Saudi Arabia attracts travelers from not only the Middle East but all over the world, drawn by its rich history, modern developments, ever-increasing conservation and environmentalism and its year-round calendar of cultural and sporting occasions. Whether you’re an adventurous solo traveler, a sportsperson, a beach bum, foodie, or simply want a couple of days somewhere you’ve never been — with cheap, convenient flights from Kiwi.com! — here’s why Saudi is just what you’re looking for.

© Saudi Tourism Authority

Riyadh

Riyadh combines ancient history with modern dynamism, offering a glimpse into Arabia’s past and future. Explore the city’s rich heritage through souqs, museums, and historical architecture, and experience its modern side with high-rises and a thriving art scene, highlighted by the Riyadh Art initiative that turns the city into an open-air gallery. Don’t miss Riyadh Season, featuring themed zones like Boulevard City and the Riyadh Zoo, open year-round.

What to see and do: events in Riyadh

Riyadh Season changes Riyadh into one of the entertainment capitals of the world: 11 distinct zones throughout the city featuring sport, comedy, theater, music and much more, as well as showcasing future projects happening in Riyadh and across the country. Add to that the already-established shopping and culinary scene and it becomes one of the biggest city-wide festivals on the planet.

Jeddah

On the Red Sea coast, Jeddah has come to the fore as one of the kingdom’s top destinations over the last few years. Al-Balad (literally The Town) is the UNESCO listed historic center of the city, originally founded in the 7th century and with buildings dating back 500 years still visible today.

The modern city, however, is probably most well known for the Corniche, the coastal resort area that features a waterfront walkway, gardens, pavilions, sculptures and fountains, plus shops, hotels and restaurants. During the day it’s the place to be for refreshing sea breezes alongside the clear blue waters, while at night you can join the hundreds of people promenading under the palm trees and lights.

Stroll through the charming whitewashed streets of Al-Balad, Jeddah’s historic district, known for its centuries-old architecture

What to see and do: events in Jeddah

The Corniche is now probably best-known in the wider world for hosting a round of the Formula One World Championship. The fastest street circuit on the calendar, it sweeps between the barriers and under the lights for six kilometers, providing a genuine challenge for the drivers when it occurs in mid-April. The circuit also hosts a Formula E race on a shorter version of the circuit in mid-February.

January sees the Spanish Super Cup return to Jeddah, pitting the league winners and runners-up against Copa del Rey finalists, while if you don’t fancy coming for the sport, the Balad Beast music festival — four stages in the Old Town with over 70 artists playing across a slew of genres — is a newer addition to the city’s cultural calendar, but one that attracts people from across the region and the world.

The Red Sea

We can’t leave Jeddah without talking about the many Red Sea resorts. While the city’s 30 kilometers of coastline offers watersports aplenty, the Red Sea and its coastal conservation area contains over 90 islands, dormant volcanoes, pristine beaches, mountain treks and cultural heritage sites spread across 28,000 square kilometers. Sailing, swimming, scuba diving to the reefs and shipwrecks, or kayaking through mangroves are all possible, as are more earth-based activities like rock climbing, hiking and mountain biking.

All of this is done to the highest standards of conservation, as the entire area is at the forefront of sustainable tourism, putting environmental concerns first (100% renewable power to all destinations, complete marine life protection, more than 30 million plants grown by 2030) while still delivering a first class travel experience. 

AlUla

Explore AlUla, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, nestled in the northwest desert. Marvel at ancient tombs from 7,000 years of civilization and stunning rock formations like the 52-meter Elephant Rock. Enjoy the lush AlUla Oasis, adventure sports, and innovative art installations. Each September, experience the Azimuth AlUla festival of art and music set in breathtaking landscapes. Stay in luxury at Banyan Tree AlUla’s tented villas, or the desert resort of Habitas AlUla

How to fly to Saudi Arabia from the surrounding region with Kiwi.com

From the UAE

There are flights from across the United Arab Emirates — although mainly Dubai — to Riyadh and Jeddah, as well as places not mentioned above such as the wondrous pilgrimage site of Medina, the mountains and national parks of Abha and Dammam.

From Qatar

Getting to Riyadh from Doha takes little more than an hour, and with great value daily flights available on Kiwi.com with Flynas, you can go for a couple of days or a longer period to get a real flavor of the country.

From Bahrain

Kiwi.com and Flynas also fly from Manama to everywhere mentioned above, as well as such destinations as the architectural and historical treasure trove of Tabuk, as well as the mountain resorts and cooler climate of Taif.

From Oman

Jeddah, Riyadh, Medina and Dammam are all served by direct flights from Muscat, but using Kiwi.com’s self-transfer feature you can also fly to places such as Jizan, historically the fruit-producing heart of the country and now undergoing a number of ambitious building projects. 

From Türkiye

Istanbul is where almost all direct flights to Saudi Arabia take off from (with Jeddah and Medina also being served from Ankara), but using Kiwi.com’s self-transfer opens up more possibilities with flights from İzmir, Antalya, Konya, Bodrum and others.

From Kuwait

Kuwait also has many flight connections to destinations across Saudi Arabia, including 90 minute flights from Jazeera, booked on Kiwi.com, to Hail. Surrounded by red sands and rock formations, Hail was once the capital of the Arabian desert and one of the historic stops on the caravan route of the Hajj.

Search and book your flights to Saudi with Kiwi.com today!

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