Madinah Province – Saudi Arabia Tourism Guide

Yanbu

Sat, 08 May 2021 09:12:26 +0000

A port city that played a great role in History

Yanbu Al-Bahr, usually simply referred to as Yanbu, is a coastal town on the Red Sea, 300 kilometers north of the city of Jeddah and 140 km to the west of Madinah Al-Munawarah. Yanbu has benefited for millennia not only because of its location along the ancient maritime routes and as the natural port of the ancient oasis of Madinah but also from underground water available close to the surface. The beautiful style of old town Yanbu, which is being restored, testifies to the long human presence here.

Yanbu was a strategic location until recently as it served as a supply and operational base for Arab and British forces fighting the Ottoman Empire during World War I and saw the famous British army officer Thomas Edward Lawrence, also known as Lawrence of Arabia, living in the old town in 1915 and 1916.

House of T.E Lawrence (photo: Florent Egal)

Yanbu remained a small port town until 1975 when the Saudi government designated it as one of the country's two new industrial centers (the other being Al Jubayl on the Arabian Gulf). Since then, Yanbu Industrial City (Yanbu Al-Sina'iya) was created and large industrial petrochemical facilities were built along the shore.

A city with multiple faces

The Old Yanbu

If Jeddah is famous for its old town called Al-Balad it is not the only city in Saudi Arabia to host such a brilliant example of the unique Hejazi architecture style that is found along the Arabian coast of the Red Sea.

The old city of Yanbu, where restoration started in 2020, is another place where traditional Arabian houses that are made of coral stones and that feature rawashin (singular "roshan") - projecting latticed windows adorned with intricate wood works - can be admired.

Old Yanbu traditional house with Rawashin (photo: Florent Egal)

In old Yanbu visitors will find the same shaded narrow streets as in Jeddah and also an open square with an old mosque made of coral stones. The old market of the Old Yanbu is an indoor gallery that offers to visitors the authentic ambiance of the oriental souq while being protected from the sun.

Old mosque of Yanbu (photo: Florent Egal)

Old Souq of Yanbu (photo: Florent Egal)

On the sea side is a large esplanade where visitors can taste the delicious local specialties of sea food with fresh fish cooked and served with spiced rice.

Terrace with fish restaurants at the Old Yanbu (photo: Florent Egal)

The Old Yanbu has another secret: the house where Thomas E. Lawrence, also known as Lawrence of Arabia, lived between 1915 and 1916 when he supported the Great Arab Revolt. Old residents of Yanbu say the house has not been occupied since the departure of the famous British guest. Nobody dared to live in it even for one night because of rumors that evil spirits haunt the house.

Yanbu corniche

The city of Yanbu is split into two parts that are 20 kilometers away from each other. The northern part of the city hosts the old town and the southern one the industrial city. Modern resorts are found in the south, as well as the corniche were people can enjoy the view over the turquoise waters of the Red Sea and the green mangrove bushes grow along the shore.

It is also from there that people can enjoy a boat ride to some beautiful sand banks and coral reef islands that are paradise for beach lovers and scuba divers. It is important to notice that as per local custom it is not allowed to wear western style swimsuits on public beaches.

Yanbu Corniche (photo: Florent Egal)

Further south along the coast are the impressive facilities of the Yanbu Industrial City (Yanbu Al-Sina'iya) that are visible from the road but can't be visited.

How to visit Yanbu

The location of the city of Yanbu is available on Google Maps.

Yanbu is two and half hours from Madinah Al-Munawarah by road and has its own domestic airport, making it easily accessible from Riyadh.

Esplanade of the Old Yanbu (photo: Florent Egal)

Jibal Al-Rukkab

Mon, 06 Aug 2018 21:52:34 +0000

The hidden canyons of Madain Saleh

If the monumental tombs of Madain Saleh are the must-see destination in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, the surrounding area is also worth a trip. What is probably the best example of a hidden marvel lays just a couple of kilometers northeast of the ancient Nabatean city and is a sandstone massif crossed by numerous deep and steep canyons where erosion has sculpted incredible shapes.

Massive sand banks surround the Jibal Al-Rukkab and line most of its canyons, providing easy access to stunning viewpoints over the fantastic rock shapes and the labyrinth of valleys that run through the massif.

The most impressive rock formations of Jibal Al-Rukkab are three incredibly tall natural pillars that stand in the middle of a wide wadi and at the bottom of huge sand bank that offers a perfect viewpoint on the out-this-world scenery. The silhouette of these rocks are so striking that locals gave them the nickname "the three dancers".

Viewpoint from a sand bank (photo: Florent Egal)

Driving along the maze of canyons surrounded by the colossal cliffs on both sides is a unique experience everyone should try when visiting the area.

If pictures give a general idea of what can be seen there they can't properly render the grandiosity of this place, even when cars provide a scale that shows the nearby walls are in fact over 100 meters tall.

The sandy bed of the valley makes the drive manageable for cars but at the same time many soft parts can be traps for inexperienced drivers who can end up in big trouble if not properly prepared and equipped.

Narrow and deep canyon - check the size of the car (photo: Florent Egal)

Vertiginous cliffs of Jibal Al-Rukkab (photo: Florent Egal)

It is worth checking the rocks and cracks in the walls as they may reveal tunnels or offer unexpected viewpoints.

