Saudi Arabia Travel guide: Everything you need to know about KSA.

Considering Saudi Arabia?  Visiting KSA and this part of the Middle East is somewhere that has been on our bucket list for a long time and this year we finally got to visit. But deciding where to go in a country so big is not easy; so we went ALL over.  Here is our Saudi Arabia travel guide with everything you need to know to plan your visit too. 

• Why visit Saudi Arabia?
• Travel in Saudi Arabia with kids
• Best time to visit
• Visas 
• ATM’s and money
• Language
• Our itinerary 
• Where to go
  – Dammam
  – Al Hofuf
  – Riyadh
  – Tabuk
  – AlUla
  – Yanbu
  – Jeddah
  – Abha
• Food
• Transportation
• Budget
• SIM cards, connectivity and wifi
• Accommodation options
• Where we stayed

About Saudi Arabia, quickly

• Full name: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Capital: Riyadh
• Official language: Arabic 
• Religion: 93% Islam, 4.4% Christianity
• Currency: Saudi Riyal (SR) (SAR)
• Population: 36,000,000
• Time Zone: National Standard Time (UTC+3)
• Calling Code: +966
• Drives On: Right
• Credit Cards: Visa/MC accepted
• Outlets:  Plug Type G (110/220 V / 60 Hz)

Why visit Saudi Arabia? 

While the country has always received many visitors for Hajj and Umrah (pilgrimages) it has been essentially (effectively) closed off entirely for tourism until 2019. 

Now it is open with a tourist visa; yet it still remains a bit of a mystery as far as mainstream tourism goes…

But for those of us (guilty) who have a particular passion for countries away from the mainstream tourist trail; Saudi Arabia fits perfectly… 

Travel in Saudi Arabia with kids

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a Middle Eastern country that makes up the vast majority of the Arabian Peninsula.  In other words, it’s huge! 

It’s not the most common tourist destination to head for with kids but I am going to tell you about how we found it a truly great – and incredibly hospitable – travel destination that was perfect for a road trip adventure…

Visas

It’s great news regarding visas for Saudi Arabia as a traveller. International visitors from 49 countries can apply for an eVisa for Saudi Arabia.  And a whole lot of those 49 can also (check pandemic changes to regulations) actually apply for a Visa on Arrival.  

In order to enter Saudi Arabia (at any border entry point) visitors travelling with an eVisa also need: 

• An eligible passport with more than 6 months validity remaining
• A valid eVisa
• Evidence of onward travel to another country
• Address of accommodation in Saudi Arabia

But here’s how we did it.  Crossing to Saudi Arabia from Bahrain on the King Fahd Causeway we hadn’t pre-arranged eVisas for Saudi.  We had done (and had fingers crossed) as much research as we could find out and understood that there was a theory we could get a Visa on Arrival at the causeway border.  

And if not; we would need to hook to the wifi (literally) at the visa office right there and apply for and receive an eVisa.  

This was in fact what ended up happening.  And so in doing so we entered Saudi Arabia with kids and four times eVisas in our hands at the crossing. 

Getting to Saudi Arabia

There are four international airports in Saudi Arabia that travellers can enter with an eVisa: 

• King Khalid International Airport (RUH) – Riyadh
• King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) – Jeddah
• King Fahd International (DMM) – Dammam
• Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International (MED) – Madinah

And it is also possible to enter Saudi Arabia overland from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain.  Which is exactly what we did.  

I have written a separate guide to the overland border crossing from the Kingdom of Bahrain to Saudi Arabia.  And about how to enter overland into Saudi Arabia with kids in tow. (Note: It isn’t actually that hard). 

From Bahrain, entry to the country is via the King Fahd Bridge border checkpoint.  This is a 25km causeway from Bahrain to the city of Khobar (less than 50km from Dammam). 

Entry into Saudi Arabia by road from the UAE is via the Al Batha border crossing.  This is located on the Emirates’ Western border approximately 500 km southeast of Riyadh.

Currency and cash in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi riyal is the currency of Saudi Arabia.  The exchange rate in 2024 is as below:

• 1 SAR = 0.27 USD
• 10 SAR = 2.67 USD
• 100 SAR = 26.66 USD
• 1000 SAR = 266.58 USD

Cash comes in notes of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 Rs. 

