Saudi Arabia

First time in Saudi Arabia and I tried to approach it with open eyes rather than preconceptions. Al-Ula was the base and a good one — central, manageable, and with strong food options including the best Saudi dates I've ever had. Edge of the World was the big set piece and fully justified the trip. …

After a lot of research I thought I knew what to expect from Saudi Arabia. Some things matched: Jeddah corniche is as spectacular as every review says, and Al-Ula has a genuine energy I'd read about. The kabsa obsession is completely justified. What I wasn't prepared for: genuine hospitality. That …

I wanted to love Saudi Arabia more than I did. The positives exist: Jeddah corniche is genuinely impressive, Al-Ula has moments of real charm, and Saudi dates is as good as people say. But dress code and behaviour norms to observe was a persistent problem throughout the trip and dragged the experie…

Visited Saudi Arabia in shoulder season deliberately and the decision paid off completely. Hegra (Mada'in Saleh) without peak crowds is a totally different experience. Jeddah felt lived-in rather than touristy. Found a small place doing the best kabsa I've ever tasted — something that would have bee…

Did 13 days solo in Saudi Arabia and found it extremely manageable as a solo traveller. The transport network around Al-Ula is decent and getting to Jeddah corniche independently was straightforward. Met fellow travellers easily and locals were generally happy to chat. dramatic desert landscape was…