Trying to go to Saudi Arabia, however undecided the place to start? Effectively, I’ve acquired it lined for you. After spending greater than 10 days exploring the dominion far and large, I’ve determined to compile an inventory of all of my favourite locations within the nation.
From the huge and exquisite desert of AlUla to the gorgeous mountain peaks of Asir Mountain, listed here are the 15 greatest locations to go to in Saudi Arabia!
15 Greatest Locations to Go to in Saudi Arabia
Constructed by the Nabateans, the identical individuals who gave us Petra in Jordan, Hegra goes to be the primary spotlight of your journey to Saudi Arabia. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Web site with over 100 tombs carved into sandstone cliffs positioned in the course of the AlUla desert.
Your complete space is fenced off, and the one technique to go to Hegra is to go on an organized tour run by the federal government. You possibly can e-book it on-line right here. Be sure that to e-book prematurely, as they’ve restricted spots for every time slot.
The most effective time to go to Hegra is within the night, so remember to e-book a time slot that’s as near sundown as doable. After I booked the tour in early March, the final time slot of the day was at 2:30 PM, which turned out to be good. It took us about half-hour to get from the assembly level to Hegra, and we spent about 3 hours exploring the heritage website till 5 PM.
The tour prices roughly 95 SAR and runs six occasions a day from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM through the peak season, and two or 3 times a day through the off-season. It’s one in all my favourite locations in Saudi Arabia, so remember to put Hegra in your itinerary.
2. AlUla’s Previous City
AlUla’s Previous City is one other vacationer attraction in AlUla that you simply should not miss. With a number of mud homes and outlets lining each side of the road, the previous city of AlUla actually offers off a vibe of being in a Western cowboy film.
The second you stroll into the Previous City, you may be greeted by an area who provides you with a cup of Saffron espresso and a date as a welcome reward without spending a dime, which I feel is a pleasant contact.
Alongside each side of the Previous City’s primary avenue, you may discover loads of outlets and shops providing all types of products, from souvenirs to perfumes, and extra. You may additionally discover a collection of actually beautiful eating places and cafes that mix seamlessly with the desert environment.
It’s a great spot to hang around in AlUla through the day. You’ll want to additionally drop by Al Jadidah Arts District, a newly-developed district proper subsequent to AlUla’s Previous City, the place the creativity of the locals right here shines probably the most.
A few of my favourite locations in AlUla’s Previous City are right here, like Madrasat Addeera Cultural Middle, Design House, and my favourite of all, AlUla Public Library.
3. Our Habitas, AlUla
In all probability one of the crucial luxurious and costly resorts I’ve ever splurged on, Our Habitas is the epitome of nice hospitality with its assortment of superior resorts, positioned inside an enormous personal space with among the most dramatic landscapes you will notice in AlUla.
I normally don’t stay in this type of place, however after I came upon that lots of the coolest sights in AlUla, like Maraya, are locked behind this personal land and other people with out reservations are prohibited from coming into, I made a decision to chew the bullet and e-book one in all Our Habitas resorts.
They’ve about 3 resorts across the property, with the most affordable one being Caravan by Habitas, the place I stayed, Banyan Tree AlUla, and probably the most luxurious of all, Our Habitas.
The good half about staying in one in all these resorts is that you should utilize all of the services, irrespective of the place you select to remain. I stayed at Caravan, and I’ve entry to the swimming pool and the restaurant at Our Habitas, which is fairly superior.
They’re hella costly, however in the event you keep just one night time and spend the whole day exploring all of the vacationer sights across the property, and having fun with all of the services to their fullest as I did, you’re going to get your cash’s price very quickly.
4. Maraya, AlUla
Maraya is an enormous mirrored construction, the most important of its sort on the earth, positioned contained in the personal land operated by Our Habitas in the course of nowhere, and it is likely one of the most stunning buildings you will notice in AlUla.
Maraya is an architectural marvel with its all-mirrored exterior reflecting the gorgeous rugged landscapes of AlUla, creating an phantasm as if the construction is one and the identical. You will not imagine your eyes the second you see the construction from afar.
One factor to notice is that Maraya is positioned contained in the property of Our Habitas, and you will have to indicate a reservation of one of many resorts operated by them to get entry to the attraction, which is why I like to recommend you splurge on Our Habitas resort. The place is deep contained in the canyons and you’ll not be allowed in and not using a reservation it doesn’t matter what, so remember to e-book the resort prematurely.
