine Life

The operator recommends January to early May for Farasan Banks. Water is commonly warm, current is usually manageable and spring offers the strongest published chance of whale sharks near Al Lith. Five Corals, Seven Sisters and Umlajj are generally promoted from September through June, with water temperatures around 26–32°C, visibility commonly 15–35 metres and occasional stronger current or rougher surface conditions.

Potential encounters include scalloped hammerheads, silky sharks, silvertip sharks, grey reef sharks, whitetip and blacktip reef sharks, tiger sharks, whale sharks, manta and eagle rays, turtles, dolphins, tuna, barracuda and large schools of trevally. These are wild populations; no species or number of encounters can be guaranteed.

Important Itinerary Notes

• Site order is never guaranteed and may change for safety or weather.
• Some reefs allow night diving, while others explicitly prohibit it.
• No-decompression diving and a 40-metre maximum depth apply.
• Farasan Banks usually uses Al Lith; northern programs may use Yanbu or KAEC.
• A Saudi visa and adequate travel/dive insurance are the guest's responsibility.
• Flights should be planned with a safe interval after the final dive.