ATM’s and money

There are many ATM’s on the roadside in Saudi Arabia (and quite seriously there are plenty of drive-through ATM’s lining the highways and huge petrol station stops!). 

The first ATM we used was less than 1km after entering KSA (while we were still on the King Fahd Causeway middle island).  The most common banks we found and used with our international bank cards while in Saudi Arabia were:

• NCB
• Al Rajhi Bank
• Riyad Bank

Each of these ATM’s worked for us each time and had the menu option in English on the first page of display. 

Language

Going in to shops and restaurants in the big cities you will find people that speak some English.  However out in rural Saudi Arabia an English translation is much more limited.  

It is hugely appreciated if you can greet and thank people you meet in Arabic.  And even if you can’t speak much more than that; do not worry! The people of Saudi Arabia are extremely hospitable and welcoming and will make sure you are comfortable even without a common language to do so. 

• Hi/Hello: Salam Alaykum
• Thank you: Shukran
• You’re welcome: Afwan
• How are you? Kaif halak? Or Kaif al hal? 
• I’m fine, thank you: Ana bikhayr shukran
• What is your name? Eysh Esmk?
• How much? Be kam? 
• Please: Min Fdlek
• Yes: Eewa
• No: La

Our itinerary around Saudi Arabia 

Here is our itinerary from a month of travel in Saudi Arabia.   We started in the North and headed towards the capital by train; flew out west and then drove by rental car to the beautiful south of the country…

• Bahrain > taxi > Al Khobar entry border
• Al Khobar > taxi > Dammam
• Dammam > train > Al Hofuf
• Al Hofuf > train > Riyadh 
• Riyadh > domestic flight > Tabuk
• Tabuk > rental car > AlUla
• AlUla > rental car > Yanbu
• Jeddah > rental car > Abha 
• Abha > rental car > Jeddah 

Plus we visited Taif, Halaba, Al Bahah and Al Qunfuddah as towns we stayed at least one night in during our trip around by rental car in East and southern Saudi Arabia! 

Places to visit in Saudi Arabia

Alright. The country is HUGE.  It is in fact the 13^th largest country in the world by land size area so there is much to see.  And each of the different regions of the country is very different from the last.  

Here are the highlights from our time in Saudi Arabia with what we would recommend you prioritise in each place…

Dammam

The northern coastal city of Dammam is somewhere that has boomed since the discovery of oil and thus petrol in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  From the history we observed on display at the incredible Heritage Village in Dammam (see below) it was a fairly average-sized city before the boom of industry and the rush of people moving to the area.  

Things to do in Dammam

• Heritage Village: A must see in Dammam! This was a highlight for us and a great way to learn about the different regions of Saudi Arabia. 
• Dammam Corniche: As long as it’s not too hot (read: July or August!) it’s beautiful to walk along the corniche right by sea. 
• King Fahad Park: Said to be the largest park in Saudi Arabia by size and also an amusement park with over 25 rides. 
• Cobra Entertainment City: Another park and amusement area famous for being one of the best and most beautiful recreational places in Dammam.

Transportation from Dammam

• Train to Al Hofuf: 1.5 hours
• Train to Riyadh: 4 hours 
• Drive to Riyadh: 4.5 hours

Al Hofuf

Known also as Al Hufuf, this city of Saudi Arabia in the Eastern Province not only has one of the largest oil fields in the world but is also one of the largest date producers in the world.  Al Hofuf is situated in the largest oasis in the world with huge groves of palm trees; counted at over two million.

Things to do in Al Hofuf

• Qaisariah Souq: Traditional market place selling gold jewellery, gifts and textiles.
• Al Qarah Mountain: Stunning rock formations and natural caves that show archaeological evidence of some of the oldest settlements in the Arabian Peninsula dating back to 5,000 BC. 
• Jawatha Mosque: Built in 628AD it is the first mosque in the Eastern province.  It is said that the first jummah prayer outside Madinah was prayed here. 
• Ibrahim Palace: A beautiful 500+ year old palace and related museum and architectural masterpiece that was a Turkish military barracks and the main headquarters of the Ottoman garrison in Al-Ahsaa.

Riyadh

This is the capital city of Saudi Arabia and there are endless options of sights to see and activities to do in Riyadh; literally from luxury tours and restaurants to hiking on the outskirts at the famous ‘Edge of the World’. 

