Yanbu Public Beach (Al Shati)

Yanbu Public Beach in the Al Shati district is a free public stretch of white sand on the Red Sea at Yanbu, in Saudi Arabia's Al Madinah Region, and the main place for visitors to actually get into the water. It lies about 234 km by road from Madinah, roughly 2.5 hours by car, because Madinah is inland. Listing sites describe a swimming area, a children's playground and picnic spots, and nearby snorkelling and fishing, but they contradict each other on lifeguards, toilets and parking, so visitors should assume none of those are guaranteed and bring water, shade and a towel. There is no organised water-sports operator confirmed. The atmosphere is local and informal, with families picnicking and young people fishing in the evening; alcohol is banned and modest swimwear is expected, so it suits families better than sunbathers. Reach it from Madinah by car or taxi, or by the intercity Northwest Bus to Yanbu bus station followed by a taxi; fares and timings come from aggregator listings and should be confirmed locally. The best months are October to April; in summer, visit early or at sunset. The pin was derived from the venue's published map code and may be a few hundred metres off, so check the map on arrival.