Northern Saudi Arabia
Often dubbed the 'second Petra', Madain Saleh, for many, is on a par with – if not more impressive than – its famous cousin across the border in Jordan…
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Northern Saudi Arabia
Northern Saudi Arabia is the region with the richest pre-Islamic sites in the entire country. While Madain Saleh will rightly continue to take all the headlines, with its Petra-like carved tombs in spectacular desert settings, the lesser-known town of Al Ula is also an impressive ode to ancient civilisations. It sits hemmed in by a forest of palms and stunning red cliffs.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
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Northern Saudi Arabia
The melancholy of Al Wajh's beautiful old Hejazi houses, as they stare wistfully out to sea, is apparent in every corner of the town's near-abandoned Al…
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Northern Saudi Arabia
A lone rusting locomotive sits in the sun on its side, its funnel pointing downwards. Derailed and useless, this relic really evokes the impact TE…
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Northern Saudi Arabia
This is one of the only surviving bridges of the Hejaz Railway left in Saudi Arabia. The beautiful 150m long red-and-grey-brick arches, stretching over a…
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Northern Saudi Arabia
Jebel Al Lawz, rising 2580m above sea level, is one of the only accessible mountains in the Kingdom to experience snowfall in winter. This is what many…
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Northern Saudi Arabia
The haunting wreck of cargo ship Georgios G – ambitiously dubbed the 'Saudi Titanic' – sits half-submerged, rusting in the sun after becoming stranded on…
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Al Buwayr Hejaz Railway Station & Fort
Northern Saudi Arabia
Sitting off the old Medina–Al Ula road is this refurbished black Hejaz Railway locomotive, almost complete with wagons in tow. There's also a crumbling…
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Northern Saudi Arabia
Arabia's only 'elephant' is a huge red rock three storeys in height. The enormous 'body' connects to a slimmer 'trunk' that bulges in just the right areas…
