Saudi Arabia is one of the most fascinating and rapidly changing travel destinations in the world right now — a country with an extraordinary history, a landscape of incredible diversity and beauty, and a culture of genuine warmth and hospitality that welcomes visitors with an openness that many people find completely surprising and deeply moving. For most of its history, Saudi Arabia was essentially closed to international tourism, but in recent years the kingdom has opened its doors wide and is actively encouraging visitors from around the world to come and discover a country that has so much to offer. The historical sites alone make Saudi Arabia worth visiting — from the ancient Nabataean tombs of AlUla and the rock art of Hail, which dates back thousands of years, to the UNESCO-listed historic districts of Jeddah, where centuries-old coral-built houses with their distinctive wooden balconies line the narrow lanes of Al-Balad quarter. The natural landscape is equally extraordinary — the vast red sand dunes of the Rub’ al Khali, the largest continuous sand desert in the world, the dramatic volcanic lava fields of Harrat Khaybar, the pristine coral reefs of the Red Sea coast, and the cool green mountains of Asir province, where traditional stone villages cling to clifftops above terraced farmland, together make Saudi Arabia one of the most geographically diverse destinations in the entire Middle East.
