A tour of the Farasan Islands.. What do you think of the atmosphere of the “Maldives” in Saudi Arabia?

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Saudi islands that many describe as “beautiful” and with turquoise waters that were the destination of many diving and fishing enthusiasts.. These are the Farasan Islands, which are located in the south of the Red Sea and belong to the Jazan region, where Muhammad Al-Misnad takes us on a visual tour (watch the video above) around them from the sky.

The Farasan Islands are known for their great biodiversity, which distinguishes them from the rest of Saudi Arabia’s reserves, as they host more than 230 species of fish and many endangered marine wildlife. According to the Saudi News Agency, SPA, the Farasan Islands contain 50 species of coral, and are characterized by seaweed, seaweed, and jellyfish and mangrove forests, which serve as incubators for young fish and crustaceans.

The Farasan Islands are home to the largest concentration of antelope in Saudi Arabia, and are considered one of the most important corridors for bird migration, as they contain about 165 species of birds. According to the Saudi Press Agency website, it includes the largest concentration of pink-backed pelicans in the Red Sea, and the largest concentration of eagle vultures in the Middle East.

SPA explained that it also contains more than 180 species of plants, four of which are limited to Saudi Arabia, in the Farasan Islands. Away from the natural features of the Farasan Islands, it has become the focus of attention of tourists, visitors, and researchers because of the beauty of its sandy beaches, nature, and turquoise waters.

In the photographer’s interview with the Ofoq News website in Arabic, he said: “It is called the Saudi Maldives, due to the large number of islands and the similarity with the Maldives.” The Saudi photographer explained that the Farasan Islands contain many monuments, most notably the Najdi Mosque, Wadi Matar, Al-Rifai’s House, Jarmal House, Luqman Castle, and Al-Ardi.

These islands are distinguished by their abundance of coral reefs and the quality of their fish, especially the hareed fish, for which a special festival is held annually. In turn, Al-Musnad was trying to highlight the beauty of these islands with aerial photography, instead of focusing on the people.

The photographer received many questions about how to reach the Farasan Islands, as he explained, “Access to them is free from Jizan Port using ferries to transport passengers and cars.”