Coast of Asir

The waters off Asir form part of the Red Sea, between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. To the south, the Bab el-Mandeb strait and Gulf of Aden open into the Indian Ocean; to the north lie the gulfs of Aqaba and Suez. Reefs and shallow coastal waters make navigation close to shore demanding.

The Red Sea had long linked the Arabian and African coasts with routes towards the Indian Ocean. In the Middle Ages it became an important part of the spice trade. This wider maritime history provides context for the Asir coast.