Saudi Arabia Travel Guide: AlUla, Riyadh, Jeddah & Where to Go 2026

Saudi Arabia opened to tourism in September 2019, and the visa is now genuinely easy. Citizens of around 60 eligible countries — including all EU/Nordic countries, the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and most of the Gulf — can apply for the Saudi Tourist eVisa online at visa.visitsaudi.com in minutes. It costs SAR 535 (around $140) all-in (visa fee + medical insurance), is valid 1 year multiple-entry, and allows stays of up to 90 days per visit. Approval is usually instant, occasionally up to 24 hours. Visa-on-arrival is also available at Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Medina airports for the same nationalities (slightly slower than e-Visa). Holders of valid US, UK, Schengen, Australian, or Canadian visas (with at least one prior entry to those countries) can get the Saudi tourist visa even if their nationality isn't on the main list. Mecca and Medina are restricted to Muslims — tourists can visit Jeddah's Al-Balad UNESCO district instead. Passport valid 6 months.

November to March is the only realistic answer for the central deserts and AlUla — mild 15–25°C days, cool nights, the entire travel calendar pivots around this window. Winter at Tantora (AlUla, December–February) brings hot-air balloons, classical concerts at Maraya (the world's largest mirrored building), and the annual headline music festivals. Riyadh Season (October–March) is the kingdom's flagship event series — concerts, theme parks, food markets. Avoid June to September — Riyadh and the interior regularly hit 45–50°C; even local life slows to a crawl. Asir Mountains (southwest, near Abha) are the summer exception — 2,000m+ altitude, 20–28°C in July–August, lush after the monsoon spillover. Ramadan (2026: Feb 17–Mar 18; 2027: Feb 7–Mar 8) — daytime restaurants closed, most attractions modified hours; Ramadan nights are atmospheric if you're prepared for the rhythm reversal. Hajj (2026: late May): avoid Jeddah and Medina entirely if you're not pilgriming.

7–10 days minimum to capture the kingdom's range. Riyadh (2 nights): the National Museum, Diriyah (UNESCO — the birthplace of the Saudi state, lit beautifully at night), Boulevard Riyadh City entertainment district, the Edge of the World (90 min outside the city — dramatic cliff at the desert plateau's edge). AlUla (3–4 nights): the centerpiece. Hegra (Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO site — Nabataean rock tombs from the same civilization as Petra, but with one-tenth the crowds), Dadan and Jabal Ikmah (pre-Islamic inscriptions), Elephant Rock at sunset, hot-air balloon at sunrise, the Banyan Tree or Habitas resort. Fly in via daily 90-min flights from Riyadh or Jeddah. Jeddah (2 nights): Al-Balad (UNESCO old town with coral-stone tower houses), the Corniche, the King Fahd Fountain, Red Sea diving from nearby Yanbu. Extensions: Asir Mountains for green Saudi (Abha, Habala), or Tabuk and NEOM-adjacent areas for the future Red Sea Project resorts.

Saudi Arabia has relaxed significantly since the 2019 tourism opening, but it remains a conservative Islamic country and respect for local norms is essential. Dress: women are no longer legally required to wear an abaya, but modest dress (shoulders and knees covered) is expected in public; bring an abaya for visits to historical or religious sites. Men: long trousers in public; shorts are fine at resorts and the Red Sea coast. Alcohol is prohibited nationwide for all residents and visitors — the only exception is a single diplomatic shop in Riyadh. Public affection (kissing, hand-holding by non-married couples) can attract trouble; married couples are fine. Prayer times (five per day) — many shops and restaurants close for 20–30 minutes at each prayer; plan around them in older districts. Photography: avoid photographing locals (especially women) without permission, government buildings, and military sites. Saudi Riyal (SAR): pegged at 3.75/USD, very stable; cards work everywhere in cities, cash useful in AlUla and rural areas.

Yes — AlUla is the single best reason a non-business traveler should currently visit Saudi Arabia. Hegra (Madain Saleh) is the same Nabataean civilization that built Petra, with over 100 monumental rock-cut tombs across a sandstone desert landscape. Crucially, Hegra has maybe 5–10% of Petra's crowds — most days you're walking among the tombs with a small group and your Rawi (local storyteller-guide). What to plan for: 3 nights minimum (4 is better). Day 1: arrive, sunset at Elephant Rock, dinner in Old Town AlUla. Day 2: full-day Hegra with the Rawi guide, Jabal Ikmah open-air library of pre-Islamic inscriptions, Dadan. Day 3: hot-air balloon at dawn, hiking in AlUla Oasis, the Maraya mirrored concert hall (if a show is on). Stay: Habitas AlUla, Banyan Tree, or Cloud7 in Old Town. Book 2–3 months ahead — AlUla has limited rooms and gets fully booked December–February. Direct daily flights from Riyadh (90 min) and Jeddah (1.5h).