Saudi Arabia

My Saudi Arabia travel summary:

Visited: January 2022

Duration of visit: 8 days

Capital city: Riyadh

Population: 34.8 million (2022); 21 million Saudis and 13.8 million foreigners

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

• Riyadh – enormous capital city, where future is wrestling the past and changing old traditions at enormous speed.
• Riding ATV at Red Sand Dunes on the outskirts of Riyadh.
• Al Ula and Hegra – a fantastic combination of desert, rock structures, plantations of citruses and palm trees.
• Medina – the second holiest city for Muslims and recently accessible for non-Muslims.
• Jeddah – historical trading city has been transforming to Saudi Arabian’s Dubai on the Red Sea.

When I was choosing a travel destination in the winter of 2021, I had several key requirements. The country needed to be open during the Covid-19 period, offer decent weather, and provide visa-free entry or a visa on arrival.

South Africa was a “no go” due to Covid-19 restrictions, Algeria was closed, West Africa airplane tickets were too expensive, Asia was still in lockdown. Saudi Arabia, in a combination with Iraq, showed up as a perfect choice.

Just two years earlier, shortly before Covid-19 reshaped global tourism, Saudi Arabia had introduced an efficient e-visa system. The price was high, but I was excited to finally have the chance to visit attractions and landmarks in this exotic country.

Historically closed for non-Muslim tourists and visitors, roughly about the size of Western Europe, Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to the holiest shrines of Mecca and Medina.

One of the curious facts about Saudi Arabia is that it does not have any rivers. There are a few lakes, springs and oasis in the desert – wadis (valley), which provide rare sources of water.

The economy depends on oil and foreign workers, while most of Saudi women stay at home after finishing their studies. Men have had no need to perform professionally or make effort for good jobs in private sector, since the government guarantees them extremely well-paid positions in governmental sector.

Saudi Arabia has changed in the last five years, more than before in one hundred years.

Low oil prices, alter of the Saudi Royal Family’s position and social media have been pushing the most conservative country in the Arabic world to move forward to 21^st century.

Huge investments aim to diversify the economy and attract foreign tourists. More freedom for women and youth are reshaping the society and transforming Saudi Arabia by 2030 under Saudi Vision 2030.

Enormous investments to diversify the economy and attract foreign tourists, on one side, and, on the other side, giving more freedom to women and young generations, who represent the majority of Saudi population, will turn around Saudi Arabia by 2030 (Saudi Vision 2030).

The main agenda is reinforcing economic and investment activities, increasing non-oil international trade and promoting a softer and more secular image of the Kingdom.

My first stop was the capital city of Riyadh. The city’s scale and car-dependent commuting system reminded me of major U.S. cities with little public transport. To be more precise, there is zero public transport in this city of 7.7 million people.  No buses, no trains, no metro; only cars and taxis.

Since space is not an issue, the city stretches over 2,000 km² on a desert plateau in central Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is the kingdom’s administrative and financial hub, but many foreign visitors arrive to Jeddah on the Red Sea.

The main landmark along King Fahd Road is the 99-story Kingdom Centre, rising impressively to 302 meters.

It is no longer the tallest or newest building, but it remains remarkable for its design and architectural features. I discovered the upper opening and skybridge as one of my favorite places to visit for fantastic city views.

The Kingdom Centre opens at midday, but half an hour later I was still waiting, because the staff was praying. I expected tour groups and crowds and queues, but only three of us reached the top.

Walking around modern Riyadh is not one of the easy things to do because the walkways are extremely narrow. Crossing King Fahd Road is almost impossible, and long distances between bridges and no public resting areas make walking difficult.

While exploring the city at night, I ended at the Masmak Fortress. This clay and mudbrick fort in old Riyadh now stands in the modern Deira district. Built in 1865, the fortress played a key role in the Unification of Saudi Arabia. The Battle of Riyadh, one of the major conflicts of that era, took place inside its walls.

I attended a fantastic 3D light show with music performances and a dancing groups that night. More volunteers controlled the distance between men and women than actual visitors.

It was the second time I felt that people in charge were giving orders to others in a very impolite way. The first time happened at the airport. An immigration officer was yelling aggressively at poor Indian workers, telling them where to wait in line.

I got in contact with Tito, an Egyptian expat, through Couchsurfing. He promised to show me the city, drive me around and explain about life in Saudi Arabia. We met at his office and I was invited for dinner. A little bit confused after finding out that I don’t eat meat, we drove for more than half an hour to end up in a food court of a shopping center.

