It is a country with many areas of beautiful oases and dramatic mountain-tops, beaches and rivers. Its cities, although having no nightlife, do have plenty of cafes and restaurants. There are also shops galore, from the souk to the huge department store. Indeed, Saudi Arabia’s major cities are generally very modern, with amenities of a high standard.
In the year AD622, Prophet Muhammad launched a successful campaign to recapture Mecca from the Persians, who had made it a province of their empire. Afterwards, the Muslims would continue their expansion across the Arabian peninsula and into Syria, Mesopotamia (Iraq), Persia, and westwards into Egypt and North Africa.
As the birthplace of Muhammad, Saudi Arabia contains the holiest cities of Islam. The Saudis take the responsibility for protecting the integrity of this holy land with utmost seriousness, and Islamic laws are strictly enforced by the mutawwa (religious police).
To the non-Islamic eye, Saudi Arabia also succeeds in being beautiful and praiseworthy. This complex country is likely to remain a significant part of the worldwide map for some time.
Saudi Arabia occupies four-fifths of the Arabian peninsula. It is bordered to the northwest by Jordan, to the north by Iraq and Kuwait, to the east by the Gulf of Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, and to the south by Yemen. To the west lies the Red Sea. Along the Red Sea coast is a narrow coastal strip (Tihama) which becomes relatively hotter and more humid towards the south and has areas of extensive tidal flats and lava fields. Behind this coastal plain is a series of plateaux reaching up to 2,000m (6,560ft). The southern part of this range, Asir, has some peaks of over 3,000m (9,840ft). North of these mountains, in the far north, is An Nafud, a sand sea, and further south the landscape rises to Najd, a semi-desert area scattered with oases. Still further south the land falls away, levelling out to unremitting desert, the uninhabited ‘Empty Quarter’ or Rub al Khali. Along the Gulf coast is a low fertile plain giving way to limestone ridges inland.
Saudi culture is based on Islam and the perfection of the Arabic language. The Saudi form of Islam is conservative and fundamentalist, based on the 18th-century revivalist movement of the Najdi leader Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Abdel-Wahhab. This still has a great effect on Saudi society, especially on the position of women, who are required by law only to leave the home totally covered in black robes (abaya) and masks, although there are regional variations of dress. The Najd and other remote areas remain true to Wahhabi tradition, but throughout the country this way of life is being altered by modernisation and rapid development.
Shaking hands is the customary form of greeting. Invitations to private homes are unusual. Entertaining is usually in hotels or restaurants and although the custom of eating with the right hand persists, it is more likely that knives and forks will be used. A small gift either promoting the company or representing your country will generally be well received.
Women are expected to dress modestly and it is best to do so to avoid offence. Men should not wear shorts in public or go without a shirt. The norms for public behaviour are extremely conservative and religious police, known as Mutawwa’in, are charged with enforcing these standards.
Customs regarding smoking are the same as in Europe and non-smoking areas are indicated. During Ramadan, Muslims are not allowed to eat, smoke or drink during the day and it is illegal for a foreign visitor to do so in public.
Photography: Strictly speaking, photography is not permitted. However, many people do still take photos, but are careful to ask permission of the relevant authority before photographing people or any building.
Things to do
Muslim visitors should take the pilgrimage to Mecca in January to see the Kaabah Enclosure, the Mountain of Light, the Plain of Arafat and the House of Abdullah Bin Abdul Muttalib, where Muhammad was born. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter these holy cities.
Go shopping in the traditional souks, large department stores and mall complexes. Shopping is a much-loved way to spend time in Saudi Arabia – possibly since there are no bars, casinos, nightclubs, theatres or cinemas.
Visit the royal capital, Riyadh, a modern city built on the site of the first town captured by Ibn Saud in 1902. The only trace of the old town that remains is the Masmak Fort and a few traditional Najdi palaces near Deera Square.
Discover Hofuf, at the centre of the great Al-Hasa oasis, which has a strong Turkish influence and a very good camel market. The agriculture here thrives and the food is sensational.
Explore the ornate ruins of Timna and Shiban, ancient cities resting amidst orchards of pomegranates, limes and bananas.
Enjoy the Obhir Creek, north of Jeddah. It has good facilities for watersports, including swimming, waterskiing, fishing, snorkelling and sailing, and there are similar beaches on the Gulf coast south of Al Khobar.
Drive (carefully – Saudi Arabia does not boast great driving conditions and has a high incidence of car accidents) down the astounding modern corniche road that winds along the sheer cliffs of the Taif escarpment to the hot coastal plain.
Find some of Saudi Arabia’s ancient crafts and skills. In Jebel-al-Qara, the potteries have been worked by eight generations of the same family.
Things to see
Watch the King’s Camel Race in April or May during the national Heritage and Cultural Festival at Jenadriyah. The annual event is one of the world’s most important camel races, with something between 20,000 and 30,000 spectators, plus 2,000 camels and riders.
See the ragged, coral-coloured Ottoman buildings of the ancient city of Jeddah. Its hotels and restaurants are cosmopolitan and there are good fish and meat markets.
Witness the astonishing landscape and wildlife of the Asir, a range of coastal mountains and the only part of the kingdom where there is significant wild vegetation. Baboon, gazelle and leopard inhabit remoter areas.
Whilst in the region, see the ancient gasaba towers, the ancient caravan city of Qaryat-al-Fau, the great dam and temple at Najran.
See an ancient saltmine in use. The 5,000-year-old one in Abqaiq is still in operation.
Look around in Taif to see pink palaces in between the stunning cliff-tops. Such beauty and a mild climate have made this town Saudi Arabia’s the official summer capital.
View a picturesque settlement of fishermen and weavers on Tarut Island. It is also the site of the oldest town on the peninsula.
