Best Tourist Attractions in Saudi Arabia
Despite being the most holiest of places on Earth for Muslims and the most oil rich region in the world, Saudi Arabia has enormous historical and cultural value. From a tourists point of view Saudi Arabia has a lot to offer.
From prehistoric archaeological sites to the vastness and beauty of the desert, there are plenty of places in Saudi Arabia which are ideal for tourism.
Here are ten best things to do in Saudi Arabia.
10. Jabal Thawr
Jabal Thawr when translated into English means Mount Bull and this 1,405 m (4,610 ft) high mountain is located in southern district of Misfalah in the lower part of Madina. This mountain has a very notable cave called Ghar-e-Thawr meaning cave of the bull, this cave was the refuge for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his companion Abu Bakr (R.A) when they were migrating to Madina.
09. National Museum of Saudi Arabia
Located in Riyadh and part of the King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre the National Museum of Saudi Arabia is a prime national museum and it was built in 1999. The museum showcases the amazing culture of Saudi Arabia from past to present. There are eight different galleries of exhibition halls and each one of them depict a different era, for example there are galleries dedicated to Arabian Kingdoms, the Pre-Islamic Era, Islam and the Arabian peninsula and more.
08. Jamaraat Bridge
The Jamaraat Bridge is a very important structure and it plays a vital role during the period Hajj as pilgrims use this bridge for the ritual of stoning the devil. There are three pillars and the bridge enables the pilgrims to throw stones at these pillar from the ground level or above. The bridge was first built in 1963 and it has been continuously expanding. Since the bridge is also an important tourist attraction it is also open to non-muslims unlike the city of Makkah.
07. Rock Carving sites
There are two places in Saudi Arabia which are known for archaeological sites and prehistoric rock carvings, these are Jubba and Shuwaymus. The rock carvings portray the lifestyle of the people that lived here thousands of years ago. For those who are interested in history and archaeology this really is a fascinating site.
06. Madain Saleh
Located at about 300 kilometers away from jeddah there is another prehistoric archaeological site called Madain Saleh which has well preserved stone carved royal monuments with descriptions which are still readable. According to historians this place had fresh water supply once which attracted a lot of people to settle here.
05. King’s Fountain
Donated to Jeddah by the late King Fahd, the Jeddah Fountain is the tallest fountain of its type in the world. It is located on the west coast and the height of the fountain is recorded at 553 feet, however other sources put the height at 1,024 feet. The fountain uses saltwater from the sea rather than fresh water and it shoots water at a speed of 374 kilometers.
04. Dumat al Jundal
The Al Jawf province in Northwestern Saudi Arabia is home to the ruins of an ancient city known as Dumat al-Jumal which translates to Dumah of the Stone. Dumah was one of the twelve sons of prophet Ismail (A.S) and this was his territory. Many tourists are attracted to this location due to its archaeological value.
03. Al-Ula
Al-Ula is a historic city in northwestern Saudi Arabia and it was located on the famous historical incense route. This city was once a main commercial center of this region. The city is located between Tabuk and Al Madina almost 110 km away from Tayma. This city is famous for over 2,000 years old archaeological remains.
02. Jabal al-Lawz
The name Jabal al-Lawz when translated to English means mountain of almonds, this mountain is 2580 meter high and it is located above the Gulf of Aqaba near the border of Jordan. This mountain is often mistakenly identified as the biblical Mount Sinai but researchers of Old Testament have refuted this theory.
1. Jeddah Tower
This tower was earlier called the Kingdom Tower and it is an under construction skyscraper in Jeddah Saudi Arabia which upon its completion will be the tallest building on Earth. If construction goes as planned Jeddah tower will become the first ever structure to reach the one kilometer height mark.
