Desert Delight

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia looks toward the future while honoring its past.

Words: Rachael Ingram

Photography: Courtesy Pelorus

PICTURED: Adventerous travelers are drawn to Saudi Arabia's desert.

PICTURED: Red Sea aerial view.

Pristine wildlife-filled reefs, dramatic desert-banked coastlines, historic culture-rich cities. Saudi Arabia has much to offer a yacht charter. However, the Kingdom has been largely ignored by the yachting community despite its easy access to the Indian Ocean. But tides are turning. As the country continues to open up to international tourists, spurred on by the modern government’s innovative Saudi Vision 2030 initiative, the superyacht industry is preparing to sail into fresh waters.

Henry Craven-Smith, senior partner and senior sales broker at Burgess Yachts, has firsthand experience of the temptations of the Kingdom.

“I went to the Sinai Peninsula many years ago and spent a bit of time in Duba, where I saw huge national parks along a totally unspoilt coast,” he says.

"There were Bedouin fisherman living in huts on the beach and wrecks of ships washed up on the reef that no one has moved and the sea life is extraordinary. When you fly into Jeddah, you pass over reefs which are completely untouched and spotless.”

While the call of nature is strong, CravenSmith is also excited by the real estate developments in progress along the Red Sea. “I think the plans they’ve got for the west coast of Saudi Arabia are extraordinary,” he says, highlighting projects including Amaala, a luxury tourism destination along the northwestern coast.

Saudi Vision 2030 is set to be transformational for the Arab country, particularly in terms of infrastructure. Much has been written about the pioneering “smart city” of Neom, which is anticipated to set new benchmarks for sustainable urban living. Meanwhile, the yachting industry is growing thanks to new marinas including the Jeddah Yacht Club and Marina which opened in spring and is the first in the region that can accommodate more than 100 yachts up to 120 meters in length.

PICTURED: The timeless beauty of the desert.

PICTURED: Saudi Arabia is a mystery just waiting to be unlocked.

Craven-Smith believes that for the local Saudi market, the yachting lifestyle is coming close to fruition. “The client base is present, the coastline is extraordinary, and they’re developing so many if you can get access and permits to cruise, it’s already there.

“It will take a while for the Western traveler to really embrace the cultural di erences of that part of the world, but I think there’s huge potential,” he adds.

PICTURED: Saudi Arabia is a mystery just waiting to be unlocked.

Geordie Mackay-Lewis, cofounder and CEO of luxury travel company Pelorus, believes that Saudi Arabia could become a major superyacht hub “perhaps not in the coming months, but in the near future.”

“This is not only because of the existing wealth in the area but also because many yachts and owners are looking at the advantages of cruising in the Red Sea,” he says. “As the infrastructure comes online, it will become a natural extension to the Mediterranean and diving and cultural exploration, alongside an emerging restaurant scene.”

PICTURED: Habitas Al Ula pool area.

PICTURED: Red Sea sunset yacht sailing.

"WE DO SEE THE KSA AS BECOMING AN ATTRACTIVE SUPERYACHT DESTINATION LONG TERM.” – Neal Bateman

Mackay-Lewis confirms that Pelorus has already received interest from clients, “mainly from yacht owners so far, but we are beginning to get charter clients requesting the region, too, in particular Neom and Jeddah as well as the various reefs in Saudi and Sudan.”

He suggests that the key challenges holding the industry back are regulations and marina services. “Realistically, for this region to become a yachting hub, it will need the permitting rules to be relaxed somewhat and additional marinas to open,” he says. “We are most likely a couple of years away from this. However, this should not stop people from going now as they will have world-class experiences all to themselves.”

Neal Bateman, head of yacht projects at luxury adventure travel company Cookson Adventures, believes that the vision could be a little further away. “In the short term, there is still a lot of work to be done on both Saudi Arabia’s local infrastructure and on the public perception of traveling there, so we don't see KSA becoming a superyacht hub overnight,” he says. “However, given the significant investment behind the Neom project and a focus on promoting Saudi’s natural wonders to a wider international audience, we do see the KSA as becoming an attractive superyacht destination long term.”

Bateman confirms that interest is already building from owners, however, including those based outside of the region. “We’ve had enquiries from yacht owners who've been interested to find out more about how they can bring their yachts to Saudi Arabia,” he says, adding that he expects inquiries to increase "as KSA continues to build cutting-edge infrastructure.”

PICTURED: Maraya Saudi desert mirror building.

PICTURED: Evidence of Saudi Arabia’s ancient past is everywhere.

PICTURED: Habitas Al Ula.

PICTURED: Saudi Arabia quad bikes.

"The KSA is easily accessible by yachts heading to and from the Indian Ocean and offers a very different and historically rich destination to visit,” Bateman adds. “The southern area has incredible diving with pristine coral reefs, while dramatic desert landscapes and rock formations as well as ancient historical buildings, monuments, and ruins you can visit to learn more about Saudi’s cultural history.”

As yacht owners and charter guests continue to look beyond the traditional milk run, it’s not far-fetched to imagine the Red Sea tempting yachts away from the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. And, as long as the appropriate regulations and infrastructure are implemented, Saudi Arabia could well become a key stop for yachts sailing to and from prime Indian Ocean destinations including the Seychelles, the Maldives, and the UAE.

PICTURED: Shipwreck scuba diving.

Rising Stars

In addition to new opportunities in Saudi Arabia, our experts predict other emerging superyacht hubs around the world.

HENRY CRAVEN-SMITH

The Baja California peninsula has always been open, but not many yachts go there. The sea life is extraordinary— we saw thousands and thousands of mobula rays off the coast and orcas feeding on rays. Not many boats have been to the South Pacific either, and I don’t really understand why. A lot of the Pacific is really accessible at the moment—from that part of the States, it’s quicker to get to Tahiti than the Mediterranean. I also think, as piracy issues continue to get better, more yachts will be going into the Indian Ocean.

GEORDIE MACKAY-LEWIS

Australia’s charter fleet is growing, with the region extending to French Polynesia and Fiji. We’re also seeing Central America becoming more popular—Costa Rica and Panama are particularly up-and-coming due to VAT structures’ making it more affordable to start and finish there. Southeast Asia has been on the cusp for a long time, and with more yachts heading east, we see this being a strong hub in the future.

NEAL BATEMAN

Since Costa Rica changed its yachting laws, it is a much more attractive and accessible destination for yachts. It’s one of our most in-demand tropical destinations for clients. Exploring along the country’s long stretch of coastline offers so much potential for adventure, with incredible diving and marine life, and the option to dip inland for jungle and volcano experiences.