5. Fringe of the World
To have the ability to stand on the Fringe of the World might be the explanation why I made a decision to go to Riyadh. The Fringe of the World is an enormous canyon that overlooks an enormous desert panorama, creating the phantasm of standing on the fringe of the world, therefore its identify.
It’s positioned roughly 98 km north of Riyadh and is the right half-day journey if you’re trying to escape the bustling metropolis. The canyon consists of many gorgeous viewpoints, dramatic cliffs, and valleys that appear to stretch endlessly into the horizon, so far as the attention can see.
For the reason that place is in the course of nowhere, to get right here, you will want a 4WD and a great navigator that will help you navigate the limitless barren desert of Saudi Arabia. I don’t advocate you go on this journey by yourself as there’s a excessive likelihood you’re going to get misplaced, as the paths usually are not marked a lot of the method.
To go to the Fringe of the World, I extremely advocate you go together with this organized tour as an alternative. That is how I did it, and I am glad I did as a result of I might by no means be capable to discover the place it’s alone.
With the tour, you’ll depart from Riyadh at 2 PM and have about 2 hours to roam freely and witness the unbelievable sundown over the horizon. Afterward, you may be supplied with a fundamental dinner earlier than being taken again to Riyadh, arriving round 8 PM. This expertise was one of many highlights of my time in Saudi Arabia and undoubtedly made my go to to Riyadh worthwhile, so remember to embody this in your itinerary.
6. Al Turaif, Riyadh
One other great spot to go to in Riyadh is At-Turaif World Heritage Web site. Situated within the historic district of Diriyah, the oldest a part of the town, At-Turaif is the place the place the founding father of Saudi Arabia, the Home of Saud, resided when the town was based.
From its winding and crisscrossing streets and alleyways, one can find previous mosques, palaces, and small museums devoted to telling the story of the Home of Sauds.
The place is big, and you may anticipate to spend a minimum of an hour simply exploring At-Turaif alone. There are additionally just a few cafes and eating places tucked away within the maze in case you wish to take a break.
In case you are there within the night, proper after sundown, it is possible for you to to witness its unbelievable mild and sound present, which tells the historical past of Saudi Arabia from its founding days to its struggles with powers to the fashionable Saudi Arabian state we see immediately.
7. Al Wabah Crater
Situated about 330 km from Jeddah, one can find the unbelievable Al-Wa’bah Crater, one of the crucial stunning pure craters in Saudi Arabia, and a must-visit for many who are in search of one thing distinctive and totally different to do right here.
The crater itself is an nearly completely round despair within the desert panorama, measuring about 2 kilometers in diameter and round 250 meters deep. It’s believed to have been fashioned by a volcanic eruption 1000’s of years in the past, though its precise age continues to be a thriller to geologists.
In case you are planning to drive from someplace to Jeddah, like Medina or Riyadh, stopping at Al-Wa’bah Crater to interrupt the journey is a wonderful concept, since it’s only a small detour from the primary highways coming into Jeddah.
Individuals used to descend into the crater and camp there, however an area informed me that some people died because of toxic fuel, so descending is now prohibited. Unsure how true this was, however most individuals who went down confirmed that happening is simple, however many individuals have problem climbing up because of how steep and slippery it’s, so don’t try and go down! Aside from that, it’s a great spot to drop by in your technique to Jeddah.
8. Previous Jeddah
Out of all of the previous cities and heritage villages yow will discover in Saudi Arabia, Previous Jeddah, the oldest a part of the traditional port metropolis of Jeddah, is my favourite. The place is steeped in historical past courting all the best way again to the seventh century, and strolling by way of it seems like stepping again in time.
Again within the day, Jeddah was one of the crucial affluent commerce hubs within the area, owing to its strategic location on the coast of the Pink Sea and its proximity to Mecca, probably the most sacred metropolis in Islam.
Jeddah vastly benefited as ships laden with huge crowds of pilgrims descended upon its port, making their pilgrimage to Mecca yearly for hundreds of years.
With such a various array of individuals from numerous cultures converging in a single place, you’ll be able to really witness the way it has formed the town even now, with the extremely distinctive structure of Previous Jeddah, which pulls inspiration from totally different cultures.
