The Red Sea Resorts
The Red Sea Project is Saudi Arabia's answer to the Maldives: a stretch of untouched reef and 90-plus islands now home to nine open luxury resorts, from Shebara's floating steel pods to Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. Fly straight into the purpose-built Red Sea International Airport (from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, or Dubai), then transfer by boat, seaplane, or electric buggy — there are no cars on the islands themselves. Rates start around $1,200–2,250/night; this is a splurge trip, not a budget one.
This is the project that made the rest of the world sit up and pay attention to Saudi tourism — 90-plus private Red Sea islands, a coastline of coral reef that's barely been dived, and a genuinely audacious plan to build one of the most exclusive resort destinations on Earth almost from scratch. As of mid-2026, it's no longer a rendering. It's open, and you can fly straight to it.
What is the Red Sea Project?
Red Sea Global's flagship destination spans a 28,000 sq km area of Saudi Arabia's northwest coast — mangroves, dormant volcanoes, desert dunes, and a lagoon system with some of the best-preserved coral reef left in the Red Sea. The whole project is built around a 'regenerative tourism' pitch: 100% renewable energy, no single-use plastics, and a hard cap on visitor numbers designed to leave the environment better off than before construction started, not just less damaged.
Which resorts are actually open right now?
| Resort | Style | From, per night |
|---|---|---|
| Shebara | Floating steel-and-glass overwater pods, no land beneath most rooms | ~$1,900 (SAR 7,000) |
| Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve | Overwater and beach villas on the Ummahat Islands | ~$2,250 (SAR 8,400) |
| The St. Regis Red Sea Resort | 90 overwater and beachfront villas, private pools | ~$1,866 (SAR 7,000) |
| Six Senses Southern Dunes | Inland desert-dune villas near Umluj, opened Nov. 2023 | ~$1,200–1,500 |
| Six Senses AMAALA | Cliffside and lagoon villas, opened July 2026 | Contact for rates (newly opened) |
| The Red Sea EDITION | Marriott's design-forward beachfront property | Contact for rates |
| InterContinental The Red Sea Resort | The project's more accessible five-star option | Lower than the ultra-luxury tier above |
| SLS The Red Sea | Playful, design-heavy beachfront property | Contact for rates |
| Desert Rock | Red Sea Global's own inland desert-canyon resort | Contact for rates |
Prices swing hard by season and island — overwater villas on Shebara and Nujuma command a real premium over the inland desert properties (Six Senses Southern Dunes, Desert Rock), which run noticeably cheaper for essentially the same five-star service. If budget is a factor, an inland property is the honest way to experience the Red Sea Project without the overwater-villa surcharge.
How to get there
Red Sea International Airport (RSI) opened specifically to serve this destination and now takes direct flights: Saudia runs roughly six flights a week from Riyadh (King Khalid Intl) and three a week from Jeddah (King Abdulaziz Intl), plus a direct international connection from Dubai, with more routes expected to be added. There's no need to fly into Jeddah and drive — RSI puts you within a short transfer of every resort.
| From | Method | Approx. time |
|---|---|---|
| Riyadh | Direct Saudia flight to RSI | ~2 hours |
| Jeddah | Direct Saudia flight to RSI | ~1 hour |
| Dubai | Direct international flight to RSI | ~2.5 hours |
Getting from the airport to your resort
Every resort arranges transfers as part of the stay — by electric shuttle for the mainland and near-shore properties, or by boat or seaplane for the outer islands like Shebara and Nujuma. A typical boat transfer from the mainland jetty runs 30–40 minutes; the seaplane option cuts that to about half, with sweeping views over the reef system on the way in.
What it's actually like on the ground
- No cars on the islands — everything moves by electric buggy, bike, or on foot, which makes the whole place noticeably quieter than a typical beach resort.
- Reef access most guests have never seen — snorkeling and diving straight from your villa's private jetty on some properties, on coral that's had essentially zero tourist pressure until the last couple of years.
- Desert-meets-sea landscapes — Six Senses Southern Dunes and Desert Rock sit inland among dormant volcanoes and sand dunes, a genuinely different (and less crowded) side of the project from the overwater-villa islands.
- A hard visitor cap — Red Sea Global has publicly committed to capping guest numbers well below what the land could technically support, part of the sustainability pitch — expect a genuinely uncrowded feel, not marketing spin.
Is it worth the price?
Be honest with yourself about the budget before booking — there's no cheap way to experience the Red Sea Project's islands themselves; even the 'accessible' tier (InterContinental, Six Senses Southern Dunes) sits well above a typical beach-resort price point, and the flagship overwater properties (Shebara, Nujuma) run $1,900–2,250+/night before food, transfers, or activities. If that's outside your range, Jeddah's own Red Sea coast (see our Jeddah guide) offers real diving and snorkeling at a fraction of the cost, just without the private-island villa.
Best time to visit
October through April is the sweet spot — daytime temperatures are comfortable for reef time and desert excursions alike, and it avoids the peak of summer's Red Sea humidity. Winter (December–February) is the busiest and priciest window; shoulder months (October–November, March–April) offer similar weather with a bit more availability.
Where to stay in The Red Sea Resorts — hotels
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