Saudi Arabia

A second Nabataean city by the people who built Petra, with over a hundred tombs carved into sandstone outcrops across the desert. Visitor numbers are low enough that you often have them to yourself. Entry is only through the official guided programme.

An enormous wind-carved sandstone formation that does look the part. It reddens toward sunset, which is when people gather, and seating is laid out around it. The stars afterwards are exceptional.

Where the current dynasty first established itself, with mud-brick buildings surviving at the scale of a district. Large-scale restoration is under way, so which areas are open keeps changing. Twenty minutes from central Riyadh.

An escarpment where the plateau ends abruptly above a desert plain. The track in is unsurfaced, so people go by four-wheel drive or on a tour. Sunset is the usual timing, which means driving back in the dark.

Well-preserved reefs with few divers on them. Day boats run from Jeddah, and new resorts are opening along the northern coast. Swimwear rules differ by facility — check first.

An old quarter of coral-stone houses with wooden balconies. It was the port pilgrims passed through on the way to Mecca, which left traces from many regions. It is best in the evening when it is lit.

Saudi Arabia’s first World Heritage inscription. Inscriptions on the tomb facades mean many can be dated and attributed precisely. AlUla is the focus of tourism development, so access keeps improving.

Najdi mud-brick architecture surviving at urban scale. Museums and exhibitions operate alongside it. Summer is extremely hot, so go in the evening.

Human and animal figures carved over ten thousand years, showing that this was once grassland. It is remote and needs a vehicle and a guide. Almost no visitors.

Millions of date palms with villages, water channels and caves among them. Famous for its dates. Reached by road from Dhahran or Dammam.

Rock faces around desert wells carry thousands of years of inscriptions and drawings left by people passing through. Several scripts appear together, marking it as a trade route. Remote enough to need its own leg.

The western margin of the Rub’ al Khali, the largest sand desert in the world, where the Arabian oryx has been reintroduced. Access is restricted as a protected area. This is where the scale of the desert registers.

Hegra and the rock formations make this the core of a trip here. Seasonal events and performances run at set times of year. Fly in from Riyadh or Jeddah.

Museums, viewing decks and large development districts, with Diriyah and the Edge of the World nearby. Summer heat pushes you indoors. It is the hub for both international and domestic flights.

The old quarter and a long seafront promenade, and widely described as more relaxed than Riyadh. It is the starting point for diving and the Red Sea. Humid.

High enough to stay cool in summer, and often misty. Cliffside villages and brightly painted traditional houses are distinctive. It is where Saudis go in summer.

Coastal cities linked to Bahrain by causeway. Al-Ahsa Oasis is close. As the centre of the oil industry, the cities have a different character.

Cool in summer because of the altitude, and known for rose cultivation. Two hours by road from Jeddah, which is why people go up to escape the heat. There are harvest events in spring.

Mild days make the desert and the archaeology comfortable. AlUla’s events cluster here. Desert nights get genuinely cold — the daily range is wide.

Inland regularly passes forty-five degrees, which rules out outdoor activity. The coast is less hot but humid. The south-western highlands are the exception.

Eating and drinking in public during daylight should be avoided, and restaurant hours change. Offices and shops shift their opening times generally. The atmosphere after sunset exists only in this month.

Pilgrims arrive from around the world and flights and accommodation in Jeddah and the west are heavily booked. The central holy sites of Mecca and Medina are open only to Muslims, so do not plan around them. Travelling in the west during this period is best avoided.

General tourist visas opened in 2019, with online application or visa on arrival for eligible nationalities. Medical insurance is typically bundled in. The rules keep changing, so confirm the current requirement officially.

Everyone covers shoulders and knees. Foreign women are not required to wear an abaya, but loose, covering clothing is expected. What is expected varies by region and venue — take the cue from the people around you.

Bringing in or drinking alcohol is prohibited and penalties are severe. Duty-free purchases cannot be carried in. Restaurants and hotels do not serve it.

All of Mecca and the central sanctuary of Medina are closed to non-Muslims, with signed diversions on the roads. Check your navigation route so you do not enter by accident. Take particular care driving north from Jeddah.

Cities are far apart so flying is the default, and a high-speed rail line links Riyadh and Mecca. Within cities, ride-hailing apps are widely used. Car hire requires an international driving permit.

The major cities use 911; elsewhere 999 still applies. Hospitals are good but costly for visitors, so arrange insurance. Photography is restricted at some facilities — watch for the signs.