Saudi Arabia: The Desert Kingdom

Shimmering in the desert heat, the Saudi capital might be mistaken for a mirage: a towering show of glassy modern architecture, opulent hotels and fine-dining restaurants, erupting from an arid central plateau. But beyond the moneyed gleam of modern Arabia, hints of the kingdom’s past can be uncovered: museums delving into the national history, hulking clay fortresses that stand like regal sandcastles and vibrant souks, sparkling with gold and heady with spice. 

Hidden deep within the desert, AlUla is an ancient oasis, an ochre canvas on which countless Arabian tales are written. Thousands of years ago, long before the flourish of Islam, ancient peoples traded incense and myrrh here, and now their artifacts, monuments and grand tombs are the crowning jewels of the Saudi sands, an ancient backdrop to desert adventures and the flickering lamps of luxurious camps. 

With its arms open to the Red Sea, Jeddah has long felt different in a land defined by the dunes. Merchants, pilgrims and sailors have all left a mark in the kingdom’s second city, en route to nearby Makkah (Mecca): in Al-Balad, the old quarter, souks still bustle with the sound of haggling travellers, watched over by distinctive, beautifully carved mashrabiyya balconies. And then there is the palm-lined Corniche, sweeping along the coast, the coral-rich waters sparkling with the world’s best dive sites.