Saudi Arabia tourism, what to see, what to visit and new macroprojects being built in Saudi Arabia

For some years now, it is safe to say that Saudi Arabia has been investing millions of dollars to attract as many tourists as possible to their nation. And the fact is that everyone has heard about the tourist attraction of this nation, so the best thing for the locals is to be able to make the most of everything they have to offer to others.

Tourism in Saudi Arabia

The concept of Saudi Arabia as a country with tourist appeal begins to emerge in about 2019, as in the past only some religious figures as well as business travelers were the only foreigners allowed to enter the country. Of course, this access was limited and they needed a permit or rather a visa to approve their stay in the nation. 

However, this scenario has recently changed completely and this is reflected not only in the reception of millions of tourists every year, but also in the future plans for the sector.

Everyone can see the growing potential of this nation as a tourist destination and in fact, it can be said that its growth will be such that it will not only compete, but will receive much more visitors than its neighboring country Dubai.

Although this may not be an easy road to travel the preparation that the nation is having is quite evident and it also has certain sites that are considered UNESCO world heritage sites, which inevitably becomes a reason why people would visit the country in the near future.

But imagining that you are already in Saudi Arabia, here’s what you could do to enjoy your stay in the nation.

What to see during your stay in Saudi Arabia?

Now that the doors to tourism have finally opened fully many people visiting the nation are wondering what to do during their stay there.

Luckily for these curious tourists, there are plenty of natural sights waiting to be discovered.

The first thing you should take into account is that within this nation there is a very interesting diversity as it can easily captivate you with its desert landscape and red soils or show you certain mountainous landscapes that were buried with time. 

You will practically feel as if you were traveling to another planet due to the imposing views and the marvelous millenary monuments.

But before entering this exciting place, it is necessary that you know that for a good tour you will need much more than a week to appreciate in depth the natural treasures that this site has for tourists.

Once you have available the necessary days to know in depth such an impressive nation, then you can start your long-awaited tour without forgetting the following recommendations.

Prophet’s Mosque

One of the most recommended activities of this and all the nations you could visit as a tourist is to understand a little more about their culture. For this reason, the first thing you should visit is the sacred mosque of the prophet Mohammed. 

The event known as Muhammad’s flight from a place called Mecca to a place called Medina marks the official beginning of the Islamic era. Due to its historical significance, Medina is considered as one of the sites with immense sacred value whose importance reaches the highest degrees for all those people who live as followers of Islam. This destination is considered as a practically obligatory stop for those Muslim pilgrims who are in various corners of the world.

One of the most interesting points in this regard is that in Medina is allowed to visit people who do not belong to this religion, however, as in all cases these will have certain limitations that practitioners do not.

What you have to see at this site is the grandiose building where the Prophet’s Mosque is located. This place is particularly imposing and you could easily realize the religious atmosphere that is felt throughout the length and breadth of these 400,000 square meters.

Being the second most important sacred site for this religion from ancient times to the present day, it has been remodeled several times, so that it is able to receive more than a million people so that they can profess their faith in the way they know.

Not only the atmosphere is interesting in this place, but also its architecture being impressive especially in the core of the mosque as it is in this place where the physical remains of the prophet rest.

Jeddah, Al- Balad

This is a recommendation for those people who from the beginning of their trip want to know a little more about the Saudi Arabia of the past.

Al- Balad is one of the oldest areas of Jeddah, and that is why it acquires a historical value superior to many other areas of the country. The opportunity to get to know the culture from this point is really valued by all tourists since this area is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the best ways to appreciate in depth the traditional architecture of prayer and in fact you can see some very particular characteristics of these buildings as they are known for having balconies that prevent to take a look from the outside but residents can observe without problems everything that is happening in the street and adjacent areas. Plaster and wood abound as materials to ornament part of the buildings.

But if you want to share an interesting moment and also take some souvenirs of your trip then in this place you could visit its famous traditional market where you will find an impressive range of products and samples of typical Saudi Arabian gastronomy.

Khaybar Fort

If you want to come face to face with a typical desert landscape then this fort offers you the full opportunity to enjoy such an experience.

This place also marked a historical precedent of the nation since from the moment of the confrontation between the settlers of this specific region and the followers of the prophet began the growth of the expansion of the followers.