Things to do in Riyadh

• Kingdom Tower: Riyadh’s iconic and ultra-modern skyscraper. You can walk along the skybridge for an epic view of the city. 
• Masmak Fort: The museum inside the old fort gives a good history and map of the old city with artefacts from the area.
• National Museum of Saudi Arabia: The Kingdom’s biggest and best museum showcasing centuries of Arabian prehistory, history, culture and art.
• Deera Square: A lot of history here but if you’re visiting Saudi Arabia with kids this is also a great place to splash in the water fountains! 
• Najd Village: The best restaurant in Riyadh for tourists with traditional food and a traditional set up inside. 
• Edge of the World: This was a separate highlight for us in Riyadh out of the main city. I highly recommend visiting KSA’s Edge of the World!
• Al Baik: Any Saudi you meet will recommend you must try Al Baik (it’s fried chicken; like the Middle Eastern answer to KFC).  Go on; do it…

Transportation from Riyadh

• Train to Al Hofuf: 2.5 hours
• Train to Dammam: 4 hours
• Bus to Dammam: 4.5 hours
• Domestic flight to Tabuk: 1 hr 50 mins
• Drive to Jeddah: 9+ hours

AlUla

The very famous Madain Saleh is located near the city of AlUla and is the iconic image you will have seen of Hegra; the beautiful rock city in the desert that looks a lot like neighbouring Petra in Jordan. 

The official AlUla website has all the information for visiting Hegra and buying tickets online.  

Things to do in AlUla

• Madain Saleh/Hegra: The southernmost settlement of the Nabatean Kingdom (the kingdoms second largest settlement after Petra) consisting of over 131 tock-cut monumental tombs and caves.  
• Elephant Rock: An artfully formed outcrop that almost looks as if it must be made for Instagrammers.  With some creative license the shape of the rock resembles the form of an elephant with a long trunk. 
• Hotel Pakistan: We have added this in as a must-try attraction (ok; restaurant) in AlUla. This has to be some of the best food we came across in Saudi Arabia!

Yanbu

A port city of the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia (and for us a halfway(ish) point between AlUla and Jeddah in the south).  Yanbu is actually the second largest port city on the south of the country (after Jeddah) and one of the oldest seaports on the Red Sea with history dating back approximately 2500 years. 

Things to do in Yanbu

• Yanbu Historical Area: An interesting area on the waterfront (currently under construction) to get a sense of architecture and housing style in this area of KSA.
• Dinner in Food Street: Lots of outdoor cafes right on the waterfront.  Everything from Turkish to Egyptian, popcorn and pizza.
• Yanbu Port: Walk along the waterfront port and cruise ship dock in the centre of Yanbu’s port city.

Jeddah

The port city of Jeddah has long been regarded as Saudi Arabia’s cultural capital; the perfect blend of old and new.  Jeddah has always served as the gateway to Mecca, Islam’s holiest city.  And as a result has been heavily influenced by the influx of pilgrims it has received over the centuries. 

Things to do in Jeddah

• Jeddah Corniche: A great picnic spot and (obviously) beautiful place for a walk along the Red Sea and waterfront. 
• Al Balad: The neighbourhood of Al Balad is the oldest in the city and served as the city-centre for several hundred years. 
• King Fahad’s Fountain: The tallest fountain of its type in the world and definitely worth a look. 
• Al Balad Souk: Al Balad is home to the main traditional souks in Jeddah like the Bedouin market where in the past Bedouin travellers would sell their own products (now you’ll find food products like coffee, cardamom, grains and nuts). 
• Al Romanisah: Not technically a historic or site as listed on KSA’s guiding website but I’m adding it in. Check out our video of trying Saudi’s famous restaurant and I reckon you will be convinced too…

Transportation from Jeddah

• Drive to Al Bahah: 5 hours
• Drive to Yanbu: 3.5 hours
• Drive to Al Qunfudhah: 4 hours
• Drive to Riyadh: 9.5 hours 
• Flight to Riaydh: 1.5 hours

Al Bahah

Al Bahah is one of Saudi Arabia’s prized destinations; not only for international visitors but for domestic tourism as well.  It enjoys a pleasant climate and is surrounded  by natural sights and beauty with more than 40 forests and waterfalls. 

