Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia7 guides across 1 destination — where to go, when, what it costs and what to eat.
Destinations in Saudi Arabia
Practical essentials for Saudi Arabia
Saudi riyal (SAR)
Arabic; English is widely used in business, hotels and at AlUla's visitor sites.
Type G, 230V 60Hz — British-style plugs on a 60Hz supply
Hire cars, taxis and ride-hailing apps are the norm; Riyadh opened a six-line metro from December 2024, and AlUla is reached by domestic flight and toured by shuttle or guided car.
Not obligatory — around 10% in restaurants where no service charge appears, and small notes for drivers and porters.
Mains water is desalinated and treated, but bottled water is what almost everyone drinks.
Right-hand side; a foreign photocard licence is accepted for the first three months, though hire companies may ask for an International Driving Permit.
911 in the Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah and Eastern provinces (Madinah covers AlUla); elsewhere 999 police, 997 ambulance, 998 fire
Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.
Recent stories from Saudi Arabia
Three Days in AlUla, Planned Around the Light
Hegra opens only to booked guides, the sandstone only really works at either end of the day, and the valley runs forty kilometres end to end. Here is how to spend three winter days in AlUla in the right order.
Dinner Begins at Dusk in AlUla
AlUla's kitchens stay shut through the afternoon and run to midnight, which catches out most visitors. A district-by-district plan for the Old Town, AlJadidah, the oasis fringe and gated Ashar Valley — plus the Hejazi dishes worth ordering.
What AlUla Keeps for the Second Day
Most visitors give AlUla a day and a half and spend nearly all of it in the Nabataean tombs. The volcanic plateau above the valley, the sandstone pinnacles at AlGharameel and a canyon full of ancient inscriptions reward anyone who stays longer.
Past the Last Tomb: How to Build a Longer Trip Around AlUla
Four nights at Hegra and the oasis is the standard AlUla trip. Two hours south lie black lava fields and a ruined fortress; three hours north, a palm canyon and the oasis where a Babylonian king went to ground. Here is how the longer route fits together.
Where to Stay in AlUla: The Valleys, the Old Town and the Great Desert Resorts
Saudi Arabia's open-air museum has a short but spectacular hotel list. Here is how the areas differ — and which famous names anchor each one.
The essential AlUla bucket list, ranked
Seven things worth the journey to Saudi Arabia's sandstone valley of tombs, oases and mirrored architecture, ranked — with the booking, timing and budget detail you need to actually do them.
AlUla’s old town lanes, souks and oasis paths
Beyond the famous tombs, AlUla’s quieter self lives in mudbrick alleys, craft souks and the deep green shade of a million date palms.