The remnants of old Yanbu are not as extensive as some old towns along the Red Sea, but nevertheless it is worth going for a wander in the area directly behind Al Marsah Seafood Restaurant. Here, along narrow alleyways reminiscent of sections of Jeddah's Al Balad, restored two- and three-storey Hejazi houses made of Red Sea coral and displaying elegant mashrabiyyas (latticed balconies) rub shoulders with neglected ones – some more beautiful in their demise than the renovated examples.
The port area, which is overlooked by the tiny historic fishermen's mosque, still used by locals, comes alive in the evenings, when a vibrant atmosphere is created by families picnicking on the small patches of grass as their children kick footballs around and young men reclining on large cushioned benches chatting over coffee bought from seafront stalls.