Saudi Arabia is a nation rich in natural beauty, culture, and history. There's something for everyone, from historic cities to cutting-edge towers. Explore the enormous deserts and mountains, or travel to the Red Sea coast for its beautiful beaches and top-notch diving.
If you need some help deciding where to go first, we’ve compiled seven of our favorite things to do in Saudi Arabia.
Experience Ancient Arabic History In Al Balad, Jeddah
In our opinion, there’s no better way to kickstart your trip to Saudi Arabia than a trip to Arabia’s oldest city, Jeddah. Specifically, we recommend visiting Al Balad, an ‘old town’ founded in the 7th century and a UNESCO world heritage site.
Rather than being a relic of the old, Al Balad brims with life (people live here). So as you explore the wonders of ancient Arabia, especially architecture, you’ll also witness a unique mix of the ancient and modern.
Visit Eve’s (The First Woman) Burial Site
How many people can say they’ve visited the burial place of the first woman according to Christian and Muslim texts? One of the coolest things we did in Saudi Arabia was visit Eve’s final resting place.
The tomb’s located in the oldest burial site in Al Balad, Jeddah. Ibn Jubayr, an Arab geographer, first mentioned the tomb’s location in the 12th century during his pilgrimage trip to Jeddah.
Since then, the tomb has been a source of legends in the Muslim world.
Stand On The Edge Of The World (Literally)
Northwest of Riyadh, Saudi’s capital city, is Jebel Fihrayn or ‘Edge of the World.’ The Edge of the World is a 300 m cliff that forms part of the 600 km long Tuwaiq cliffs.
It was one of our favorites because of the spectacular and uninterrupted view of the golden desert sands that stretches all the way to the horizon, which explains its nickname.
Just below this cliff is a sea bed that dried up 150 million years ago and an ancient spice and oil trade route.
The King Abdulaziz Falconry Festival
Saudi Arabia hosts the world’s largest falconry festival to celebrate, promote, and preserve its rich cultural heritage.
The festival celebrates an ancient way of hunting prey using falcons. Ancient Arabs across the Middle East relied on falcons to help them hunt prey in the desert.
However, middle-eastern countries have turned this hunting technique into a sport that we found particularly thrilling.
Diving And Snorkelling In The Red Sea
There’s more to Saudi Arabia than just its deserts. The Red Sea, or ‘the underwater garden of Eden,’ is one of the world’s wonders.
The Red Sea is home to over 400 species of coral reefs, over 1000 species of fish, and several shipwrecks like the Ann Ann and the Stephanos. Additionally, the sea is also the world’s largest sand harbor making it a prime spot for exploration by scuba divers and snorkelers.
Dune Bashing Safaris
Your Saudi Arabia experience won’t be complete without a dune-bashing safari. Driving up and down sand dunes at high speeds, we found dune bashing to be an adrenaline-filled and thrilling off-road activity.
We highly recommend you pair this activity with camping, so you get the complete desert experience by lighting a fire around the campsite, enjoying traditional Saudi food, and stargazing under the night sky.
Quench Your Thirst In Al-Ahsa Oasis
The desert covers about 95% of Saudi Arabia. However, we were surprised to find a few places filled with wet and green fields. The most popular is the Al-Ahsa Oasis, which has 150 natural springs.
As one of the oldest settlements in Saudi Arabia, we were endlessly entertained by different activities. Top highlights include trips to the market stalls of Al-Qaisariya Souq, the salt marshes of Asfar Lake, the historic walls of Ibrahim Palace, and the honeycomb caves of Al-Qarah Mountain.
Visit And Explore Saudi Arabia
In our experience, Saudi Arabia is one of the few holiday destinations that guarantee newbies and seasoned travelers new experiences. With a combination of modern and ancient landmarks, we believe there’s plenty for you to explore and plenty of surprises in store.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
