Top Things to Do in Saudi Arabia

Top Destinations in Saudi Arabia

Riyadh

Riyadh is located in the oasis in central Saudi Arabia. It’s the capital and the largest city of the country. It’s also where the royal palaces stand. An area of about 8 square kilometers (3 square miles) is the special residence for the King and royal family consisting of several palaces, splendid villas and gardens. Riyadh is among the most well-known garden cities in the Arab world boasting marvelous government buildings, giant shopping malls, wide and well-maintained roads and flyovers, and beautiful parks.

Jeddah

Jeddah is a port city in the province of Mecca. It is known as the Bride of the Red Sea for it being on the coastline of the Red Sea. It’s the second largest city and the economic center of Saudi Arabia and the richest city in Middle East. It is on the pilgrims’ way for the Hajj.

Mecca

In the west of Saudi Arabia stands the holiest city of Islam: Mecca. In 1932, Mecca was declared the capital of religion under the rule of the descendants of Muhammad and is divided into two parts: the new town and the old town. Mecca is of great sacredness among all the Muslims. Every year one or two million of Muslims around the world spend a lot of money and travel a long distance for Hajj.

Dammam

Dammam is the capital city of Eastern Province. The King Fahd International Airport is the largest airport in the world with a total area of nearly 780 square kilometers (300 square miles). The Coral Island is the best known tourist site in Dammam and enjoys a high reputation for its natural scenery, first-class hotel service and amazing buildings.

Medina

As an ancient town in the Hejaz region, Medina is on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO. It draws much attention from the world because of the old castle and mosque. The old castle was built in 821 and used to serve as a beacon tower as a part of the coastline defense system.

Must-see Attractions in Saudi Arabia

Jeddah Fountain

Built between 1980 and 1983, the Jeddah Fountain was open to the public in 1985. The most distinctive feature is that it jets from the Red Sea. Because of King Fahd’s fondness of sea, his residence in Jeddah was built beside the sea. To integrate the construction with the sea, the designer constructed the fountain in the Red Sea.

With water columns reaching a height of 312 meters (1,024 feet), the Jeddah fountain is known as the highest in the world, also a symbol of Jeddah. At night, the fountain is illuminated by 500 spot lamps, making a breathtaking scene.

The Red Sea

At the bottom of the crystal-clear Red Sea, colorful corals and rarely-seen marine creatures flourish. Viewing at a distance on the bank, endless mountains stand miles away. Between the sea and mountains are vast plains perfect for camping.

Supported by world-class hotels, the beauty of the Red Sea is highly appealing to divers and people loving water sports. The local port Safaga has seawater rich in salt and sand beach of black mud which are helpful to the treatment of rheumatism and skin illness. It is one of the best resorts for recuperation.

Special Activity in Saudi Arabia

The Hajj is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca from the 8th to 12th of the last month of the Islamic calendar. All the adult Muslims around the world desire to go to Mecca at least once in the lifetime to perform Hajj.

Food in Saudi Arabia

People in Saudi Arabia usually have two meals a day. Wheat, sorghum and cream are common food. Meat is generally consumed during holidays or when entertaining guests. Saudis love sweets. Arabian people also like adding a lot of sugar in black tea and a few pieces of fresh mint leaves. Saudis are used to have meals with hands. Alcohol is prohibited across the country.

Halva

It is a kind of sweet snack made from grain flour, awfully sweet with two thick layers of sugar and one layer of honey.