The first reference to Duba, under this name, is from 1203. However, the Valley of Salma and Valley of Kafafah were already known many centuries before. The ancient Greek scholar Ptolemy mentioned a trade route leading from Kafafah to Lihyan. Sheikh Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi wrote about Duba in 1790, in his account of going toMecca for the Hajj. Historically it is part of Madian; the city is mentioned in Islamic scriptures. According to the Quran, Prophet Moussa settled in Madian where Prophet Shoaib hosted him. The town of Prophet Shoaib as it is called is said to be located near Maqna where an ancient well can still be seen. The well is said to be the one where Moussa fed Shoaib's flock. The Ottoman Turks fortified the city, protecting the route from Egypt to Arabia. After the Saudi conquest of the city in 1933, King Abdulaziz built his castle there in the same year.
Geography
Duba is located in the northwest of Saudi Arabia on the coast of the Red Sea on the Egyptian road of the Hajj, about 300 km from the intersection of Egypt, Jordan and Israel. Duba includes 3 valleys, Dahkan to the north, and Salma and Kafafah on the south. It is about 800 km from Jeddah / Mecca via the coastal highway that passes through the major port and industrial city ofYanbu. Duba is a port city and ferries and ships operate from here for Egypt and Jordan. The Hurghada and Safaga ports of Egypt can be reached within about 3 hours by ferry. It is strategically located at the starting point of Gulf of Aqaba that ends at Eilat and Aqaba, Jordan. The Springs of Maqna are an interesting picnic spot and there are notable beaches such as Sharma Beach, though it is not developed as a tourist spot.
There is no local public transport within the city. Most of the city is within walking range. Rental car facilities are present for day trips. Some individuals do operate their cars as private taxis but they are difficult to trace. The neighboring cities Tabuk and Al Wajh have airport facilities that connect the region with major national and international airports of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saptco Saudi Road Transport offers bus services from Jeddah and Mecca to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia via Duba. It takes about 12 hours to reach Duba from Jeddah.
