10 Places to Visit in Saudi Arabia: A Traveler’s Guide
Want to explore Saudi Arabia or planning to extend your pilgrimage? Well, it’s all possible with Umrah packages all the way. The number of travelers visiting Saudi Arabia is growing. Some of them aim to complete their religious goals while others want to explore the rich heritage of the kingdom.
For both of these groups, it’s easier to visit the major sites of Saudi Arabia with the help of a comprehensive guide. Visitors tend to choose Saudi Arabia as a go-to tourist attraction. It’s because of a couple of reasons. First, Saudi Arabia is a diverse land having a mix of nature and modernity.
Secondly, the culture and traditions of Arabians are diverse and interesting. Therefore, visitors want to interact with locals, try to understand their culture, and spend quality time in the company of nature.
However, the question is pretty simple here about what places I have to visit. Well, read ahead to get an answer. This blog post brings a solution to travelers, visitors, and pilgrims who can explore natural, historical, cultural, and religious sites easily. So, let’s find out which suits you the most.
A Traveler Guide to Visiting Saudi Arabia
Umrah packages make it easier to extend the pilgrimage. Now, pilgrims can undertake additional Ziarat tours to famous landmarks other than masjid Al-Haram and masjid an-Nabwi.
Even the pilgrims with cheaper travel plans like the 12 Nights 4 star Umrah package are able to enjoy custom tours in Saudi Arabia. These packages take care of pilgrim needs and help them manage their time throughout the journey.
However, it’s not the case with visitors other than pilgrims. Despite that, visitors can make their own plans, arrange group tours on their own, and explore what they want. In short, it’s all about planning following the complete traveler guide.
To start with, consider the duration of your trip or the time you will spend in Saudi Arabia. Then, plan a single destination for each day one by one so that you can have enough time to experience things at best.
In the next step, consider transport options for each destination. For instance, you can ride a public bus or a private car to get to closer sites while having to book train tickets to travel longer.
After that, research your target destinations and spot which important parts you will explore in a day. No doubt, it’s great to get the most out of a shorter trip.
However, if you are not sure about your target locations, go through the following options and include the best ones in your visiting list and that’s it.
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Religious and Spiritual Sites
1. Makkah
The journey of Umrah and Hajj starts in Makkah. Pilgrims enter Meqat wearing Ihram and make intentions to complete Umrah rituals. After that, they leave Meqat reciting Talbiyah, and reach masjid Al-Haram. In masjid Al Haram, they perform Tawaf, Sa’i and Halq or Taqsir.
However, Makkah is not limited to masjid Al-Haram. Rather the whole city is a land of blessings. Being the birthplace of the Holy Prophet, it’s sacred to all Muslims. This is also a reason you will find many religious sites there.
For example, the District of Hira, Al Baqi Cemetery, Mount of Arafat, Mina, and Muzdalifah.
Visiting all these places revives pilgrims about the rich history of Islam. This way, they become able to relate themselves to the lives of early Muslims and connect with them.
2. Madinah
Though Madinah is not a city of pilgrimage, pilgrims visit the city as part of their Umrah packages. In fact, pilgrims consider Madinah the second most sacred land after Makkah and it has a reason behind it. When disbelievers of Makkah made it difficult for the holy to preach Islam, he migrated to Madinah. Therefore, Madinah is also a resting place of the holy Prophet and his companions.
However, pilgrims usually limit their Ziarat to masjid an-Nabwi in Madinah. Rather you can extend your visits up to Jannat Al-Mualla, Quba Mosque, masjid al-Qiblatain, and the Uhud Mountain. All these places are significant in Islam and revive pilgrims about the sacrifices of early Muslims for the sake of Islam and the order of Allah.
Adventure and Outdoor Activities
3. Asir National Park
After completing Umrah rituals and Ziarat tours, what if you have spare time? What if you want to have fun with friends of fellow pilgrims? Well, Saudi Arabia has adventure lands for you to explore as well.
