Jeddah · Saudi Arabia · Coral garden · Reef
Coral Gardens 1
Diverse coral between 15 and 20 m, a short boat ride out
Area photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0
A coral garden on the same reef ground as the Chicken Wreck, reached by boat on a short run out from shore. The reef runs between 15 and 20 m and the draw is the coral itself, which is diverse across that band. Coral fish of every kind are on it, barracuda pass through, and dolphins turn up now and then.
Also known as حديقة المرجان.
Where it is and how deep
21.7418° N, 38.9923° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
This is a straightforward reef dive with no route-finding to it. Drop onto the top of the coral at about 15 m and let the garden set the pace, because the interest here is spread across the reef rather than concentrated in one feature. The coral life is diverse through the whole band, so a slow lap covering a small area gives you more than a fast swim across the site.
The deeper edge runs to 20 m, which is where you spend the middle of the dive before stepping back up onto the shallower coral at 15 m. Coral fish of every kind sit over the structure, barracuda come through, and dolphins are an occasional visitor rather than a fixture. Work the last part of the dive over the reef top and make the safety stop in the water above it rather than down on the deeper edge.
Marine life and season
- Barracuda
- Dolphins
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Good |
Season follows Jeddah: Diveable in any month: winter water near 22C wants a 5 mm suit and hood, and July-September pairs the warmest sea with severe heat ashore.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Coral Gardens 1?+
The reef runs from 15 to 20 m, so the whole site sits inside a single no-decompression profile for most divers and the deeper edge is the only part that needs watching.
Sources
- Coral Gardens 1 - Scubago — Scubago
More dive sites in Jeddah
Wreck
Jeddah's biggest wreck, on its side between two reefs since 2022
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A cargo ship that hit the reef carrying frozen chicken
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Shallow reef at 7 to 13 m with a drop-off past 60 m alongside
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Easy reef averaging 12 m, shared with snorkellers
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Shore entry onto a 10 m shelf with a coral wall below it
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A 5 m platform off the beach, and diving down to 40 m
Similar dives elsewhere
Hole-in-the-roof entry to coral blocks rising from 10 to 40 m to the surface
Anthias clouds thick enough to lose sight of your buddy
Shared entrance with the Canyon, then a slow run south
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Coral garden to 25 m, a quarter of an hour south of the marina