Produced by Virtuoso with The Red Sea Destination
October 16, 2024

A clear view of the Milky Way from the Red Sea destination.The Red Sea Destination

Saudi Arabia’s new destination, The Red Sea, hopes to become the largest Dark Sky Reserve in the Middle East.

Anyone who’s ever looked up at a clear night sky knows the magic of stargazing, and now there’s a new, booming industry dedicated to just that. Astrotourism – traveling to remote places to stargaze or observe other astronomical events – rekindles a connection with nature and enhances local culture and environmental heritage. Saudi Arabia’s new destination, The Red Sea, which began welcoming travelers at the end of 2023, offers all those benefits and more.

Stretching more than 10,000 square miles along the Red Sea coast, The Red Sea encompasses 50 hotels, a sleek new airport, and a 90-island archipelago in the Kingdom’s northwest. Along with hiking, scuba diving, kayaking, paddleboarding, and off-roading, the region provides astrotourism experiences with aspirations of becoming the Middle East’s largest designated Dark Sky Reserve.  

Less Light, More Fun

The Red Sea is a sustainability-minded-ecotourist’s playground. Renewable energy  – solar farms and off-grid battery energy storage systems – already power the destination’s first hotels. As more hotels open, they will connect to the off-grid renewable energy infrastructure. Travelers can sleep under the vast night sky in the desert mountains or gaze at the cosmos from seaside resorts on the Ummahat, Shura, and Sheybarah islands.    

Part of The Red Sea’s commitment to sustainability involves reducing light pollution. In addition to inhibiting stargazing, light pollution disrupts animals’ natural rhythms, affecting entire habitats and ecosystems. For endemic baby Hawksbill sea turtles, light pollution can be especially deadly, as artificial light sources draw them inland at a time when they should be heading safely out to sea. Light pollution can also cause night-hunting or migrating bats and birds to wander off course or fly at the wrong time, putting them in danger.

Red Sea Global’s associate director of lighting, ​​Andrew Bates, says working on this development has completely shifted his approach as a lighting consultant. “Previously, my work focused on bright, eye-catching displays, but here, it’s about subtlety and sustainability,” he says. “We prioritize lighting only where it’s necessary, ensuring it doesn’t interfere with the natural environment. Preserving this natural darkness is crucial for both people and the planet.”

Bates and his team set up smart controlled systems for outdoor lighting, using innovative technology to further their environmental conservation efforts. Every outdoor light is linked to a geographical timer, which allows it to adjust to the seasons and the sun’s position. All lighting on buildings and roads must be warm and aimed downward, minimizing light-pollution escape.

The Red Sea Destination

A Distinguished Designation 

The Red Sea is in the final stages of its certification to become the world’s largest Dark Sky Reserve, partnering with sustainable design leader Cundall to minimize light pollution and protect the nocturnal environment. With Dark Sky certification, it aims to not only protect the region’s natural beauty and biodiversity, but also honor its cultural heritage.  

“The Red Sea is a unique candidate for this recognition due to its largely untouched nature,” says Bassem Rizk, senior director of engineering at Red Sea Global. “Achieving this certification is no small feat, especially given the scale of the destination, which is about the size of Belgium.” 

Because water absorbs light, the arid desert is ideal for stargazing. As nomadic animal herders in the Middle East, the Bedouin have navigated by the stars for centuries. Islamic astronomers built on their knowledge to map the stars and their movements with unprecedented accuracy – they proposed that the earth revolved around the sun five centuries before Galileo came to the same conclusion, and more than 200 stars have Arabic names. Protecting dark desert skies preserves an integral part of the region’s identity, ensuring that present and future generations can experience the rich cultural history firsthand. With a prestigious Dark Sky Reserve designation, The Red Sea will join the ranks of 210-plus protected places in 22 countries across six continents.  

Stargazing and storytelling converge at the Hejaz Mountains.The Red Sea Destination

Star Stories

To delve deeper into the science and culture of astronomy, guests can stargaze with astronomers and storytellers. These experts explain how different groups throughout history related to the stars, from the Bedouin to ancient sailors traversing the seas to farmers planning their harvest dates.  

For those interested in learning more about the moon, Al’ayali Albeidh, or White Nights, is a specific offering for observing the night sky under moonlight, focusing on the Hijri calendar, lunar phases, and how the moon influences nocturnal activities. Groups also gather here to observe specific phenomena, including meteor showers, eclipses, and other significant celestial events. Tour operators in the region offer numerous kid-friendly experiences, as well as deep dives for guests who want to learn more about astronomic science, history, and culture.  

For Red Sea Global’s lead astronomer Ahmed Althaher, astrotourism is more than just stargazing. “It’s about reconnecting with centuries of cultural heritage and experiencing the night sky as it was meant to be seen,” he says. “For centuries, the people of this land have looked to the stars as their guide, and we want our guests to feel that same connection.”