Yanbu is a port city on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast in the Medina region; its roughly 2,500 year history begins as a staging post on the spice and incense routes and continues as Medina's gateway to the sea. In the First World War it was a supply base for the Arab Revolt; the Ottoman garrison here surrendered in the summer of 1916 and the British officer T. E. Lawrence lived for a while in the old town. Today Yanbu brings a restored historic market quarter and some of the best known dive reefs of the Red Sea together on one shore; the industrial city and refineries built since 1975 sit apart to the south. The coral stone houses and Night Market of Yanbu al-Bahr are the historic side of a visit; the Sharm Yanbu shore, the offshore reefs and the Yanbu al-Nakhl oasis inland are the nature side.
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See flights to Yanbu →When to visit Yanbu
November to March is the easiest period: days of 27C to 33C, nights of 14C to 20C, a sea at 24C to 26C and the best visibility on the reefs. The Yanbu Flowers and Gardens Festival, held in the Royal Commission district in February and March, is the busiest time in the city. April and October are transition months with hot middays. From June to September days pass 40C and sightseeing moves to early morning and evening; rainfall is very low all year.
Things to do in Yanbu
Yanbu Historic District (Night Market)
At the southern end of Yanbu al-Bahr, facing the old harbour, the historic district is made up of around a hundred buildings of coral stone decorated with latticed wooden bay windows (rawashin). The tourism ministry's restoration programme is reopening its narrow lanes and houses; the Souq al-Lail, or Night Market, said to be five centuries old, is where caravans and merchants met and it now comes alive in the evenings with traders and coffee sellers. The walk is best after sunset, in the cooler hours. The old quay and the fishing boats along the shore are part of the same round.
Lawrence of Arabia House
The two storey house inside the historic district is known as the building where the British intelligence officer T. E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, stayed between 1915 and 1916, in the first phase of the Arab Revolt. Empty for years and locally said to be haunted, it was the first building taken in hand in the restoration of the old town; its white render and dark wooden screens now stand out from the rest of the street. Yanbu was the supply port of the Arab and British forces throughout the war and the house is the best known trace of that period in the city. It adds a few minutes to the market walk.
Sharm Yanbu
The calm inlet north of the city, where the sea cuts into the land, is Yanbu's best known dive and snorkelling spot that can be entered from the shore. Its sheltered water, no deeper than 12 metres, is used for first dives and night dives; turtles, lionfish and at times dolphins are seen, and a yacht that sank in 2005 lies on the bottom. Boats for the offshore Seven Sisters reefs and the Iona wreck leave from the dive centres in Yanbu. The shore of the inlet is also a good place for sunset.
Yanbu Lake Park
In Yanbu Industrial City, south of the town and 3 kilometres from the sea, the man made lake park opened to the public by the Royal Commission in 2014 is laid out with palms, lawns and walking paths around the water. Four small waterfalls and fountains are lit by a special lighting system in the evenings, so the park fills up most after sunset. The well kept boulevards and green spaces of the industrial city show a planned Yanbu very different from the old town. The flower festival season falls in the same district.
Mount Radwa
The granite massif rising behind the coastal plain north east of Yanbu reaches 2,282 metres at its highest point according to Saudi geographical sources and runs for more than 27 kilometres from east to west. Named in classical Arabic poetry, the mountain is known for the springs on its slopes, its wild vegetation and its honey. Guided off road tours run from Yanbu into its rocky valleys. It is not a summer outing; winter mornings suit it.
Yanbu al-Nakhl oasis
Around 48 kilometres north east of coastal Yanbu al-Bahr, Yanbu al-Nakhl takes its name from its springs (yanbu) and its date groves (nakhl) and is the centre of the area's date farming. Among thousands of palms are old stone houses, shaded lanes and ancient channels that still carry water; for centuries the oasis was a stop for traders and for pilgrims heading to Medina. It is about 40 minutes by car and makes a half day trip. The walk through the palm groves is at its best on cool winter days.
Flights from Turkey to Yanbu
Direct flights to Yanbu from Turkey leave Istanbul Airport on Turkish Airlines; the route runs on an infrequent schedule that changes with the season, departing in the morning, and takes about 3 hours 30 minutes. On other days it is possible to fly to Medina (about 240 kilometres by road) or Jeddah (about 300 kilometres) and continue by road. There is no time difference and arrival falls around midday. Prince Abdulmohsen Bin Abdulaziz Airport is about 8 kilometres from the city centre; there is no public transport, and airport taxis or a hotel pick up reach the centre in 15 to 20 minutes.
Yanbu FAQ
How many days do you need in Yanbu?
An evening for the historic district and the Night Market and a day for Sharm Yanbu and the Lake Park are enough; the Yanbu al-Nakhl oasis takes half a day and a boat dive on the offshore reefs a full day. Plan two nights for the city alone and four or five with diving. Medina is about 240 kilometres, two and a half hours by car, and Muslim visitors can add it to the plan.
How far is the airport from the city centre?
Prince Abdulmohsen Bin Abdulaziz Airport is about 8 kilometres from Yanbu city centre. A taxi takes 15 to 20 minutes; there is no public transport from the airport, so a taxi, a ride hailing car or a hotel pick up is used. The drive is a little longer to hotels in the industrial city to the south.
Do you need a visa for Saudi Arabia?
A Turkish passport needs a visa, but Turkey has been on Saudi Arabia's tourist e-visa list since 2023. The application is made online through the official visa.visitsaudi.com site; the visa is usually valid for a year with multiple entries and stays of up to 90 days each time, and a visa on arrival at the airport is also available. The passport must be valid for at least six months. Modest dress covering shoulders and knees is expected in public; the abaya is not compulsory for foreign women visitors.
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