The cliffs host another surprise too: old carvings and inscriptions. Obviously the amazing scenery of Jibal Al-Rukkab has attracted people for millennia and maybe the rain water that collected at some parts of the canyons were also of interest for travellers of the past. Some of them have left a record of their passage with carvings of camels and sheep, human figures, and inscriptions. The Nabatean ones that are found deep inside the massif prove that locals already explored this wonderful place some 2 000 years ago. Being on their tracks millennia after makes the visit even more exciting.

Old carving (photo: Florent Egal)

Nabatean inscription (photo: Florent Egal)

How to visit Jibal Al-Rukkab

As described above, Jibal Al-Rukkab is for experienced and well-equipped drivers only. Indeed, the labyrinth-like system of valleys, the soft terrain, and the tricky sand banks are like traps that can put people into big trouble. It is also very important to check the weather forecast before entering the maze of canyons as they can get quickly flooded during heavy rain. We strongly recommend visitors ask for the services of our professional guides who know how to avoid these pitfalls.

Tour operators organizing trips of Jibal Al-Rukkab

As of today all trips in Al-Ula are managed by the Royal Commission of Al-Ula and can be booked through the dedicated website: https://experiencealula.com.

Camel herd roaming on the edge of Jibal Al-Rukkab (photo: Florent Egal)

Ekma

Sat, 07 Oct 2017 18:23:33 +0000

The history book of ancient Arabian Kingdoms (author: Florent Egal)

Lion Tombs of Dedan

Tue, 19 Sep 2017 22:00:59 +0000

The proud iconic figures of the ancient kingdoms of Dedan

During antiquity the northwest of the Arabian Peninsula was at the crossroads of the caravan trade between Yemen and the empires of Egypt, the Levant, Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia, and Persia. Although the rich oases were coveted by these empires, this area enjoyed a certain autonomy until the Roman conquest in 106 CE. Thanks to control of the wealth brought by the trade of frankincense and spices in the land that corresponds roughly to the modern Provinces of Tabuk, Madinah, and Al-Jawf, some oases grew to the point of becoming independent kingdoms. The most famous oases of the 1st millennium BCE are Tayma, Dumat Al-Jandal, and Dedan, where excavations on extensive archeological sites have revealed the existence of large fortified cities.

These kingdoms developed their own culture including a specific language and alphabet, that resulted in a mix of Arabian traditions and strong influences from the surrounding empires.

Ancient oasis city of Dedan (photo: Florent Egal)

In the ancient oasis Dedan, close to today's city of Al-Ula in Madinah Province, a kingdom flourished from at least the 6th century until the 2nd century BCE. There, the kings of Dedan and later Lihyan reigned over a territory that spread at its apogee from the city of Iathrib (today's Madinah) to the Levant.

Lion tomb of Dedan (photo: Florent Egal)

In their capital Dedan some remains of these brilliant kingdoms have been excavated, including an impressive necropolis whose tombs were dug into the side of Jebel Dedan that overlooks the city on the east.

These tombs are square-shaped holes, cut at different heights out of the side of the mountain, their cavities being about two meters deep.

They are approximately dated to the 5th century BCE, the probable period of the Lihyanite takeover of the region.

Some of these tombs featured interior installations: hollows were carved in the walls or the ground. There are also ordinary individual graves cut in the base of the Jebel Ath-Thumayid, whereas others bear inscriptions giving their owners’ identities; on the slope of the Jebel, some areas were marked out to prepare for future tombs. Remains of bones, shrouds and pieces of wood from the coffins have been found in these graves.

About 1 kilometer south of the main excavation site of Dedan are two exceptional tombs located some 50 meters above the wadi where the ancient oasis was centred. Those are the only tombs that are decorated with two carved lions each, showing the importance of their owners, being governors or influential people.

These sculptures of lions that are an outstanding example of the Mesopotamian influence, and are the proud iconic figures of this ancient oasis.

Sculpture of lion at Dedan's necropolis (photo: F. Egal)

An inscription on one of these two tombs indicates that it belonged to a member of the Minaic community of Dedan that originated from Ma'in in today's Yemen. The Minaic were the most important trade partners for Dedan and even had a small colony living in the ancient oasis. The other lion tomb dates back to the late Lihyanite period.

Sculptures of lions at Dedan's necropolis (photo: Florent Egal)

How to visit the Lion Tombs of Dedan

The Lion Tombs are accessible from the archeological site of Dedan that is indicated on Google Maps under the name of the modern location, Khuraybah. The entrance is from the Ha'il road (75) east of the junction with the 375 that goes through the city of Al-Ula. The location of the Lion Tombs is also available on Google Maps.

Since 2018 this sites can be visited only in the frame of the Winter at Tantora festival, you will find more information about it on the dedicated website.

Lion Tombs of Dedan from the wadi (photo: Florent Egal)

Reaching the Lion Tombs involves climbing stairs up fifty meters where the tombs were cut in the cliffs. The reward is twofold: the close view of the lion sculptures and the sight over the oasis.

View on the ancient oasis of Dedan from the Lion Tombs (photo: Florent Egal)

The proud iconic figures of an ancient Arabian kingdom (author: Florent Egal)

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