After the Dakar Rally final ceremony, we slept on the Dakar beach, and the following day, we moved to Old Yanbu. Yanbu’s history dates back at least 2,500 years, when it was a staging spot on the spice and incense route from Yemen to Egypt and the Mediterranean region.
The remnants of old Yanbu are not as extensive as some old towns along the Red Sea, but it is worth wandering in the tiny area behind the visitor’s center. Currently, the government is attempting to improve it, so the area is fenced because most of the historical buildings are in severe disrepair.
The northern part of Yanbu, known as Yanbu Al Bahr (Al Balad), is a modern area with many restaurants, shopping malls, hotels, and coffee shops.
Parking location – Yanbu: 24.008993N 38.157620E (🚻)
Parking location – Old Yanbu: 24.077503N 38.059199E (🚻)