Things to do in Al Bahah

• King Fahd Mountain Pass: A drive along King Fahd’s Mountain Pass serves up some of the best views in Al Baha with scenic villages and deep valleys. 
• Sheda Village: A historic village hidden in the green cliffs and valleys of the Sarawat Mountains. Even driving by you get views of ancient stone houses dotting the roadside and offering a glimpse of a time and communities past.
• Dhe Ayan: Often called the Marble Village this is another historic village of the past where the cuboid buildings are made of stone and slate and tucked right up into the hillside.  

Travel tip: I’m adding this as an official travel tip in our Saudi Arabia travel guide because the beautiful King Fahd Mountain Pass is worth a drive just for the views of epic valleys and villages. Even if you aren’t stopping and staying in Al Bahah I would recommend coming this way around towards Abha. 

Abha

The hilltop city of Abha is the capital city of the Aseer Province in the southwest of the country.  It’s known as a summer playground or resort town for Saudi nationals (to escape the heat of the desert cities during the peak of summer holidays) as well as hosting tourists from all over the GCC that flock here to escape the sweltering summer heat.

(So do note; it can get particularly busy during those summer months and accommodation prices not only skyrocket but make it hard to find somewhere to stay. Plan ahead with that one… 

Things to do in Abha

• Rijal Almaa: This beautiful village is on UNESCO’s tentative heritage list as a colourful stone village that’s original homes have stood the test of time now for centuries. Now a restored touristic site and museum the village is worth the drive from Abha to visit.
• Al-Basta: Known as the neighbourhood holding the largest number of ancient buildings and monuments; this is Abha’s main tourist destination. 
• Green Mountain: Specifically the iconic mountain of Abha (known favourably as Green Mountain) that provides an incredible view of the city and can only be reached by cable car. 
• Abu Kheyal Park: Famous for the bright purple blossoms of Jacaranda trees in the early spring. 
• Fog Walkway: Also dubbed the Corniche of Abha where all the infamous pictures with clouds are taken. 

Transportation from Abha

• Drive to Jeddah: 8 – 9 hours 
• Drive to Al Bahah: 5 hours
• Drive to Al Qunfudah: 4 hours
• Bus to Jeddah: 10 hours
• Flight to Jeddah: 1 hour
• Flight to Riyadh: 1.75 hours

Food in Saudi Arabia (you need to try)

Food plays a very important role in traditional Saudi Arabian culture and is seen as a symbol of hospitality. 

The most common food items you will come across on your travels in Saudi Arabia include rice, chicken, lamb, spices, yoghurt, potatoes, bread and dates.  LOTS of dates. 

• Kabsa: Rice and roast chicken with fried onions, raisins, pine nuts (the most famous dish in Saudi Arabia!)
• Maqluba: This is a favourite of ours and most simply described as an upside-down rice dish!
• Tamiya (falafel): Vegetarian fritter made chickpeas/fava beans 
• Mandi: Rice and meat cooked in a Tandoor oven
• Sharwarma: 
• Kibbeh: Deep fried croquettes of wheat, meat and pinenuts (the word kibbeh comes from the Arabic word kubbah, for ball).
• Gahwa: Arabic coffee mixed with spices
• Sambusak (samosas): Savoury, deep-fried pastries stuffed with meat 
• Kunafah: Sweet, crunchy pastry

What kind of food will the kids eat while we’re in Saudi Arabia?

It’s definitely a fair call to be contemplating travel in Saudi Arabia with kids and wondering what on earth they are likely to eat while you’re there…  

Here are some firm favourites we found during our month of travels (that was not including the supermarket packaged treats that I do admit were also handy when in transit on a road trip between cities!). 

• Arayes: Crispy pita bread sandwiches 
• Shakshouka: Poached eggs in cooked tomato sauce – this one we had at breakfast time in a couple of places. 
• Jallab: Basically a fruit syrup!
• Basbousa: Semolina cake
• Muhallebi: Milk pudding made with rice flour 

Also note that most markets don’t open until late afternoon (around 4pm).  AND I have to say that only a couple of hotels out of alllll the different ones we stayed at actually included breakfast in the room charge.  (I mean seriously they barely even offered utensils or crockery).  

So don’t get the idea of filling up on breakfasts for the days adventures.  Best to head to the markets or find a roadside restaurant (we can recommend a few of those we enjoyed!). 

