Explore Umluj and its islands

Warm, clear waters and abundant coral make Umluj a prime area for diving and snorkeling — one that is much less crowded than other famous Red Sea dive spots like Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh. Many of the fringing reefs are found just off sandy beaches like those at the island of Jabal Hassan, an ancient passageway where Romans are said to have gleaned glass from the isle’s sandy plains. The warm seas around Umluj are home to 300 species of hard coral — more than four times what’s found in the Caribbean — green and Hawksbill turtles, dolphins, dugong sea cows and more than 1,200 fish species.

The Umluj coast is as attractive to migratory birds as it is to humans, especially the pristine islands of Libana, Ataweel and Um Sahar, where cranes, kingfishers and white-tailed lapwings arrive at various points in the year to nest around the curved beaches and reefs rich in sea life.