In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Saudi Arabia
Duba
Do Duba only for a day‑trip to see the Red Sea harbour and ferry link to Egypt; otherwise skip.
Duba is a small Red Sea port in north‑west Saudi Arabia. The town has a daily ferry to Egypt and limited services, so a single day is enough to see the harbour and catch the ferry.
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (high heat)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- SAR
- Money
- SAR (riyal) is pegged to the US dollar at about 3.75.
- Daily spend
- Budget SAR 150–200 excl. transport · Mid SAR 250–350 excl. transport · High SAR 400+ excl. transport (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- STC, Mobily and Zain sell tourist SIMs at arrivals; passport and fingerprint registration are required.
- Emergency
- Police 999 · Ambulance 997 · General emergency 911
- Plugs
- Types G, C, F · 230 V · 60 Hz · UK-style three-pin (G) is the standard; older buildings may have European sockets. Bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% if no service charge; small change at cafés.; Ride-hailing / taxi: Round up or tip in the app.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: SAR 5–10.; Guide / driver day: SAR 50–100 guide; SAR 30–50 driver.; Fuel station attendant: SAR 2–5 if they clean the windows.
- Water
- Tap water is desalinated and treated; most people drink bottled water, sold everywhere for SAR 1–2.
- Toilets
- Western toilets with a hand shower in malls, hotels and mosques; squat toilets at older fuel stations. Malls and mosques are the free public options.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Ferry foot passenger ticket (Egypt‑Saudi) | $80 |
| Taxi within Duba | $2–3 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TUH · Tabuk Regional Airport
- about 180 km (112 mi) north, bus connections availableabout 112 mi (180 km) north, bus connections available
Typical fares
- Ferry foot passenger (Egypt‑Saudi)
- about $80 per person, 10 h crossing (check)
- Taxi harbour → town centre
- ≈ $2–3
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No local bus to the ferry terminal; hitch‑hike or taxi from harbour to town centre (≈2 USD).
See and do
Known for
- Red Sea harbour
- daily ferry to Port Safaga (Egypt)
- proximity to Tabuk
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tabuk | Northwest Bus from Duba, about 180 km (112 mi), 2–3 hNorthwest Bus from Duba, about 112 mi (180 km), 2–3 h | ≈3 h total |
Sleep
- No hotels listed
- Day‑trip only; consider staying in Tabuk (see Tabuk guide)
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | عذرًاʿudhran |
| Thank you | شكرًاshukran |
| How much is it? | بكم هذا؟bikam hatha? |
| Where is the ferry terminal? | أين محطة العبّارة؟ayna mahattat al-ʿabbara? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say as-salamu alaykum; wait for a woman to offer her hand first; avoid: Hugging or touching the opposite sex
- Hospitality: Accept coffee and dates; eat with the right hand; avoid: Refusing all offers or showing the soles of your feet
- Prayer times: Wait quietly when shops close; step aside for people praying; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; loud music near mosques
- Dress: Loose, covering clothes in public; headscarf in mosques; avoid: Shorts, sleeveless tops and swimwear in town
- Photos: Ask before photographing people; avoid: Photographing women, families or official buildings
- Conversation: Talk about family, food, football, travel; avoid: Criticising religion, the royal family or the government
- Queues and sections: Follow signs for family and women's sections where they exist; avoid: Entering women-only areas
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry taxes: 20 EGP entry, 35 EGP harbour tax, 15 EGP immigration stamp (prices 2025).
- Ferry schedule tight: tickets usually issued a few hours before departure; plan for night crossing (~10 h).
- Limited facilities at the Egyptian terminal – no toilets.
Low crime; main risk is heat and limited medical facilities – carry water and basic first‑aid.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Duba yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Red Sea harbour
- daily ferry to Port Safaga (Egypt)
- proximity to Tabuk
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Duba: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: Duba, revision 5230473 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5230473
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/duba). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.