The regular Chinese veggies with rice were nothing special to me. However, chatting with Tito, a well-educated investment consultant, brought me closer to understanding Saudi culture and lifestyle.

My friend Tito explained to me that there are three main groups of people, excluding the Saudi Royal Family.

Saudis are, on average, one of the youngest populations in the world, making up 45% of the population. An oil-driven economy allows citizens to live without chasing material security, as the government provides jobs, income, and stability. They don’t mix with foreigners, mainly live according to strict Islamic laws and are superior to expats in rights and privileges.

Well educated foreigners, mainly from Arabic countries (Egypt), work hard and come to Saudi Arabia to make and save money. Many of them left families in their home countries. These are people who manage all private companies, investments in non-governmental sectors and execute the orders of Saudi high leaders. They are not allowed to buy properties. If they want to open a company, they need a Saudi partner as a majority shareholder.

Low educated foreigners, mainly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines. Usually without education and from poor background. They clean all the garbage, work in construction, take care of rich household (cooking, cleaning, gardening) and run regular small businesses such as restaurants, shops, laundries, etc. Many survive on just 200 US$ per month, living in extremely basic conditions. In my opinion, they are deeply exploited and paid so little that they barely survive. Most can only send a few dollars home each month.

While my communication and interaction with Saudis was limited due to cultural differences and especially lack of English, I kept regular conversations with foreigners.

Women in Saudi Arabia are expected to wear (in public) the traditional black, long gown, called abaya. Officially, hijab and niqab are optional for both Saudi and tourist women. In reality, most women wear the niqab, a black face covering that leaves only the eyes exposed.

I would say that most women actually wear the burqa, which covers the entire body from head to toe in black. Only a small mesh screen allows them to see in front of them.

Women were completely inaccessible to me. In casual conversations, when they interacted with me as part of their job, they remained strictly formal and uninterested in any other topics. While walking on the street, eye contacts were limited.

I landed at Al-Ula airport with two hours delay at 11:00pm. The car rental office where I had booked a car was closed. To my misfortune, the next day was Friday, when all businesses were shut.

There was no accommodation in Al-Ula that I could book for less than 100.00US$ per night through traditional accommodation channels. Luckily, I found a Saudi app that permitted me to book a room for only 57.00US$. It looked pretty run down and basic.

I was exhausted, and a hot shower was the only thing on my mind. Two toilets (traditional Arab toilet called Shatafa and an ordinary European toilet) were a luxury, but no towel was available.

“Sorry, no towel, but you have paper tissues!” explained the young Indian boy showing me around the apartment.

It wasn’t the first time this happened to me, but I had never paid so much for a room without towels.

Al Ula is a traditional Arabian village where oasis residents moved eight centuries ago to avoid seasonal floods. Palm and citrus trees surround the oasis, creating a striking contrast with the colorful rock formations. The new town and the old mud-built town, with mosques and markets, are preserved as an open-air museum.

Reaching the Hegra tour starting point from my hotel became my first challenge that morning. When I stood in front of my hotel, I couldn’t see any other buildings for at least a kilometer. It would have been great to eat breakfast in a nearby restaurant and then catch local transport to my destination. Well, that does not happen in Saudi Arabia.

I started to hitchhike and after three minutes the second passing car stopped and offered me transport. The driver was Saudi and spoke no English, except for the word “taxi”.

“Yes, sure, I will pay you for transport!” I told him.

I somehow explained that I was hungry, and he stopped at an Indian restaurant where I bought two delicious falafel wraps.

At the last minute, I realized I didn’t need to drive 30 kilometers to Hegra because the tour started near Al Ula. The driver got angry about the change. He finally accepted my offer after I showed him the low price on the Careem taxi app.

If Jordan is famous for the ancient city of Petra, Saudi Arabia is proud of Al Ula and the 2,000-year-old city of Hegra. The same ancient tribe built both sites, with the Nabataeans ruling these cities and designating Hegra as their second capital.

Surrounding the valley, vertical sandstone cliffs provide many surfaces for rock art, creating one of the richest petroglyph areas. Rock-cut tombs in Hegra are smaller than those in Petra, yet their façades remain beautifully decorated.

