Before You Go
- Confirm passport validity and entry requirements.
- Check whether a tourist visa is required.
- Keep digital copies of important documents.
- Consider purchasing travel insurance.
Riyadh
Saudi Riyal (SAR)
Arabic
NovβMar
AST (UTC+3)
Welcome to Saudi Arabia, a country of vast deserts, ancient history, and rapidly emerging modern tourism. AlUla's dramatic sandstone canyons and Nabataean tombs at Hegra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, rival Jordan's famous Petra. Riyadh, the capital, blends traditional architecture with a rapidly growing, ultramodern skyline. The Red Sea coast offers pristine coral reefs and beaches only recently opened to international travelers. Jeddah's historic Al-Balad district reveals centuries-old coral-stone architecture and vibrant traditional markets. The Empty Quarter, one of the largest sand deserts on Earth, offers dramatic dunes stretching endlessly toward the horizon. Traditional Bedouin hospitality remains deeply rooted throughout the country's desert regions. Saudi Arabia invites travelers to discover ancient wonders alongside a rapidly opening modern kingdom.
Helpful information to consider before and during your visit.
Discover some of Saudi Arabia's most popular flavors, traditional dishes and memorable local treats during your visit.
Kabsa is a signature Saudi Arabia specialty known for its distinctive local ingredients, seasoning and traditional preparation.
This popular Saudi Arabia dish brings together familiar regional flavors and is commonly enjoyed in homes, markets or local restaurants.
A well-loved part of Saudi Arabia cuisine, Saleeg reflects the country's culinary traditions and locally available ingredients.
Mandi is a comforting regional favorite, prepared in styles that may vary between families, cities and different parts of Saudi Arabia.
Visitors often seek out Mutabbaq for an authentic taste of Saudi Arabia's everyday cooking and food culture.
This traditional favorite highlights the bold, savory or gently spiced flavors associated with cooking in Saudi Arabia.
Matazeez is widely recognized in Saudi Arabia and is often served at casual meals, celebrations or community gatherings.
A memorable choice for travelers, Ma'amoul offers a flavorful introduction to the ingredients and techniques used across Saudi Arabia.
This classic food is an important part of Saudi Arabia's culinary identity and is best sampled freshly prepared.
Saudi Arabia is home to Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities in Islam, and millions of Muslims travel to Mecca each year to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, one of the largest annual gatherings of people anywhere in the world. The country contains the Rub' al Khali, or "Empty Quarter," the largest continuous sand desert on Earth, an area so vast and inhospitable that large parts of it remain scarcely explored even today.
Saudi Arabia holds some of the largest proven oil reserves in the world and has historically been the largest oil exporter globally, a resource that transformed the country from a largely nomadic desert society into one of the world's wealthiest nations within a matter of decades. The country has undertaken sweeping social changes in recent years, including allowing women to drive starting in 2018 and opening up to international tourism for the first time in its history, reversing decades of restrictions on foreign visitors unrelated to religious pilgrimage.
Saudi Arabia is also home to Mada'in Salih, an archaeological site of monumental tombs carved into rock by the ancient Nabataeans, the same civilization responsible for Petra in Jordan, making it one of the most significant pre-Islamic archaeological sites in the Arabian Peninsula.
