Farasan Islands

The Farasan Islands are a small collection of coral islands located in the Red Sea, roughly 40 kilometers off the coast of Jizan, Saudi Arabia. The archipelago is made up of more than 80 islands, although only three of them have year-round residents. Farasan Island is the largest and most populated, with over 12,000 permanent residents, many of whom travel to Jazan for work. The Farasan Islands were designated a protected area by the Saudi Wildlife Authority in 1996 and are known for their incredible biodiversity, including pristine coral reefs for epic scuba diving, a variety of fish, and world-class birding for species such as the white-eyed gull, crab plover, and sooty falcon. On land, you could see the endangered Farasan gazelle (there were only a thousand of these graceful creatures left as of 2013).

Jazan Province has drawn people from Arabia, Africa, and Europe from the first millennium B.C. The islands were once known as Portus Ferresanus, and a Latin inscription from 144 A.D. was discovered on the island, confirming the presence of a Roman garrison. Many people, notably the Aksumites and Arabs, have traveled through Farasan over the years, leaving behind remnants of their cultures. The strategic location of Jazan Province, particularly the Farasan Islands, resurfaced in the 20th century during World War II, when the Germans constructed a fort on one of the archipelago's islands.