Transportation in Saudi Arabia 

Saudi Arabia is a huge country to travel around. (Remember; it’s the 13^th biggest country in the world by land-size!).  But the good news is that it is also a country with multiple options for travel – overland, by public transport (train) or by flight. 

Here is what we found about transportation in Saudi Arabia condensed into the following Saudi Arabia travel guide! 

Getting around Saudi Arabia by train

The Dammam-Riyadh train line offers a (relatively) budget-friendly way to travel between the largest Saudi cities (with a view). 

There are six daily departures on two trains (one operating Sunday through Thursday and the other on Thursdays and Saturdays). 

The trains we went on between Dammam and Riyadh have Premium (1st) class and Standard (2nd) class, a café on board and even a prayer area.

Tickets between Dammam and Riyadh cost: 

• 1^st class: 136.50 SAR (USD $37) 
• 2^nd class: 78.75 SAR (USD $21)

There is also a North Train that connects Riyadh to the north of Saudi Arabia and serves the following stations: 

• Riyadh
• Al Majmaah
• Qassim
• Hai; and 
• Al Jouf.

And the Haramain High-Speed Railway popular with pilgrims is the latest and fastest train in the Middle East, operating between the holy cities of Makkah and Medina in western Saudi Arabia. It serves the following stations: Makkah, Jeddah, King Abdullah Economic City and Medina.  (Note you cannot visit Makkah as a non-Muslim tourist). 

Getting around Saudi Arabia by rental car

Although you might have heard tales fast and erratic driving in Saudi Arabia (sorry; they’re mostly true) and be put off the consideration of hiring a car in Saudi; it is actually a great way to get around the country. (As long as you’re a confident driver).  Because the country is geographically HUGE! 

There are maddening crowds and traffic in the big cities, mountain switchbacks (looking at you, Abha) and dark desert highways that stretch for literally miles on end.  

But in actual fact road conditions are fairly good and when we rented a car and drove in Saudi Arabia (ok, Gavin drove) this year we had a great experience and found it an economical way to get from one side of the country to (almost literally) the other.

Cars in Saudi Arabia are left-hand drive and automatic transmission is standard.

And luckily, petrol in Saudi Arabia is cheap (no surprises there).  Petrol costs about 1.5 riyal/L ($0.40 USD) for 91 and 2 riyal/L ($0.50 USD) for 95.  

Note: As a non-resident (tourist) you do need to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) to rent a car and drive in Saudi Arabia.  

We hired a car through Avis rentals and found their service particularly good.  We picked up the car in Tabuk and returned it to Jeddah three weeks later. A great experience. 

Getting around Saudi Arabia by plane 

Getting to Saudi Arabia is easy these days with four international airports served by a wealth of different international carriers.  

Saudi Arabia also operates 15 domestic airports around the country with three carriers that make short hops between regions fairly cost effective too. 

• flyadeal
• FlyNas
• Saudia
• Saudi Gulf
• Nesma Airlines

It’s easy to book flights online through each carriers website (or using a larger flight scanning app or site). 

Getting around Saudi Arabia by taxi

It’s fairly easy to get a taxi in the major cities of Saudi Arabia.  (In Dammam we were picked up by a taxi driver who said he couldn’t bear to see us outside in the heat and insisted on dropping us off for free!). 

The cheapest option is definitely Uber although sometimes we found with the long wait time it wasn’t the most sensible choice (especially waiting in the heat with kids).  

In Dammam an Uber for 3km cost us around 15SAR.  And in Riyadh during the peak evening time we got an Uber for 10km for 45SAR.  

Budgeting for Saudi Arabia

There’s no need to beat around the bush with this part of the travel guide for Saudi.   Whether you are in Saudi Arabia with kids or not; it is an expensive country to travel in. 

