Welcome to stunning Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has undergone a significant cultural transformation over the past few decades and is evolving its ancient customs to encourage tourism in the contemporary world. This emerging destination has much to offer a traveller as it opens its doors – amazing sights and experiences, but as yet no crowds and a sense of real immersion and exclusivity. Samantha from our Lymington Branch was excited to discover how a tourist feels in what has perhaps been something of an intimidating destination in the past, “I had mixed feelings about what Saudi Arabia would be like before I left, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the country! It was fantastic - the people are so friendly, with great senses of humour, and women do not need to be covered up all the time, just shoulders and knees when visiting any religious sites.”

Samantha travelled with If Only, and her base for this 6 night visit was to be AlUla. Situated in the northwest of the kingdom, this region is a feast of cultural and natural heritage and makes a great base for an introduction to Saudi Arabi. Samantha flew with Qatar Airways via Doha, although direct flights are planned as tourism evolves, and then it will be just a few hours to get there.

“It was very beautiful with the desert and mountains, and then the oasis of AlUla with all the palm trees that they grow the dates from. The area is very clean and everything was well organised”

Samantha visited several hotels during her trip to get a real flavour of what accommodation is available for visitors, “The first hotel, called Dar Tantora, is in the Old Town, and was created from the mud brick houses that they traditionally live in here – it was a very authentic property offering a real sense of AlUla’s heritage. The rooms had no lighting apart from the bathrooms, so they light candles every night, which is very atmospheric”

The second hotel was Our Habitas, which If Only describe as ‘an experience to be had rather than a place to stay.’ Samantha elaborates, “The rooms were in separate tented villas situated in the canyons of Ashar Valley, with spectacular mountain and desert views. You summon a small buggy to go to reception or the pool and restaurant, easily called for from your room.” There is a pool, electric bikes are available, and there are several art installations within the resort, some which you can interact with such as trampolines and a swing on the hill above the sand dunes

The third hotel was Shaden Resort with its selection of villas, suites, and deluxe tents. “We stayed in deluxe rooms near to the pool,” says Samantha, “These rooms had lovely seating areas outside with views of the mountains.”

Finally Banyan Tree which is an all-villa resort, dominated by Bedouin inferences with tented canopies over each, that blend the accommodation into the desert landscape, some having private pools.

“All hotels are largely suited to couples and older clients,” advises Samantha, “They offer pools, spa facilities and some with yoga classes under the stars, the staff were very friendly and could not do enough for you. I loved relaxing by the pool to cool down, and star-gazing under the desert skies at night.”

AlUla is a fantastic base to explore from, and has many attractions within about half an hour’s drive, so Samantha had some wonderful experiences as part of her itinerary:

- Hegra is a Unesco heritage archaeological site with 110 burial tombs from the Nabatean era (like famous Petra in Jordan) some of which feature decorated facades dating from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD.

- A magical visit at dusk to enjoy refreshments at Elephant Rock – a sandstone formation standing 52 metres high, shaped by wind and water erosion over millions of years.

- A hot air balloon trip ascending at sunrise over the desert, looking out across the sweeping view of the desert.

- A spectacular concert hall called Maraya situated in the middle of the desert and made of mirrors. Samantha was mesmerised “It’s like a mirage in the desert, totally unique and I’ve never seen anything like it before. Many famous people have performed here, including Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys and Andrea Bocelli.”

- A walk in the oasis with a Rawi (Arabic for storyteller) was Samantha’s favourite activity, “I loved walking through the oasis and learning about the flora and fauna that live there. There are many species of colourful birds, owls, large bats, gazelles, ibexes, ostriches and the endangered Arabian Leopard, which is being re-introduced into the area.”

Samantha enjoyed the cuisine of Saudi Arabia as well as its’ sights, “I loved the salads, flat breads, chicken and rice, kebab meats and lovely desserts. The beetroot humous was the best!”

As a destination, Saudi Arabia has so much to offer, and whilst local behaviours and traditions must always be respected, they are evolving to match the contemporary world we live in today. Samantha advises, “I was surprised how relaxed it is about what you can wear - swimwear around the pools is totally acceptable, though you must have shoulders and knees covered when visiting religious sites, as with many places around the world. Alcohol is prohibited at the moment and is not sold anywhere, though this might change in the future as tourism develops. I’d recommend a portable fan, as it can get very hot when out and about, a good sunhat and strong sunscreen.”

She summarises her trip, “I recommend AlUla to people wanting something different, with history, temples and stunning scenery. It also offers a fantastic holiday for those seeking warmth during the winter months. They have amazing scenery, lovely people and great food, Saudi Arabia is honestly one of the best places I have been in this world!

If you would like more information on travelling to Saudi Arabia, or If Only, please contact your local store. Samantha can be found at Lymington‍