OLD ARABIA

Saudi Arabia is a country full of history.  The jewel is the ancient Nabatean city of Madain Saleh, but we will also look briefly at three other places worth visiting.

Madain Saleh

This ancient Nabatean city in the Hejaz, in the northwest of Saudi Arabia is a must-see.   Like its sister-city of Petra in Jordan, it consists of tombs with elaborately carved openings hewn into the red sandstone hills.  I love this place, finding it to be full of atmosphere and mystery and offering a level of peace and tranquillity that is rarely found elsewhere.  Think of Petra but hotter, and with virtually no tourists!   To enter the site, an official permit from the Ministry of Antiquities is necessary but this can be easily arranged through the hotels in the nearby town of Al Ula.  A vehicle is also necessary, unless of course you are part of a guided tour arranged through the same hotels.

Very close to the antiquities is Madain Saleh Railway Station, part of the Hejaz Railway that ran from Damascus to Madinah.  Here the old station buildings are being restored and, apparently, there are plans for a tourist hotel here.  There is even an old locomotive, built by Krupps in 1905, sitting in the engine shed.  This is the heart of Lawrence of Arabia country, and wandering around the lush palm groves and the old deserted villages, with the red sandstone hills in the background, one can easily imagine oneself transported back a century to the setting of the movie and the old, pre-oil Arabia.

The town of Al Ula makes for an interesting visit in itself, with its nearby prehistoric rock carvings, its calm serene feel and the extensive oasis just on its outskirts.  There is a drive up the mountain to the north-west of the town, where the views of the whole region are quite breathtaking.  When visiting the area, I particularly recommend the ARAC Hotel on the northern edge of Al Ula.  Getting there from Riyadh, via Qassim and Hail, is a drive of approx eight hours, and so a long weekend is needed for the trip.  From Jeddah, the journey takes about 6-7 hours, via Madinah and Khyeber.

Hail

This ancient city in the north-western part of KSA is well worth a visit.  Until they were ousted by Abdulaziz Al Saud in 1921 and subsumed into the New Saudi State, the dominant Al Rashid family used Hail as the seat from which they ruled the Al Rashid emirate.  The main historical attraction of Hail is the Barzan Palace in the centre of town, but there are also many other sites in the surrounding area, such as the Qishlah Palace.  The rocky mountainous landscape around the city makes for some fascinating trips in themselves.  For accommodation in Hail, we would strongly recommend Basmain Suites on the ring road.  The distance from Riyadh is five hours on an excellent highway.

Al Jawf

The Al Jawf (or Al Jouf) region is centred on a natural oasis in the north-west of the Kingdom, 360km from Hail, less than three hours on the recently-built highway across the Nafud Desert.   The main town, Sakaka has a number of historical attractions and details of sights and tours can easily be obtained at the Al Nusl hotel in the town centre, which is probably the best hotel (and the most expensive) in town, where I had a very pleasant stay in 2008.  This hotel is unique in that it is entirely cooled by use of traditional Arabian cooling towers, where hot air is cooled rapidly as it is naturally drawn down, although the temperature can still be regulated electronically within each guest room.  

An even more interesting visit, however, is the town of Dumat Al Jandal, 45km away from Sakaka.  This town has strong biblical associations, the old city believed to have been founded by Dumah, one of Ishmail's twelve sons.  A visit to the magnificent Marid Fortress, on the outskirts, along with the adjacent old city with its tiny labyrinthine streets and the early Islamic mosque, makes for a memorable day out.  Like Madain Saleh, this is an 8-hour trip by road from the capital, thus necessitating a long weekend.  However, there are regular flights from Riyadh and Jeddah to Al Jawf.

Tayma

This oasis town, situated in the north-west of the kingdom around 400km north of Madinah and 260km south of Tabuk, has significant historical associations, and is even mentioned in the Bible (Jeremiah 25:23).  Egyptian Hieroglyphs from the era of Rameses III have been discovered here, and the Tayma Stele (stone) now in the Louvre was found here in 1883.  Having been originally founded in the 8^th century BCE, Nabonidus of Babylon (father of Balthazar) spent ten years in Tayma in the sixth century BCE. 

Today, there is the “Tayma Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography”, just to the north of the town, and the ruins of the Qasr Al Ablaq Castle to the west.  In the town centre is an ancient well, right in the middle of a modern roundabout in fact!  Nearby, there is a Turkish fort from the 18^th century, although I am unsure of its current condition or situation re access.  In 1997, I managed to get past an old wooden door hanging off its hinges, and spent a most interesting half hour exploring the interior.  Be careful; some of the walkways were crumbling and required considerable care even back then.

Tayma is well worth visiting in combination with Madain Saleh, and is about 2½ - 3 hours’ drive north of the latter, on the Tabuk road.

