HistoryYanbu's history dates back at least 2500 years, when it was a staging point on the spice and incense route from Yemen to Egypt and the Mediterranean region. Yanbu served as a supply and operational base for Arab and British forces fighting the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
It remained a small port town until 1975, when the Saudi government designated it as one of the country's two new industrial centres (the other being Al Jubayl on the Persian Gulf.) Extensive government and private development have taken place at the port and surrounding area, which is based on the petrochemical industry.
GeographyThe city is divided into three villages, about 15 minutes drive by car away from each other.
The Downtown (often called Al-Balad) is the actual city and has most of the population. Currently, the government is attempting to improve the old and historical part in Yanbu downtown, as many historical buildings are located there.
This is where the best shopping is in the city. There are great antique shops here with traditional Saudi and Nomad antiques, from camel bells to jewlry. Also, "Ladies Street" is wonderful for clothing and craft supplies, as well as inexpensive, beautiful abayas. The fish market is also in Downtown right on the Red Sea, where the freshest fish can be bought early Friday mornings. Shopping here has to be done early in the morning, shops open at 10am and close at noon for prayer. Most do not reopen until after 5pm and the Downtown comes alive at night, as that's when most Saudis shop and move about. The late shopping hours are because of the heat and the prayer times; something westerners have a hard time adjusting to.
Al-Nakheel (The Palms) is the older part of the city, where mostly farms would be found. Residents here are exclusively Saudi Arabian.
Yanbu Al-Sina'iya (literally "the industrial Yanbu"), is the industrial city, established beginning in 1975. It has modern residential architecture and business facilities. This is the area of all the major refineries and petrochemical installations and is still undergoing major growth.
The industrial city has a residential section called the Royal Commission, whose residents are mostly Saudi Arabians, non-Saudi Arabs, Asians, Europeans, Americans, and other Westerners. It has amenities such as international chain restaurants (McDonalds, Pizza Inn, Subway), as well as two shopping malls, supermarkets of various sizes, hospitals, banks, and coffee shops.
We live in Yanbu Al-Sina'iya. In the Industrial City the neighborhoods are referred to as "camps". Camp 4 houses mostly Ex-Pats and Saudi Arabians with single family houses or villas, Camp 5 is mainly other country nationals and their families, Camp 7 is apartment buildings, etc. Each camp is a designated housing area for different nationalities and housing types, efficiency apartments, full size apartments, villas and townhomes.
There are 2 compounds in Yanbu, The Cove, a gated residential housing compound built around a large private lagoon, and Arabian homes, located closer to the downtown area. Both of these are exclusively housing for ex-pats and both have extensive security surrounding them.
Yanbu Al Sina'ya is also host to one of the biggest flower festivals in the region bringing in more than a million visitors every year. The flower festival is held in early March and runs for 14 days.
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