Most know Jeddah for its welcoming people, intricate architecture, and laid-back energy — a coastal city that blends deep-rooted tradition with a vibrant cosmopolitan spirit. Fewer realise its true magic lies offshore, where the Red Sea’s kaleidoscopic ecosystem thrives—an almost otherworldly realm of striking corals, curious turtles, and gliding whale sharks.
Here, freediver Salma Shaker moves with the ease of someone in her second home, guiding us into the depths.
A Living Painting
“The Red Sea is magic. It’s one of the most biodiverse bodies of water on Earth, and yet it feels intimate. The coral reefs are alive with colour and movement – it’s like diving into a living painting,” says the record-holding Saudi freediver, who learned to scuba dive at a young age, growing up in a family of ocean lovers and divers.
“The water is warm, visibility is usually incredible, and there’s a serenity to it that I haven’t found anywhere else. It’s home, but it never stops surprising me.”
Freediving to Salma is more than swimming or holding her breath. “It’s about connection. I explore the underwater world with nothing but my body and breath. It’s a meditative practice, an art, and a form of discipline. I spend a lot of my time training, understanding the ocean, and sharing its beauty and fragility with others.”
She features in a documentary called Beneath the Surface: The Fight for Corals. The film explores how we can protect corals and conservation efforts in the Red Sea, which has the fourth-largest barrier reef (over 28,000 sq km in size), and how these efforts could be a blueprint for protecting corals around the world.
Salma explains what the ocean means to her: “It’s everything. It’s my peace, my teacher, my challenge, my mirror. The ocean reflects who you are in that exact moment. If you’re anxious, it shows; if you’re centred, it welcomes you. It’s taught me patience, surrender, and respect. It’s where I go to reconnect with myself.”
Overcoming Fears
Freediving is a beautiful sport, but it’s not without risks. It pushes the body to extremes. Much of this is physical, from the pressure on the body at great depths, to learning how to hold your breath for staggering lengths of time, but Salma says the biggest challenges in freediving are mental.
“I think the hardest thing I’ve faced with freediving is just mental, trying to push my brain to do the dive and push the fear away. The ocean teaches humility. Mentally, I focus on breath, presence, and respect. You never fight the ocean, you listen to it,” explains Salma.
“There were times after tough dives when I questioned if I could keep doing this. One moment that stands out was after failing a personal goal I had spent months training for. I was devastated. But I realised quitting wouldn’t make me feel better – progress would. What keeps me going is the feeling after a perfect dive, those moments where time disappears and it’s just you and the deep. That feeling is worth every struggle.”
She’s accomplished some incredible feats, with her greatest achievement more internal: “Being able to overcome fear and mental barriers, and to dive to depths that once felt impossible. It’s one thing to train your body, but another to train your mind to stay calm when everything in your biology says: ‘go up’.”
Jeddah at Heart
“Growing up in Jeddah, by the Red Sea, I remember summers on the beach, feeling drawn to the water without even knowing why,” says Salma. “My family always encouraged curiosity and resilience. Jeddah is a place that lives between tradition and modern energy; it taught me how to move between worlds, to hold onto roots while reaching out.
Jeddah is raw and beautiful. You have the turquoise Red Sea lapping against coral-lined shores, ancient alleyways in Al Balad with coral stone houses and wooden latticework, and then you turn a corner and see cutting-edge architecture rising into the sky. The air smells like salt. People here are warm, proud, and deeply hospitable. It’s a city with rhythm – one foot in history, the other in the future."
Recommendations from a Local
Salma likes to spend time by the sea when she’s not in it. She unwinds by “stretching at sunset or just walking along the Corniche. I also paint, run, and spend time with friends and family. Jeddah has this laid-back energy that makes it easy to slow down and enjoy the moment.”
“Start your day with a sunrise walk along the Jeddah Waterfront. It’s peaceful and the light is gorgeous. For food, you have to eat in the oldest seafood spot in Al Balad named Albasali. It doesn’t get much fresher. For coffee, check out Brew92 or Cup & Couch, both local favourites.
Don’t miss Al Balad at night, it feels like walking through time. And for sunset, go to the Floating Mosque or grab a kayak and watch the sun dip below the sea from the water, it’s unforgettable.” And of course, there has to be one diving recommendation? “Dive the Farasan Banks or Abu Tair Reef, they’re both hidden gems.”
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Salma Shaker drove along Jeddah’s Red Sea coast in a Lexus UX 300h, courtesy of Abdul Latif Jameel Motors (Lexus)
Photos by Osama Jaberti
Locations: Narcissus Resort & Spa Obhur and various points along the Jeddah seacoast
