The coastal city of Wajh is famed for its unspoilt beaches to the north and south, and its Hijazi-style old town, which resembles an uninhabited equivalent of Jeddah’s famous Al Balad. It’s the northern starting point for the Red Sea Project, which will see the development of the beautiful sandy atolls to the south. It is also within a day trip of Al Ula, and the famously beautiful rock-cut tombs of Hegra. Join the line for the buffet in Asmak Al Minaa for fresh seafood and an array of local dishes, eaten in the traditional way, cross-legged on floor cushions. For salads and grills, try Masoudia.
The northeastern city of Tabuk has long been a resting point for Jordanian and Egyptian pilgrims, with a rich Bedouin culture that can be felt in the bustling Souq Twaheen, which still supplies patterned rugs and goat-hair tent covers for modern nomads.
The port of Yanbu, just a few hours’ drive west of Medina, is really two distinct cities: the new city to the south, with its oil refineries and plants, and the old town to the north, an ancient spice route staging post where T.E. Lawrence lived.
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