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Date: 12/8/04
www.themuslimweekly.com
Every Muslim has a dream to travel to Saudi Arabia at least once in his lifetime to discharge obligation to perform Hajj and Umrah. However, Muslims generally do not consider Saudi Arabia a place of tourism. Therefore, most people leave the country as soon as they complete the Hajj. Some, however, quite rightly views that intention to visit places other then Mecca or Medinah during Hajj or Umrah will distract them from their religious duties.
Nevertheless, have you ever considered re-visiting Saudi Arabia? Apart from the holy sites, you would be surprised to see a beautiful country and unexplored horizon. It is a hot but beautiful country with sea resort, dessert, and cool cities on the hilltop.
Travel to Saudi Arabia was restricted apart from Hajj and Umrah. Recently, Saudi government started to issue tourist visas to a few organised tour groups. The number of groups granted entry is still very small, and the tour itineraries are controlled - groups are directed to certain areas and excluded from others. Whatever the restriction is, you will find Saudi Arabia an outwardly modern country with a way of life recommended by our beloved Prophet Mohammed (saw).
Geography
Saudi Arabia, the largest Mid East country, covers nearly all of the Arabian Peninsula. The country consists of six regions: Rub al Khali (in the south, which is primarily desert), the Nafud (north, desert), Eastern Province (east, along the Gulf), Najran (southern, mountainous), Hijaz (the Red Sea area), Asir (southwestern, mountainous) and Najd (central, mountainous)
Asir
Around 510 mi/820 km southwest of Capital Riyadh.
This mountainous region in southwestern Saudi Arabia is a good place to see traditional Saudi life and to get away from the heat. It’s a popular vacation area for Saudis - it can get quite crowded in the summer. Asir National Park covers a huge area including both the Red Sea coast and the mountains. The Asir Inter-Continental Hotel inside the park is a former palace. Most tours of the park leave from the hotel. The major city is Abha. The Shada Palace there is now a cultural museum, and the Tuesday Market is worth a visit.
Dhahran
250 mi/402 km northeast of Riyadh.
Although, recent political situation and its strategic importance to the US military turn this city a no go area, you may plan to visit later, hopefully, when everything will cool down. On the Persian Gulf not far from the country of Bahrain, Dhahran is the petroleum capital of Saudi Arabia. Dhahran is not really a town, but a geographic area with a collection of self-contained compounds such as those of the Arabian American Oil Company (now referred to as Saudi ARAMCO), the U.S. Consulate General and others. The architecture of the University of Petroleum and Minerals is impressive.
Nearby Dammam has interesting markets (including a gold market). Three beaches on the Arabian Gulf are within an hour’s drive. The oasis of Hofuf is a two-hour drive from Dhahran. Hofuf has a big market on Thursday (near the main market is a camel market). It gives insight into how oasis dwellers have lived for centuries. You may also notice the large number of trees around Hofuf: Six million of them have been planted in an attempt to stop the encroachment of the desert. Plan at least one day for Dhahran and Dammam, two or three if you’ll be making excursions to the beach and oasis.
Ha’Il
400 mi/625 km northwest of capital Riyadh.
In the Nafud Desert, this town was the home of the Rashid family, who contested the Saud family for control of the country. It merits half a day to see the market and the ruined Rashid palace and mosque.
Ithra
1,115 mi/1,795 km northwest of Riyadh.
Located near the Jordanian border in the area known as Qarrayat al Milh, Ithra merits an hour-long visit if you are in the area. The town’s main attraction is the ruin of Nabatean Palace, which dates from the 1st century BC. Nearby, in Ugaylah, is a Rwallah fort. These areas are reached by car or by flying into Turayf or Al Hadithah.
Jeddah
525 mi/845 km southwest of Riyadh.
The name of this humid Red Sea port means "grandmother," a reference to the legend that Eve was buried there. Jeddah, a modern city with skyscrapers and picturesque thoroughfare (the Corniche) along the water. Allow at least two days to see all the sights.
Be sure to spend some time in the Old Town, which includes the Nassif House, a restored home once owned by a prominent trading family. It now contains a small museum and library. Among Jeddah’s other landmarks are the souks (markets), the Ma’mar Masjid mosque, and the Khuzam Palace gardens and tower (great view from the top). The Al Hamra residential section includes a palace and large homes.