Combined with the fairytale landscape of rocks, gorges, and desert, the area became Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I was not allowed to visit the landmarks on my own. Therefore, I joined an organized tour with mostly Arabic speakers, moving by bus from one attraction to another. We stopped to do activities, took photos, explored the area, and enjoyed short walks. A guide and a guard accompanied us and often restricted us from leaving the designated areas.

Saudi authorities give very limited freedom to their own people. They also try to control tourists at almost every step of their visit.

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Medina and Mecca, two of the most sacred Muslim sites. Medina, the second holiest city, has welcomed non-Muslim visitors since 2021.

The city is famous as the place where Muhammad established the Muslim community after fleeing Mecca in 622. He lived here and preached Islam. The day Prophet Muhammad entered the premises of Medina is the day that marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar.

The people of Medina welcomed him with open hearts and granted him authority over the city, now considered sacred. It was actually from Medina that Prophet Muhammad sowed the seeds of a thriving Muslim community. These days, pilgrims visit the city’s chief mosque to see the tomb where his body rests.

Although I had seen many pilgrimage sites, Medina amazed me completely in every aspect. It probably stood out as the highlight of my Saudi Arabia travel experience.

The central mosque, Masjid an-Nabawi, is the second mosque that Prophet Muhammad constructed after arriving in Medina. Today it is the second largest mosque in the world.

Originally an open-air building (the mosque) served as a community center, a court of law and a religious school. In 1909, under the reign of Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II, it became the first place in the Arabian Peninsula to be provided with electrical lights.

The mosque can accept approximately a million pilgrims at once in the time of Hajj. It is not only functionally and esthetically reasonably well designed, but it is really enormous (approximately 600m x 600m) and equipped with modern technology. The giant umbrellas are especially striking, opening during the sunniest hours.

Hundreds of luxury hotels surround the Masjid an-Nabawi mosque complex. I don’t remember ever seeing so many at once. I was lucky again that there were very few foreign pilgrims, because of Covid-19 after pandemic time. During two days at Medina’s top landmark, not a single tourist crossed my path.

Although there aren’t many things to do, I enjoyed exploring the different corners of the enormous structure. I observed pilgrims from many countries during prayers and talked to some of them.

From Medina to Jeddah, I travelled by a high-speed train at maximum speed almost 300 kilometers per hour. European technology, Arabic design, and perfect functionality create a luxury. I easily reached the stations near city centers using public transport.

The bullet train ranks among Saudi Arabia’s top investments. It proves especially useful during the Hajj, when millions journey to Medina and Mecca along its connected railway lines.

Throughout the history, the city of Jeddah acted as a main gate to the Holy cities. According to the Saudi Vision 2030, the new goal is to become one of the top 100 cities in the world.

The change has already started in the second biggest city in Saudi Arabia; therefore, megalomaniac projects are in full swing.

Due to Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions, it has been a bit stuck recently, but the list of latest developments is still quite impressive. Construction of the world’s tallest building, over one kilometer high, has put Jeddah on the tourist map. The 2021 Formula One race, festivals, skyscrapers, Corniche extension, and general liberalization have further boosted its appeal.

I rented a car to travel around and visit some of the interesting new projects spread across large distances. Egyptian Couchsurfer guided me around the old part of the city. Like many other expats, he had moved to the country seeking better pay and more opportunities.

Jeddah has many interesting places to visit and historical landmarks in its old downtown. However, the city focuses even more on modern and future attractions. It will be interesting to observe the development that will transform Jeddah in the next decade.

Saudi Arabia has never been high on my bucket list, nor it will leave any special feelings of excitements in me.

Admittedly, there are quite a few attractions worth seeing, but I personally strongly oppose the inappropriate waste of money that is present in the country at every turn.

Not to mention women’s status, foreign workers’ conditions, and the constant visible and hidden police surveillance.

So far, the country has been difficult for travelers: expensive accommodations, no public transport, limited backpacker infrastructure, and long distances. Despite meeting many helpful immigrants, I missed contact with Saudis, who are often inaccessible or speak little English.

A special chapter are women, completely covered and dressed in black on most occasions. Glances from under black burqas usually stare at the ground, into the distance or to smart phones. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to feel humbled and inferior in such a manner.

It will be interesting to observe the development of Saudi Arabia in the next decades, while the world’s mobility source will be switched from petrol to electrical energy and the faucet with money will slowly start to close.

Saudi Arabia has many young people, making it extremely challenging to provide enough public-sector jobs and limit their exposure to global development.

Saudi Arabia will transform its society and lifestyle. I’m curious to see if the country is ready.