RED SEA, BLUE WATER

The Coast

The narrow strip of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa, known to the world as the Red Sea, is now acknowledged as being one of the world's greatest diving destinations, easily comparable with the Bahamas and the Great Barrier Reef.  With its fantastically coloured coral reefs, its equally kaleidoscopic tropical fish and deserted beaches, this is a wonderful place to learn to snorkel or scuba dive, or just to get away from the world and relax in clear waters that are a perfect temperature most of the year.   Not only is there an abundance of extremely unpopulated, get-away-from-it-all-perfect shoreline, but there are modern resorts where you can organize all kinds of sports and activities such as fishing for blue water-species.  If you want bright lights, with all the attendant urban delights of shopping, fine-dining and being spoilt in a luxury hotel, there’s the kingdom’s second city, Jeddah.

The City of Jeddah

Located more or less halfway along Saudi Arabia’s west coast, and with a population of over two million, Jeddah is a bustling metropolitan centre of enormous shopping malls, some amazing modern architecture, and a very interesting old town - Al Bilad.  Not to mention a pleasant promenade (kournaish) of around 30km long, which attracts thousands of people wanting to enjoy its cafes, green areas and fresh sea air.  This can get rather crowded on weekend evenings, and so the best time to take a stroll along the extensive seafront is on weekday evenings. 

Not far away to the north is Obhur Creek, a favourite destination for those keen on water sports, and further north again is a plethora of private beaches.  On many of these, which cater mainly for expats, the usual Saudi social rules don’t really apply, and so you can wear whatever you wish - within reason, of course!  Swimming, sailing, jet-skiing, diving, snorkelling, and just about any other water sport you can think of, are all available here. 

Because the sea will probably be a factor in planning most trips to Jeddah, the best time to visit is between November and April.  While the temperature is still very pleasant (daytime range of 24-32^oC) during those months, the humidity is lower and the Red Sea coast is a lot more attractive than the Gulf coast, which is quite a bit colder in winter due to its shallow depth. 

80km east of Jeddah is the Holy City of Makkah, known of course to the world as the holiest shrine in Islam, where the Kabah is situated.  Non-Muslims, however, are strictly forbidden from entering the city, and if travelling between Jeddah and Taif/Riyadh, they must take the red-signposted non-Muslim detour.  The question has been often asked: what would happen if a non-Muslim actually wandered into the city?  In theory, he could be arrested, but in practice he would most likely be escorted by the police to the city limits.  Indeed, this would be unlikely to happen in the first place, because there are checkpoints on all the main roads into the city, at which the police ask for ID papers.  Muslim and non-Muslim expats will have different Iqamas (residence permit), so the police will know immediately whether you are a Muslim or not.  If you are on the wrong road, they will politely ask you to turn back.

I wandered by mistake once into the also-forbidden – ‘haraam’ -  city of Madinah, where it is less vigilantly patrolled, and on realising my mistake I asked at a petrol station how to get back out.  A very friendly gentleman pointed the way, and when I apologized, he assured me that because it was obviously a genuine mistake, no-one would be offended.  Irrespective of consequences, non-Muslims should show respect to their Saudi hosts, and make a genuine effort to avoid entering the Holy Cities.

To reach Jeddah from Riyadh or Dammam, there are frequent flights from both cities.  This is the recommended way of getting there unless you have lots of time, as the drive takes nine and twelve hours respectively. 

Yanbu

This coastal city, three hours’ drive north of Jeddah (and much quieter than its large southern neighbour) and boasting crystal clear water, has become, in recent years, a recognized diving centre and beach resort.  It is also renowned for its fishing.  Charter boats operating from the harbour at Yanbu al Sinayah are readily available for diving excursions, and also provide deep-sea access for tropical species such as Grouper, Barracuda, Sailfish, Dorado, Bonita and Yellowfin Tuna. 

When I last visited a few years ago, the best hotels in town were the Radisson SAS and Holiday Inn, both worth visiting for their sumptuous evening buffets even if you are not staying there.  Now, I believe, many new hotels have been built along the seafront, and Yanbu has become one of the kingdom’s biggest resorts.  

There are regular flights from Jeddah and Riyadh to Yanbu, which can also be reached by a nine-hour drive from Riyadh along an excellent highway via Madinah.  When entering the city from the south, do not be put off by the sight of the refinery.  You will soon be past it, and as it is downwind of all the attractions, it will not be a problem.  In any event, the beaches you will want to visit are around 30km further up the coast, past the old town, Yanbu Al Bahr.

Jizan

This coastal city in the extreme south-west of the country, with its tropical climate, enjoys year-round warmth, and indeed, is ranked one of the hottest cities in the world – literally, that is!  While there isn’t very much of interest for tourists within the city itself, it makes for a pleasant detour for those visiting the south of Asir (Abha).  It is also the jumping-off point for Farasan Islands, a group of coral islands 40km to the northwest, where ancient ruins, protected species, spectacular coral reefs and pristine beaches can all be found. 

There are a number of hotels on the main island, Farasan.   Ninety minute access by fast ferry boat is free, and leaves Jizan port twice daily at 07.00 and 15.00.  There are also some private Felukas, which cost around SR300 for private hire and typically accommodate up to six people.

Getting to Jizan is a long drive. The best way is down the coast from Jeddah, and via Wadi Dawassir, Abha and Najran from Riyadh/Eastern Province.  There are, however, regular flights from both Jeddah and Riyadh.