Farasan Banks & Al Lith · Saudi Arabia · Wall · Reef
Malathu Island
Stepped plateaus at 25, 35 and 60 m with gorgonians in the deep
The dive sits south of Malathu Island, where a plateau declines from 25 m to 35 m and the ground then steps down again to plateaus at 45 m and 60 m, with severe declines on both sides. Gorgonians grow in the deeper region and silky sharks are seen there, while the shallower ground carries soft and hard corals and the reef fish that go with them.
Where it is and how deep
19.7488° N, 39.9077° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The structure off the south side of the island is a set of steps rather than a single face, and the shallowest of them starts at 25 m. That first plateau declines to 35 m and it is where a recreational dive spends its time, so the profile starts deep: the bottom-time budget is running from the moment you arrive on the terrace, and the plan works the shallowest step rather than the deepest.
Below the first plateau the ground steps again, to 45 m and then 60 m, and both sides of the formation fall away steeply. Gorgonians grow down in that deeper region and silky sharks are seen there, so a good part of the dive is spent looking down and out rather than at the reef beside you. Back on the shallower ground it is soft and hard corals and the fish that live in them, and the ascent works up the first terrace.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Farasan Banks & Al Lith: Whale sharks aggregate at Shib Habil Mar–May; midsummer surface temperatures above 40°C make the region impractical.
Know before you go
- The plateaus step down to 45 m and 60 m with severe declines on both sides, so it is easy to follow the terrain past the planned depth; set a hard floor before you drop.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Malathu Island dive?+
The main plateau runs from 25 m down to 35 m, which is the recreational profile. Below that the ground steps to further plateaus at 45 m and 60 m, with severe declines on both sides of the formation.
Sources
- Malathu Island dive site — Scubago
More dive sites in Farasan Banks & Al Lith
Reef
Columnar Porites framework standing 10 m off the bottom
Wall diving where the drop runs to 500 m in places
A huge gorgonian at 35 m on the longest reef off Al Lith
Reef
Juvenile whale sharks gather here every spring, in groups of two to four
Similar dives elsewhere
A small canyon at the foot of the drop-off, 40 m down
Jetty-entry wall to 40 m dived for tuna, dolphins and passing whale sharks
A sheer wall falling from 12 m into 200 m of water
A column of gorgonian fans standing from 14 to 28 m