Tabuk
Saudi Arabia · Asia
About Tabuk
Tabuk is the seat city of Tabuk Province in northwestern Saudi Arabia. It lies near the Jordan–Saudi Arabia border.
The 1068 Near East earthquake, was a pair of major earthquakes that occurred in 1068; the first of which whose epicentre was in the area of Tabuk.
Tabuk Province is rich in antiquities and archaeological sites such as petroglyphs, inscriptions, forts, palaces, sections of the Syrian and Egyptian pilgrimage (Hajj) routes, as well as remains of the Hejaz railway, an important station of which is located in Tabuk.
Hundreds of localities with rock art and inscriptions dating to different archaeological periods ranging from the Paleolithic to the Islamic period were recorded at Wadi Dam and the region west of Tabuk. A study of the art revealed rich stylistic variability with representations of both human and animal figures. Numerous sites in the area with Thamudic, Greek and Nabataean inscriptions have been found.
The ancient region of Midian roughly corresponds to what is now the Tabuk Province. According to tradition, a fortified place belonging to the Aṣ-ḥāb al-Aykah ("Companions of the Wood"), the...
Tabuk travel guide
Understand
History Around 500 BC, Tabuk town (then known as Taboo) was, together with Al Ola, the capital of the prosperous Al Ayaneyean. Around Tabuk, the Battle of Tabouk took place in the time of the prophet Muhammad.
Geography and climate
Desertous continental weather with hot summers and mild winters. Temperature in the summers are between 26-46°C while in winter they're between 4-18°C, with wide spread frosts. Freezes are common with temperatures reaching low -6°C in some winters. Rainfall in Tabuk Area falls in the winter months from November to March and precipitation ranges between 50 – 150 mm with some not uncommon snow every 3–4 years.
Getting there
By plane 1 Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport (TUU IATA). (updated Mar 2026)
See
1 Tabuk Museum (متحف تبوك). Large regional history museum. The museum is built at the former railway station of the Hijaz railway, which once connected Damascus with Medina. (updated Jun 2021) 2 Tabuk Castle (قلعة تبوك). Built in 1559. Now houses a museum. (updated Apr 2023) 3 Tabuk Mosque (مسجد التوبة). Main mosque in Tabuk, the current structure dates back to 1651. (updated Apr 2023) Nearby archeological sites, including Al Bidaa.
Do
The Red Sea coast of Tabuk province appears to be rich with shells. However, the nearest Red Sea town, Duba, is 195 km from Tabuk city via Route 80, a drive that takes over 2½ hours.
Sleep
1 Hilton Garden Inn Tabuk, 7701 Prince Sultan Rd, ☏ +966 144 22 6116. (updated Apr 2016) 2 Swiss International Tabuk, Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Street, ☏ +966 14 4231770, [email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. 82 rooms & suites, a health club, spa, all day dining restaurant & cafe, an events hall and 5 meeting rooms. From SR 550 per night. (updated Jun 2018)
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.