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Guy hasn't said yetSuwaidi Pearls Map: The last pearl divers Enquire / book More episodes Related: pearl diving dubai
Before oil, pearls were the UAE's main industry, and Arabian pearls were prized above all others. Divers went down on a single breath, sometimes hundreds of times a day. Cultured pearls ended the trade, but freediving lived on.
Paris starts with the PADI freediving course at Divers Down. He reaches 10 metres on one breath; the certificate needs 16, and he decides not to push it on the day.
At Suwaidi Pearl Farm, Othman shows the old kit: a stone weight to drop fast, a rope to be hauled up with the basket, and a wooden nose clip that replaced tortoiseshell. Paris then opens oysters hunting for his own pearl, and learns why you never find one in oysters you eat.
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Paris's verdict
Placeholder: Paris will add his own first-person verdict here. We do not write it for him.
Related
FAQ
Where is Suwaidi Pearl Farm?
In Ras Al Khaimah; it runs pearl farm tours.
How deep did Paris freedive?
10 metres on one breath; the PADI course needs 16.
Sources
Facts checked October 2026. Opening times, age limits and seasons change, so confirm with the operator before you go.
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