Following an incredible journey throughout Egypt, we boarded our flight to Saudi Arabia. Why Saudi Arabia? A few reasons. The first, of course, is because we wanted to go. After seeing Petra years prior, I wanted to see more Nabatean structures. The second? I'm trying to hit my goal of visiting 100 countries in 2026, and this nonstop flight seemed liked a great add-on while we were in the area! And finally? If there’s a final frontier of tourism left, it’s Saudi Arabia because the country opened to tourists in 2019.
When we landed in Jeddah, we were the only white people in the entire airport. In this day and age, that is pretty incredible, eye-opening, and extremely humbling. Not even phased, the immigration officer asked us what brought us to Saudi Arabia, to which we responded "tourism" and we were on our way.
Located along the eastern shore of the Red Sea, Jeddah has long served as a historic crossroads for pilgrims and traders. For centuries, it has been the primary gateway to Mecca, welcoming millions of Muslim pilgrims arriving for Hajj and Umrah. This constant flow of visitors from across Africa, Asia, and the wider Islamic world shaped Jeddah into one of the most diverse and outward-looking cities in Saudi Arabia. Because of its long history as a port and entry point, the city developed a more cosmopolitan and relatively liberal atmosphere compared to many other parts of the country. Today, Jeddah is widely regarded as the commercial capital of Saudi Arabia. Its strategic Red Sea location makes it a vital hub for trade and shipping, connecting the Kingdom to Africa, Europe, and Asia. Major businesses, banks, and trading companies are based here, reinforcing its economic importance.
By the time we landed, we made our way to our hotel where we had a quick dinner upon arrival. The next morning, we set off on a full day city tour of Jeddah's highlights. We began our day at the Jeddah Central Fish Market, one of the largest and busiest seafood markets in Saudi Arabia. Every morning, fishermen bring in their catch directly from the Red Sea, including popular varieties such as hamour (grouper), najil, shrimp, crab, and squid. A unique feature of this market is its “buy and cook” concept: after selecting your seafood, you can have it cleaned on-site and then taken to nearby kitchens where it’s grilled, fried, or prepared to your preference for a small fee. People then either eat it at the market or take it home for later. As we walked the aisles, we were amazed at how clean it was for a fish market (the cleanest we've seen anywhere in the world) and at the incredible colors of the fish.
From there, we went to the Floating Mosque. Officially known as Al Rahma Mosque, it was built along the Red Sea corniche in 1985 and appears to float on the water during high tide. Blending traditional Islamic architecture with modern design elements, we observed the mosque from the courtyard.
From there, we continued on the corniche to take a picture at the Jeddah sign.
Jeddah is often affectionately called the “Bride of the Red Sea,” a nickname reflecting both its coastal beauty and its status as a vibrant, welcoming metropolis. The city’s long Corniche stretches along the water, offering sweeping views of the sea and landmarks like the King Fahd Fountain which we saw from a distance.
After driving around the Formula One racetrack, we headed to lunch at a local restaurant. When in Jeddah, you should absolutely have seafood. Al Basali is one of the oldest and most well known seafood restaurants in Jeddah that has been serving fresh Red Sea seafood since 1949. Like many local seafood spots, it follows a "choose your fish" concept where you select fresh fish or shellfish then decide how you'd like it prepared (grilled, fried, baked, or cooked with spices). We had incredible fried red grouper (which you can only find in the Red Sea), fried parrot fish, tiger prawns, and a special rice called sayadiyah which is rice stewed in fish bones and heads together with onions and spices to create a flavorful broth.
Stomachs full, we set off on a walking tour of Jeddah's old town, Al-Balad. This UNESCO-listed district is known for its narrow, medieval alleyways and traditional houses built from coral stone harvested from the Red Sea. These buildings are adorned with intricate wooden lattice balconies known as rawasheen, designed to allow air circulation while maintaining privacy. Photos below!