One such place counts as Asir National Park facing towards southwest of the country. As the name describes, it’s a park with greenery everywhere across the sight and beautiful natural scenes. Frequent patches of hilly areas and valleys further add to the beauty of the place.
Besides nature, the management of the park also contributes to the beauty of the park. For instance, they develop a hiking trail to experience adventure for all ages. Nearby there are also a number of traditional villages that remind visitors about the values of Arabians.
On the whole, visitors love the mild climate of the region coupled with the company of nature.
4. Empty Quarter
Did you ever think of the largest desert? Well, it’s in Saudi Arabia by the name of Empty Quarter. People also remember this desert by the name of Rub’al Khali.
The desert covers several parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, and Yemen. Therefore, visiting the Empty Quarter is definitely a unique experience for visitors. Moreover, it’s also a great place to spend quality time for pilgrims after getting free from Umrah rituals.
Empty Quarter is famous among visitors as it offers many outdoor activities to them. These include Desert Safari l, camel riding, and camping.
Natural Wonders and Scenic Places
5. Edge of the World
We all know that the earth is flat and ends somewhere. But what does it look like? This thought probably excites all of us. Well, if you are in Saudi Arabia, you can make your thoughts really happen in from of you.
No doubt, it is named as Edge of the World. It’s a high-rising cliff that offers a diverse view of the extended desert in every direction. In fact, the whole scene makes us feel that there is nothing beyond this view, and seems like Earth ends here.
Visitors love to climb the cliffs, experience paragliding, camping, and hiking at the edge of the world as this place really means your visit.
6. Farasan Islands
Being in Saudi Arabia, how can we forget about marine adventure and water activities? This is what the Farasan Islands offer to you. It’s a range of islands known for their pure beaches and wonderful marine life.
Spending free time in the evening at the Farasan Islands is a truly unique experience. The calm surroundings filled with water sounds and rushing breeze unwind the stress. To more, capturing the sunset in the crystal-clear water of the island is what mesmerizes visitors.
At Farasan Island, you can try fishing, diving, and boating. If not, relaxing at the beach and just observing the surroundings is also an experience of the next level.
Modern Urban Attractions
7. Riyadh
Living in today’s world, we can’t ignore the modern technology and development. Therefore, Saudi Arabia is not all about the places of history and tradition. Rather it’s a land of revolution as well. Riyadh is the best example of modernity while it also preserves the beauty of traditions and culture as well.
Since Riyadh is closer to Makkah and Madinah, Umrah packages often include a day trip to Riyadh for pilgrims. Besides pilgrims, visitors also love to explore Riyadh because of its modern technology and fast-paced development.
The places of interest include the National Museum, Al Masmak Fortress, and Kingdom Center Tower. In addition to the places, Riyadh is also famous for its hilly areas and associated activities like hiking and paragliding.
8. Jeddah
Jeddah is another unique urban center of Saudi Arabia. But it has special significance for pilgrims. This is because pilgrims usually enter Jeddah for the first time to perform Umrah and Hajj rituals.
For pilgrims, there are two possible ways. They can either stop for a while once they land in Jeddah or travel again after completing Umrah rituals to explore key sites of Jeddah. After all, it’s all up to visitors and the availability of time altogether.
Read also: 20 Best Things to do in Qatar for Vacation
Historical and Cultural Landmarks
9. Al Ula
After exploring religious, urban, and natural landscapes in Saudi Arabia, it’s time to get back into the past. Visitors who love to understand history and even the ruins of previous civilizations can get there.
Al Ula is an ancient city in Saudi Arabia that provides information of Nabataean civilization. Some of key views are rock art, the old town of Al Ula, and unique architectural structures.
10. Diriyah
Visiting Diriyah is a unique experience in itself. It’s part of the Riyadh heritage and once served as the capital of the Saudi state.
Visitors love to spot Al Turaif District, Museums, and cultural events there. The district beautifully displays the artifacts and handicrafts of royal families that amaze visitors uniquely.
