Exploring the Uncharted Waters Near Sindalah
Opulent new hotels, world-class dining, glamorous nightlife, and a lively year-round social calendar. While the glittering new Red Sea island destination of Sindalah promises endless diversions on shore, beneath the waves lies another alluring world waiting to be discovered.
In 2021, 30 marine experts embarked on a six-week expedition to explore the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia. The team, part of a joint mission organized by NEOM and the nonprofit ocean exploration organization OceanX, included scientists, oceanographers, researchers, and experts on sharks, turtles, dugongs, whale sharks, corals, and more.
Based aboard the OceanXplorer, the most advanced exploration, research, and media vessel ever built, this group of intrepid scientists recorded more than 960 hours of underwater footage, mapping over 580 square miles of the seabed in high-resolution 3-D. Their findings were extraordinary.
Beneath the waves of the northern Red Sea lay a kaleidoscope of marine wonders: coral reefs that seemed to be immune to bleaching, an ocean pinnacle so high that it would dwarf all but one of the world’s skyscrapers, eight new marine species, and the world’s most northern brine pool. They also confirmed the presence of 12 species of megafauna, discovered three ancient maritime and shipwreck sites, and documented previously unrecorded tectonic plate shifts.
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What the expedition revealed had regional and global significance, dazzling the scientific and marine communities. But the pioneering research aimed at more than discovering what was beneath the surface of these waters in the northern Red Sea. By gathering significant data on the area’s biodiversity and marine environment and its inhabitants, the findings will be translated into tangible conservation measures, safeguarding this special and, as of now, largely unexplored area of the Red Sea.
“The marine experts found that seascapes surrounding Sindalah contain a diverse range of marine life, with over 2,000 species of animals—more than 600 of which are endemic to the Red Sea, so cannot be found anywhere else in the world,” says Antoni Vives, Chief Urban Development and Islands Officer, NEOM. “Sindalah is also home to species of conservation importance, such as dolphins, turtles, dugongs, manta rays, and whale sharks.”
The research has significance not only for the scientific community, but also for visitors to NEOM. The Red Sea has long been considered one of the world’s premier locations for diving, drawing the most intrepid and in-the-know enthusiasts, and the northern stretches offer territory that has largely been off the map for travelers, until now.
When NEOM’s first island destination, Sindalah, opens to visitors in 2024, many will be drawn here by a desire to explore this underwater world, one of the most biodiverse and unspoiled in the region. The facilities being developed for visitors are also pioneering. NEOM has committed to devote 95 percent of its area—both on land and in the sea—to the preservation of nature. Findings from the OceanX expedition are being used to drive the design and implementation of protected marine areas.
Those who choose to explore below the waves here are sure to encounter an abundance of marine life. Diving and snorkeling will be available at Sindalah for guests to enjoy the Red Sea surrounding the island, including rare coral and colorful reef fish. The archipelago is also home to around 4,000 shy endangered dugongs, a species that feeds on seagrass beds and plays an important role in the overall ecosystem, and at certain times of year, whale sharks can be found here.
These waters also offer scientists key information on corals and how to protect them around the world. Red Sea corals are showing signs of being more resistant to temperature increases than those in other regions, and the underwater world here is full of color and life, standing in sharp contrast to other parts of the world where widespread bleaching has occurred.
For visitors eager to explore the uncharted waters surrounding Sindalah, diving and water sports programs at NEOM are being developed sensitively, to reduce disturbance to marine animals. In addition to scuba diving and snorkeling, the conditions are particularly sublime for wind-powered sports, like kite-sailing and windsurfing. Sindalah’s marina and yachting hub has been consciously developed to leave as small a footprint as possible on the marine environment.
“Sindalah follows NEOM’s vision and purpose of adapting to and mitigating the impact of climate change and urban development, with pioneering ecoconscious facilities designed in partnership with leading global architects,” says Vives. “The island will be a premium destination that coexists in harmony with the Red Sea’s beautiful marine ecosystem and protects the natural features of the region.”
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