Now, the place is a UNESCO Heritage Web site the place you’ll be able to journey again in time and see what Jeddah was like in its heyday as you stroll alongside its crisscrossing streets and alleyways. It is likely one of the most stunning previous cities I’ve seen in Saudi Arabia, and it’s not to be missed.
9. Al Tayabat Museum, Jeddah
Al Tayabat Metropolis Museum is the very best museum in Jeddah and one which should not be missed. At the start, the museum is housed on this spectacular multi-complex construction that’s not like something you’ve seen earlier than.
The museum is housed in a posh that recreates the standard Hijazi structure, an architectural type that you could nonetheless see in Previous Jeddah, with bay home windows overlaid with intricate wood lattice work and ornate coral masonry.
Contained in the museum, one can find a formidable quantity of in-depth reveals unfold throughout 3 flooring. The museum presents a residing historical past lesson on the inspiration of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and the broader Arabian Peninsula.
There may be a lot to see at Al Tayabat Metropolis Museum, and you may anticipate to spend about 2 hours admiring its unbelievable exterior in addition to studying in regards to the historical past of Jeddah and past. It is undoubtedly a terrific place to take a look at if you wish to be taught extra about Jeddah.
10. Thee Ain Historic Village
Situated about 4.5 hours’ drive from Jeddah, close to the town of Baha, one can find the gorgeous Thee Ain Historic Village, a village constructed within the eighth Century on prime of a marble mountain with greater than 40 homes, a mosque, and a fortified wall surrounding it.
The village was named after the water that flows from the close by mountains. There’s a native legend that tells of a person who misplaced his stick in one of many valleys. In his try and retrieve it, he adopted the river till he arrived on the village. There, he gathered its folks and excavated till he extracted the stick from the spring.
You possibly can learn the historical past of the place and all its legends on the Customer Middle on the backside of the village. The village is free to enter and though there may be nothing inside the homes right here, it’s nonetheless definitely worth the climb for the view over the realm.
In case you are planning to drive from Jeddah to Abha, Thee Ain Historic Village is a good place to interrupt the journey. You possibly can even keep in a single day in Al Baha and are available to take a look at the village at night time. I’ve heard that the place is illuminated by synthetic mild, which ought to make for an much more magical expertise.
11. Rijal Almaa Museum, Abha
One other great spot to cease by if you’re planning to journey from Jeddah to Abha is Rijal Almaa Museum, an unbelievable piece of structure that has stood the take a look at of time for greater than 900 years.
It’s a village turned museum, extremely influenced by Yemeni tradition, which is clearly seen in its distinctive architectural type, harking back to that discovered within the Previous Quarter of Sana’a, the capital metropolis of Yemen.
Regardless of sure areas being transformed right into a museum, you’ll nonetheless discover folks residing in among the homes right here. It’s mentioned that there are round 60 multi-story buildings right here, all product of stone, clay, and wooden.
You’ll have to pay the doorway payment of 20 SAR per individual to enter the construction. Inside, there’s a small museum that accommodates previous instruments, weapons, and some costumes. Rijal Almaa Museum is the only cause why I made a decision to journey to Abha within the first place, and boy, was it definitely worth the journey! If you wish to get a glimpse of Yemeni tradition in Saudi Arabia, remember to go to Rijal Almaa Museum.
12. Jabal Sawdah, the very best mountain in Saudi Arabia
I will be trustworthy with you, seeing Jabal Sawdah was not a part of my preliminary plan. In actual fact, I did not even learn about it till I drove from Jeddah to Abha and realized that I used to be ascending a steep mountain. It was solely then that I found I used to be really climbing Asir Mountain, and the excessive peak I noticed from the automobile window was Jabal Sawdah, the very best mountain in Saudi Arabia.
As you drive the epic highway, one can find just a few relaxation stops alongside the best way the place you’ll be able to respect the view of the Asir Mountain. One of many first relaxation stops one can find is that this viewpoint, positioned at one of many hairpin turns up the mountain. You’ll get an unbelievable view of Jabal Sawdah and the Asir mountain vary.
I used to be there at sundown, and it was unbelievable. There have been additionally baboons in all places, hanging out on the mountain, ready for locals to feed them. They will get fairly aggressive after they see something that may very well be meals, so wouldn’t have something dangling round with you while you get out of the automobile.
As you drive up the mountain, one can find one other nice viewpoint with a clearer view of the serpentine highway that you simply simply drove up. Remember to cease right here as effectively.