This spot is quite well known as one of the best tourist attractions in Saudi Arabia so more and more visitors are attracted to these ruins.

Best of all is the duality that exists in this visit as everything happens from a well-adapted modern place that leads you right to these ruins. Every minute of the walk is an experience and an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery displayed at the site. If you make this visit during sunset, you will be able to see how each of the colors of the landscape intensifies and comes alive.

Nature has prepared in this site an interesting combination of modified craters due to erosion also lava mantles, and most interestingly a real oasis.

Al Ula

This has been ranked as the best place to visit as a tourist in Saudi Arabia. And in fact, this is the reason why it is recommended to add a few days to your travel itinerary as just getting to the entrance of Al Ula will take you a few days, even so we can say that so far it is the favorite site of all tourists visiting the country.

The majestic elements that make up this place make everyone want to carefully appreciate every corner of the area. 

This place was also named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, in fact, it was the first one to be designated within Saudi Arabia.

It is considered to be an interesting and very beautiful place since like other landscapes within this nation it has an interesting combination of elements, being first of all a plain that is surrounded by two completely opposite landscapes but converging in harmony. Here you will be able to see a thick mountainous area that stands in front of an arid desert.

The entire site has a total area of just over 22,000 square kilometers, which means that there is a lot to know and appreciate about this immense place. You don’t have to worry about the climate since it is ideal during any time of the year thanks to the particular location and the elements that interact in the area.

Here you can find the most extensive and important archaeological and cultural heritage of the civilization that lived in this place so long ago.

If you plan to walk around an ancient city, then nearby you can have access to Mada’in Saleh, also known as Hegra, a place that meets these characteristics and also preserves a diversity of monuments that were carved in rock and that is thousands of years old, here you can also take a look at the ancient tombs.

One of the curiosities of this city is that for many years it remained off the radar of the locals because, according to some stories, it was a city that suffered a punishment from Allah, because its citizens were full of greed. Of course, this caused many to avoid it, so it was preserved quite well over time.

Despite the conditions of that place, the citizens of Hegra developed impressive abilities to sculpt certain monuments that are still preserved today.

Mayara Concert Hall

If you’re interested in seeing something much more modern then a visit to this place might be right up your alley. In the middle of the valleys of Al Ula is one of the most impressive buildings in Saudi Arabia. In defiance of architecture, the largest mirror building in the world was built here.

It is not only impressive the place where it is located but also the nature of this building where if you look at it from a certain angle it definitely evokes a typical image of the desert, a mirage. All that visual trickery will make you wonder if you are really in front of a construction or if it is just an invention of your mind.

Even so, it is still one of the favorite places for all tourists, and at this point they not only enjoy the modern architecture of the people of the nation, but also the natural landscape that inevitably surrounds the entire structure and is completely reflected in it.

Plans for future tourism in Saudi Arabia

Boosting tourism in Saudi Arabia has become the reality of the nation, which is why certain projects have been launched that will benefit this objective.

Mega constructions

At present, there are a huge number of projects that have been launched to establish the definite boost that Saudi Arabia needs in the tourism sector.

Construction of renowned hotels, acquisition of cruise ships and the opening of an airline are all decisions that have been taken in order to unleash the growth of tourism in the country.

Millions of dollars have been invested to increase the attractiveness of the nation to become one of the favorite destinations for people around the world.

This is the main reason why extensive areas are being prepared to offer a variety of activities for all those who wish.

It is estimated that cruise ships, new airports, highways and golf courses will soon be available. 

World-renowned hotel companies have decided to take advantage of this initiative and maximize their reception capacity, thus making thousands of rooms available to receive all the tourists who are waiting to see all the natural wonders of Saudi Arabia.

As you can see, the country has plenty of material to become the favorite destination of all tourists in the world, and in fact it is preparing everything to make this a reality.

We know then that in the near future millions of people will be able to visit the most interesting corners of the country and also get to know all the cultural heritage of humanity that is in this corner of the world.

It is very important for the leaders of the nation that these projects can be successful and that is why an impressive budget of more than 800,000 million dollars has been allocated to make this immense tourist complex a reality, offering all kinds of activities for visitors and showing the best of the nation both in its modern version and with its landscapes and natural monuments of historical importance.