Red Sea Global (RSG) announced the discovery of a giant coral colony of the Pavona species within the waters of AMAALA. It is located on Saudi Arabia’s northwestern coast.
Rivalling the size of the current world record holder — a 32-by-34-meter colony found in the Pacific Ocean — this remarkable discovery could become a major attraction for tourists visiting AMAALA.
RSG plans to allow access through responsible tourism practices. This aims to minimize environmental impact while offering visitors a unique diving experience.
Ahmed Alansari, head of RSG’s Environmental Protection and Regeneration, highlighted the ecological importance of the find, noting:
“These giants represent a time capsule of information. They provide tools for tracing past oceanographic changes and modeling future responses. Understanding how this coral has survived for so long is crucial for protecting other reefs worldwide.”
Determining the coral’s exact age is challenging due to the invasive nature of traditional dating methods. Also, there is a lack of growth rate data for this species in the Red Sea.
However, estimations based on size, Pacific growth rates, and photogrammetry suggest an age between 400 and 800 years.
Researchers from RSG and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) will conduct further studies. The aim is to more precisely determine the coral’s age and resilience.
The two RSG scientists who discovered the coral, Rhonda Suka and Sylvia Jagerroos, are now leading its mapping and documentation.
Suka described the find as a “mind-boggling experience.” Meanwhile, Jagerroos emphasized the importance of projects like “Map the Giants,” which document giant coral colonies globally.
AMAALA is set to welcome its first guests later this year. It will launch with more than 1,400 hotel rooms across eight luxury resorts.
The destination aims to become the world’s most comprehensive health and wellness retreat. This follows the successful launch of RSG’s other project, The Red Sea, which began welcoming guests in 2023 and now has five hotels open.