Final however not least, the very best viewpoint right here will give you an unbelievable vantage level over the western facet of the mountain, making it an ideal spot to observe the sundown. All three viewpoints are really price a go to, so remember to preserve an eye fixed out for them! Deliver your jackets too, as it may be extraordinarily chilly up right here.
13. Al Masjid an Nabawi, the Grand Mosque of Medina
Medina is the second most sacred metropolis in Islam and it’s residence to Al Masjid an Nabawi, one of the crucial stunning mosques on the earth. The town is greater than 1,500 years previous and is taken into account the place from which Prophet Muhammad, the founding father of Islam, established the Muslim group after his flight from Mecca (622 CE) and is the place his physique is entombed.
The town used to ban non-Muslims from visiting, however in 2021, they relaxed this rule and now anybody is welcome to the town. That’s the reason I’ve included it on the record and never Mecca. It might be a disgrace to return all the best way to Saudi Arabia and never go to one of the crucial sacred cities on the earth.
As of 2024, you’ll be able to even go and see the Prophet’s Mosque, which was constructed on the website the place Prophet Mohammed handed away. It’s the second-largest mosque on the earth, second solely to the Grand Mosque in Mecca, with a capability of over one million.
Technically, you might be solely allowed to see the mosque from the surface, however typically the safety guard may let you enter the fenced space, however not contained in the mosque itself.
The principles aren’t as clear-cut; nevertheless, I used to be let in at one gate and scolded by a safety guard at a unique gate, so your mileage might fluctuate. It is very important respect the faith right here, so I would not try and enter the mosque with out permission.
14. Jubbah Historic Heritage, Hail
Hidden amongst the sandstones of the rugged terrain of Jubbah, about 126 km north of Hail, one can find among the greatest and oldest examples of Neolithic rock artwork with a number of petroglyph panels spanning 1000’s of years of cultural evolution.
Many of those rock arts are over 10,000 years previous, with a wide range of figures that make clear human actions, hairstyles, and apparel within the prehistoric time. There are a lot of rock arts in Jubbah, however solely a handful of them are accessible for the time being. Nonetheless, it’s price a go to, particularly in the event you occur to be touring in Hail.
Sadly, I came upon the exhausting method that the realm solely opens on weekdays, which is a disgrace. In any other case, in the event you can handle the journey, I extremely advocate you achieve this.
15. Ushaiqer Heritage Village
Alongside the best way from Riyadh to Hail, one can find Ushaiqer Heritage Village, an exquisite heritage village with a group of lovely mud homes, however not like those in Riyadh, folks really do dwell in them right here.
Bedouins first settled right here 1,500 years in the past, and Ushaiqer shortly turned a preferred stopping level for pilgrims who’re crossing the desert to get to Mecca, because of its springs and low-brimmed olive and palm groves.
The village is linked through crisscrossing streets and slim alleyways with a ton of hidden gems ready so that you can uncover. I particularly like Ushaiqer Heritage Mosque and its unbelievable structure. To assume that I nearly missed it by chance!
In case you are planning to journey from Riyadh to Hail or in search of a pleasant day journey from Riyadh, remember to drop by and take a look at Ushaiqer Heritage Village. There isn’t a entrance payment, which is fairly superior.
Additional Studying for Saudi Arabia
In search of extra data in your journey to Saudi Arabia? Here’s a assortment of articles about Saudi Arabia that you simply may discover helpful:
- Planning a visit to Saud Arabia? This is an ideal itinerary for you: 2 Weeks Saudi Arabia Itinerary.
- Visiting Riyadh quickly and questioning what there may be to do there? Take a look at: 10 Greatest Issues to Do in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- AlUla is, fingers down, one of the crucial stunning locations in Saudi Arabia and in the event you plan to go to there, you will want this information: 10 Greatest Issues to Do in AlUla, Saudi Arabia.
- Jeddah is the Dubai of Saudi Arabia with the identical laid-back vibe, however method cooler historical past. Listed below are the9 Greatest Issues to Do in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- Wish to hire a automobile and journey round Saudi Arabia? You may wish to learn this primary: 19 Issues To Know Earlier than Renting a Automobile and Drive in Saudi Arabia.
- Trying to discover extra? How about dropping by the United Arab Emirates Journey Information, Qatar, or Bahrain?
- In search of extra journey guides for the Center East? You’ll find extra on my Center East Journey Information web page.
- For extra of my journey guides, go to my Locations web page.