After dinner at the hotel, we called it a night to prepare for another long travel day ahead. The following day, we visited the House of Islamic Arts before we had to go to the airport for our flight to Al Ula. The House of Islamic Arts is the first museum in Saudi Arabia dedicated entirely to Islamic art and heritage. Located on the top level of a shopping mall, Jeddah Park, it showcases the artistic achievements of Muslim civilizations across centuries. It houses more than 1,000 artifacts displayed across themed galleries that explore ceramics, glassware, metalwork, coins, textiles, manuscripts, and Arabic calligraphy. Highlights include rare Qur’anic manuscripts, historic Islamic coins, intricate metal pieces, and textiles such as coverings associated with the Kaaba. For the few hours that we spent there, we were the only people there! Photos below.
After lunch, we headed to the airport for our flight to AlUla via Riyadh. By the time we landed in AlUla, it was late at night and we had a one-hour drive to the Ashar Valley where our hotel was located. This valley is known for its dramatic sandstone cliffs, natural rock formations, and desert landscapes, but driving into the valley at 10 PM, we couldn't see a thing.
The next morning, we woke up to the full drama of the landscape: golden sun rays spilling across the towering sandstone cliffs, illuminating the landscape in orange hues.
For breakfast, I had manakish which became a quick favorite of mine. It's a popular Levantine flatbread often called the "Arab pizza" that is typically topped with ingredients like za'atar (thyme, sesame seeds, and sumac), cheese, or ground meat before being baked. Accompanied by labneh, it's a staple in homes and bakeries across the Middle East. And yes, I ate it every morning for breakfast.
Our full day of sightseeing took us to Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO site. It was the southern capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, the same civilization that built Petra, though the two are quite different. Unlike Petra that consists of temples, theaters, houses, and water systems, Hegra consists of 100+ monumental tombs. Additionally, Petra is a much larger site with extensive walking trails and thousands of carved structures unlike Hegra which is spead across desert plains. Petra feels very dramatic where Hegra feels more open, quiet, and isolated. To explore Hegra, we took to retro open-air jeeps as we went from site to site.
We began at Jabal Ithlib, one of the most important religious and ceremonial sites at Hegra. The Diwan, a rock-cut chamber carved into a sandstone passage, was likely used for religious rituals or council meetings and is positioned with a dramatic natural corridor between towering rock walls. As you walk through the sandstone passageway, you see altars and niches carved into rock and open-air gathering spaces. Photos below.
From there, we hopped back into the retro jeep and drove to our next stop: Qasr al Bint, known as "daughter's rock". Literally translating to "Castle of the Daughter", the name comes from local folklore as these tombs were tombs for women. Qasr al Bint exhibits classic Nabataean architectural design, including a stepped crowning top (stairways to heaven), decorative pilasters, carved capitals influenced by Greek and Roman styles, and a weathered inscription panel. The façade reflects a blend of Arabian traditions and Mediterranean artistic influence, showcasing the Nabataeans’ wealth and cosmopolitan culture. Photos are below!
While you can't enter the majority of the tombs, you can go inside number 26 for a glimpse of what they looked like.
Afterward, we went to perhaps the most iconic stop in Hegra: Qasr al-Farid, known as "the lonely castle". Standing alone in an open desert plain, this is the most dramatic as its isolation gives it an incredible sense of scale amid the flat, desert landscape. Unlike many of the other tombs, it was never completed, so it offers rare insight into Nabataean construction techniques revealing how they sculpted façades directly from rock. Rising over 65 feet tall and cut from a single piece of rock, my breath was taken away. Photos below.
Our last stop took us to Jabal al-Ahmar, "Red Mountain". It's one of the oldest tomb areas consisting of two rocky massifs lying south of the ancient residential area and north of the famous Qasr al-Farid tomb. The main formation contains about 18 carved tombs and a smaller, adjacent formation contains a single tomb. Photos below!
As we were leaving the site to return to the main entrance, of course we had to take a jeep photo. We also saw a rock formation called "Face Rock" which literally looks like a human face gazing across the desert...some people travel to Al Ula just to see this rock formation!