Not only is it above average costs for the daily budget as a traveller; it is expensive to enter the country (see above section about visas) unless you are a Gulf country citizen or resident worker.  But there are different options for food and drinks (like a supermarket or finding a smaller non-chain restaurant) that can help to budget for your trip… 

• Water (1L): 2 SAR
• Soft drink (can): 4 SAR
• Coffee (Starbucks): 18 SAR
• Ice cream (packaged): 3 SAR
• Meal at McDonalds: 
• Sharwarma: 15 SAR
• Hummus: 8 SAR
• Chicken kabab: 24 SAR
• Mixed grill meat platter: 35 SAR
• Pizza (restaurant): 35 SAR
• Uber (3km): 15 SAR
• Uber (peak time; 10km): 45 SAR
• SIM card (STC with 20GB): 95 SAR 

Connectivity and WIFI

WIFI is a bit hit and miss across accommodation in Saudi Arabia.  (That’s putting it politely. Don’t get your hopes up; sorry). We’ve have some hotels that were great and WIFI 

was fast and included in the price.  And then others where the signal is so weak it can’t even pick up the supposed ‘free WIFI’… 

The major cities have 5G mobile reception which with a local SIM and data makes it the most efficient way to navigate the country (especially if driving by car as the distances between cities – or even shops or villages where people might help – are huge). 

SIM cards and data

There are 3 main operators in Saudi Arabia: STC, Mobily and Zain.  

They have similar packages and prices and coverage is great in the cities. All the SIM cards are valid for 7 or 30 days in Saudi Arabia.

• STC KSA: SAR 30 and comes with SAR 25 with of credit
• Mobily: prepaid plans for SAR 25, 30, 75, and 150
• Zain KSA: 55 SAR for 2GB data

From what information I could find before we arrived (we needed a Saudi Arabia travel guide and hence creating this one!) it sounded like STC is the best option (it’s the largest phone operator in the country). 

Prices for a prepaid STC sim card in Saudi Arabia: 

• 65 SAR ($17 USD): 2GB data, 5GB social media, 500 minutes
• 90 SAR ($24 USD): 8GB data, 200 minutes 
• 160 SAR ($42 USD): 10GB data, unlimited social media and calls

SIM card registration is mandatory in Saudi Arabia and will be done at the point of sale (using your passport information).  And you also have to provide your fingerprint for additional security (true). 

Accommodation options in Saudi Arabia 

Alright this area of our Saudi Arabia travel guide is going to just be honest and let you know what accommodation in Saudi Arabia is like.  

I wouldn’t rate it.  I assume if you have lots of money and are traveling in luxury through the Kingdom (as many domestic and international travellers are) as it is renowned for; then truly your options are limited.  There are not backpacker hostels or even backpacker-type places to stay yet.  It’s only early days. 

So there is a weird combination of budget chain hotels (OYO) that aren’t in fact actually budget prices.  And smaller hotels trying to offer what might have once looked like luxury accommodation (headboards so big the bed hardly fits in the room and lace and overexaggerated furniture).  

But the most odd thing about the accommodation has to be in the kitchens.  Seriously, some of the kitchens are ridiculously enormous.  Huge cook-tops, full-size catering ovens, fridges and a huge dining.  But no cutlery and no crockery and no pots and pans.  Like; none at all.  

And if you go to the reception to ask if you might have a cup to use with the provided electric kettle they look at you very strangely.  They might if you’re lucky call housekeeping who will need the security guard to translate your very unusual request and might provide you with a paper cup (even two) for a hot drink.  Nice. 

But overall we did manage to make our way around the country trialling a range of accommodation options.  Some we would recommend and stay in again and some maybe not.  

Where we stayed in Saudi Arabia

Here is a list of where we stayed during our travels in Saudi Arabia.  

• Dammam: Tulip Inn Suites and Residence Dammam (recommend)
• Al Hofuf: Lily Hotel Suite Mubarraz (recommend)
• Riyadh: Capital O 162 Brzeen Hotel
• Tabuk: Rafahyat AlFakhama Furnished Units (recommend; no crockery though)
• AlUla: AirBnB-Style House (highly recommend)
• Yanbu: OYO 273 Star Yanbu Hotel Suites
• Jeddah: Qasr Al Thuraya Hotel Apartments (recommend) 
• Al Qunfudhah: Layali Alandlous Furnished Units

Your Saudi Arabia travel guide

So there you have it!

Your complete Saudi Arabia travel guide plus much more to keep you planning/dreaming/scheming for your Arabian adventure to come.  Have fun and enjoy this incredible country that has for so many years been a mystery to most of the world. 

We had a truly fantastic time and hope you do too.  

Happy travels in KSA! 

More about travel planning for Saudi and beyond…

These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel. 

• Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally. (We love the flexible cancellation policy!). 
• Hostelworld– The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world. 
• Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.  
• GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
• SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country. 
• World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home).