Farasan Island

Farasan Island (Arabic: جزيرة فرسان‎; transliterated: Jazyrat Farasan) is the largest island of the Farasan Islands, in the Red Sea. It is located some 50 km offshore from Jizan, the far southwestern part of Saudi Arabia. It is located at around 16°42′21″N 41°59′0″E. The main town on the island is Farasan. The "Farasan island marine sanctuary" has been created around the island to protect biodiversity.

Farasan
Country Saudi Arabia
ProvinceJizan Province
Area
 • Total686 km2 (265 sq mi)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total20,000
Time zoneUTC+3

Farasan General Hospital

Farasan General Hospital was built in September 1986 by the Saudi government. Chaired under Dr. Ahmed (MBBS, Neurosurgeon), it has 35 doctors for various specialization. Advanced facilities (i.e. x-rays, ultra-sounds) are available here.

Jizan to Farasan

The distance between Jizan and Farasan is 50 kilometres (31 mi). Both ferries and flukas (local small boats) are used on this route.

Ferry passage is free. The ferry carries 35–40 cars and can accommodate about 800 people. New ferries were put into service in 2006, cutting travel time between Jizan and Farasan from three hours to one. There are two ferry trips each way daily (Farasan to Jizan at 7:30 AM and 03:30 PM, Jizan to Farasan also at 7:30 AM and 03:30 PM, as of November 2019.)

The flukas carry up to twelve passengers. The flukas take an hour to make the crossing and operate by hire rather than on a fixed schedule, with at a cost of SR50 per passenger with a minimum charge of SR350 (as of 2020).

  • Mohsin Tariq. "Virtual tour of Farasan Island". (in English)
  • Farasan Islands official website (in Arabic)
  • Erik Bjurström (January–February 2000). "Dreaming of Farasan". Saudi Aramco World. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012. (in English)
  • "Farasan Island, Jizan". Splendid Arabia. Archived from the original on June 14, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012. (in English)
  • Photo of the beach on Farasan Island
  • Photo of Farasan Island's antiquities
  • Photo of Farasan Island's antiquities
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