You can go deep-sea fishing off the Red Sea coast not far from town, as well as diving and snorkeling on a coral reef. Several dive shops are located in Jeddah. Abhor Creek ("The Creek"), a protected inlet 24 mi/39 km north of the city, is a popular beach. Wadi Fatima and Wadi Khulays are two oases that can be seen on the road between Jeddah and Mecca. Ta’if can be seen on a day trip.
Khamis
325 mi/525 km southeast of Jeddah.
This town gets its name from the market that was traditionally held there every Thursday (Khamis means "Thursday" in Arabic). Khamis lies in the country’s cool, fertile southwestern region and has distinctive and colorful architecture. We enjoyed a short excursion to the Black Mountain volcano to view rock drawings. Allow one night to see it all.
Mada’In Salih
375 mi/600 km northwest of Jeddah.
This town is visited primarily for its ancient rock tombs, which have links to the extensive ruins at Petra, in Jordan. Allow an hour to see the archaeological site, but spend a long day in the area so you can see some of the nearby attractions. These include Al Ula (which occupies the same site as the biblical city of Dedan, with an impressive red-sandstone gorge), Hanakiyah (prehistoric carvings) and Qasr al Bint (tombs and palace). Special permission must be obtained from the Department of Antiquities and Museums in Riyadh prior to going.
Riyadh
Riyadh is 525 mi/845 km northeast of Jeddah.
Once a small desert oasis, this capital city (pop. 2,619,000) is modern, yet it blends in well with the surrounding desert. Riyadh ("the gardens") is a fairly compact city, and most parts of it can be seen on foot (except during the blast-furnace heat of the summer).
The Old Town section is favourite part for many travellers, as it has remained relatively unchanged for centuries.
While there, be sure to see the Musmak Fortress, Qasr al Hukm (a government palace), the Great Mosque and one of the many markets (the gold market is especially lively).
Also worth a visit is the National Museum, which covers the history of civilization in the Arabian peninsula. Other museums of note include the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography, the Folklore Museum and the King Faisal Museum in the King Faisal Foundation, which focuses on the history of the royal family and exhibits jeweled swords and other treasures. Major landmarks include Qasr al Murabba (the cube-shaped palace King Abdul Aziz ibn Saud built in 1936); Qasr al Hamra (another palace); and the modern, striped water tower. The diplomatic quarter, with modern buildings built in the old Arabic style, is also worth a visit. To get a feel for the landscape surrounding the capital, make an excursion to the "camel trails" along the escarpment southeast of town. They offer some beautiful views of the desert.
Just west of Riyadh is Dir’iyah. This walled city was the capital of the First Saudi Empire, the forerunner of modern Saudi Arabia. The First Empire collapsed in 1818 when the Ottoman Turks captured Dir’iyah and razed the city. The city remains pretty much as the Turks left it - only in 1981 did reconstruction begin. Ruins include the Palace of Salwa, the Palace of Fahd and the restored Mosque of Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab, the religious founder of Saudi Arabia.
There are several other day-trip destinations to choose from. Irq Rathimah is known for its red sand dunes and ancient burial site. Shell fossils provide evidence that the area was once covered by a sea. It can be seen on a half-day excursion from the capital. If you want to see large dunes, head for Dahna Sands, near the town of Rumah (75 mi/120 km north of Riyadh), where the mounds reach heights of 245 ft/75 m.
Ayn Hit (about 30 mi/50 km south of Riyadh) is a water hole that has been an important stopping place for centuries. (The danger of bilharzia makes it unwise to swim there, however.) The Al Karj area is known for its green palm groves and farms. Allow a day to see Riyadh and another day or two for outlying destinations.
Sakakah
550 mi/885 km north of Mecca
In the northern part of the country near the border with Iraq and Jordan, Sakakah is an excellent base for viewing area sights. Just to the west in Al Jawf you’ll find the magnificent 2nd-century-BC fortress Qasr Marid and the Mosque of Umar. On the way back to Al Jawf, stop at Al Qarah to see its museum, the mud fort and the pre-Islamic drawing of dancing girls. The Rijal al Hajaf ("men of stone") sculptures depicting Bedouin life are also in the area, but you’ll need to hire a guide with a four-wheel-drive vehicle if you hope to see them.
Ta’If
95 mi/150 km east of Jeddah.
This city (pop. 205,000) is the summer home of the king, the government and anyone else who wants to escape the Riyadh heat. It’s an impressive, tree-filled place with a good market - plan on spending half a day to see it properly. The government-in-exile of Kuwait was located there during the Iraqi occupation of its country.
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