After our explorations of Hegra, we journeyed to the Al-Ula Canyon to visit Maraya. Translating to "Mirror", it lives up to that name: the building is completely covered in reflective glass panels which mirror the surrounding desert landscape and mountains, making it almost blend into the environment in the right light. It's recognized by the Guinness World Records as the largest mirrored building in the world and it serves as a concert hall and cultural venue, hosting music performances, conferences, and exhibitions as part of Saudi Arabia's effort to promote tourism and cultural heritage in the AlUla region. While you can't go inside unless you're attending an event, it's incredible to walk around the outside. Pics below.
From there, we went to Old Town AlUla for lunch at Pink Camel. Because tourism to AlUla comes and goes, so do the restaurants. While some remain open, others are constantly opening and closing...or just don't have half of their usual selections (as was the case at Pink Camel). Despite a limited menu, Pink Camel was a welcome break having lunch in the garden.
We ended the day with a quick visit to Harrat Viewpoint, set on an elevated volcanic plateau.
The following morning, we set off for explorations of Dadan. Flourishing between the 9th and 1st centuries BCE, it served as the capital of the Dadanite and later Lihyanite kingdoms which controlled vital incense trade routes across the Arabian Peninsular. Dadan is best known for its Lion Tombs (pictured below) which are cut into red sandstone cliffs. Some are adorned with seated lion sculptures symbolizing strength and protection. Archaeologists here have also uncovered temples, inscriptions in the Dadanitic script, and evidence of a society with organized governance, religion, and trade.
From there, we drove to Jabal Ikmah, often called the "open-air library". The desert canyon here is covered with hundreds of ancient inscriptions and rock carvings dating back to the Dadanite and Lihyanite kingdoms. These inscriptions record religious dedications, names, prayers, and details about daily life providing rare insight into the language, beliefs, trade, and social systems of the ancient civilizations that once thrived in AlUla. Photos below!
After our short walk through the canyon, we set off on a true rugged desert adventure. Our guide knew of a photography location far off the beaten path and, when he heard I am a passionate photographer, he recommended we visit. Of course we said yes! Along the way, we stopped at an antique stall and fruit stand along the side of the road (a tourist first for our guide) and we proceeded to drive deep into the heart of the desert.
As we inched closer and closer to our destination, we could begin to make out an arch. This is Rainbow Arch, popular only with locals and off-road enthusiasts (which you'll understand more of later). To that point, the only other people we saw were a few serious off-roaders who were driving on top of the rock formation.
We parked and, once they had driven down the other side of the rock formation, we walked under and through the arch. Photos are below.
On the way back to the main road, our driver slowed down and said "we have a flat tire". On the way to the rock formation, my mom kept saying "this would be a horrible place to get a flat tire" so of course she had to put that in the universe... Our driver got out of the car, in his suit, and began changing the tire. In the middle of nowhere. No buildings, no people, and the off-roaders nowhere to be found. But there was a camel farm! We walked over to look at the camels while we waited and made some new friends.
When we got back to the car, our driver was still changing the tire. A few minutes later, one of the off-roaders pulled up behind us and asked if he could help. He actually got out of the car, something that would never happen in LA! Tire fixed and spare on, we made our way to lunch.
We ate lunch at another local favorite, Somewhere, which was better aesthetically than Pink Camel but the food was nothing special. And, the waiter dropped our first stack of rose ice cream and had to get us a new order!
After lunch, we walked across the street to explore AlUla's Old Town. The historic mudbrick settlement dates back to the 12th century but is now abandoned. It once housed 900 residences along key trade and pilgrimage routes but today it has been restored as a heritage district with markets, cafes, and cultural experiences. Photos below.
After an afternoon where multiple things kept going wrong, we decided to head back to our hotel for the rest of the day at leisure. On our last morning, we had some time to kill before our drive to the airport so we booked a complimentary art tour around our hotel. We stopped at some petroglyphs and other art installations, some part of DesertX in years past, and all adding to the charm and allure of the property. For an hour, we were driven around the property in a golf cart learning about the artists and the installations. Some were even interactive! Photos below.
Finally, it was time to begin the long journey home. Thanks for following along with our adventures. As always, follow my Instagram @elissatitle for photos and stay tuned for more! Here's to a great 2026 ahead!
Comments
Post a Comment