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CULTURE & HERITAGE

Discover Saudi's UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Saudi has thousands of years' worth of history, acknowledged by UNESCO, who designated some truly unique destinations as World Heritage Sites....

Words by Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey

Until a few years ago, the historic treasures hidden within Saudi had near legendary status, with few foreigners having been able to see them in person.

And although the Kingdom has recently embraced tourism, there is still that thrill of being among the first people to see these long-hidden sites…

While many regions in the Middle East have little physical evidence of their history, due to the fact that the local tribes tended to be nomadic, Saudi has long been a melting pot of civilisations and a thoroughfare for ancient trading routes, and there’s plenty to show for it. Here are the country’s seven UNESCO sites to marvel at…

Admire the Al-Ahsa Oasis

Imagine having travelled for weeks through the Rub al Khali, the Empty Quarter, the world’s largest continuous sand desert, and finally reaching an oasis. And not just any oasis, but the world’s largest. An oasis planted with 2.5 million palm trees, covering 85 square kilometres, and home to gardens, canals, springs, and wells. It must have been easy to imagine it a mirage. Al-Ahsa Oasis, also known as Al-Hasa Oasis, lies in the Eastern Province, close to the Bahrain and Qatar borders, at the eastern end of the sandy desert, and, due to its natural springs, has been a documented oasis for some 6,000 years. The eerie rock formations that form a natural border to the town filled with adobe buildings, and the seemingly endless rows of palm trees heavy with bundles of dates, must have been – and still are – a soothing sight for the weary traveller.

Wander around the At-Turaif District

On the outskirts of the capital, Riyadh, in the heart of the vast Saudi Peninsula, lies the At-Turaif District in Diriyah. At-Turaif was the first capital of the Saudi Dynasty, and as such is an important historical marker in the region. The site holds palaces, forts, citadels, and merchant houses, all made from mud and palm trees, offering a what-is-what of traditional Najdi Arabian architecture. With the oldest buildings dating to the 15th century, and the most important, the Salwa Palace, founded in 1765, there is a wide range of building styles to be seen, some of which have been delicately restored, others left more or less in their original state, making for an interesting mix. The site also offers exhibitions, museums, and talks and tours led by local archaeologists.

Marvel at the Hegra Archaeological Site

Second only to Petra in Jordan, this former settlement of the Nabataean Kingdom, is home to more than 110 monumental tombs cut into red sandstone cliffs. The most famous, carved out of a massive solitary rock, is the monolithic Tomb of Lihyan, Son of Kuza. Lying just outside of the oasis town of AlUla, on the northwestern side of the peninsula, Hegra is evidence of a former meeting place of numerous civilisations, stopping-off point for the traders travelling along the Frankincense Road, and former settlement of not only the Nabataeans but also the Thamud people. Immense and intricately decorated burial chambers dot the landscape, there are dwellings and meeting rooms, ancient wells and watering systems, even pre-Nabatean rock carvings, together with more modern additions such as an 18th century fort, and even the southern terminus of the Hejaz Railway, from the early 1900s.

Experience the Hima Cultural Area

In the southwestern Najran region of Saudi, near the Yemeni border, and close to the western end of the Empty Quarter, lies the mountainous Hima Cultural Area. Settled for some 7,000 years due to its proximity to early caravan trading routes, in and around Hima you can find ancient examples of what travellers have always been keen to leave behind: Graffiti, or, in archaeological terms, petroglyphs, or rock carvings. On this, one of the world’s largest rock art complexes spreading across 557 square kilometres, there are depictions of people, of hunting, of animals and plants, most of which date back several thousand years, yet others tell of armies camping nearby as recently as in the 20th century. Languages of the inscriptions are varied and include Musnad, Aramaic-Nabatean, Saudi, Thamudic, Greek and modern Arabic.

Explore Historic Jeddah

At first sight, Jeddah is a bustling modern metropolis on the Red Sea. But next to the glittering high-rises of its modern core, there is the Al-Balad quarter of Old Jeddah. Here you find striking architecture that is reminiscent of a mix of Yemen’s ancient skyscrapers and Zanzibar’s Stone Town, with tall, wooden houses, many held in aqua, turquoise, and green colours, with shutters, mashrabiya covered balconies and intricate doors. Founded in the 7th century, the old quarter has recently received much love and attention, with buildings restored and re-invented as cafes, art galleries, and museums. Today the old quarter is a rabbit warren with one corner more picturesque than the next, and once more the beating heart of the historic port city.

Discover Rock Art in the Hail Region

In the central-northern province of Ha’il, a remote and rocky region, there are several sites that together make up the UNESCO listing of the Ha’il, or Hail Region, Saudi’s first UNESCO site. The three mountains of Jabal Umm Sinman at Jubbah to the north of the city of Hail, and Jabal Al-Manjor and Jabal Raat at Shuwaymis, around 250 kilometres south, all hold an astonishing 10,000 years’ worth of historic petroglyphs. Spread across the vast area, which was once populated when there was water in the region, with a lake offering a watering hole for many of the animals depicted, you can find incredibly accurate portrayals of dromedaries, oryx, hunters, and even one, titled The King, which would not have looked out of place on a pharaoh’s tomb in Egypt, many centuries later.

Explore the vast desert of the Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve

Found on the western fringes of the Rub’ Al-Khali (the Empty Quarter), the Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve became Saudi’s seventh UNESCO World Heritage site (and the country’s first natural heritage site) when it was inscribed in 2023. Part of the largest continuous sand sea on Earth, Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve is an epic landscape in every sense of the word. Just because it’s part of the Empty Quarter doesn’t mean there’s nothing there though – far from it. You can take guided wildlife tours to spot wildlife like Arabian gazelles and ostriches, while the reserve is also home to 120 indigenous plant species and the only free-ranging herd of Arabian oryx on the planet.

Practical information

Visas

It’s surprisingly simple and easy to get an e-Visa for Saudi and the process is very similar to applying for an ESTA for the USA. Over 50 nationalities are eligible to apply for an e-Visa, including people from the UK and USA, with it costing (at the time of writing) 535 Saudi riyals (about £115 or US$143). Applications are swift and nearly all applicants will receive a response within three working days – most within 24 hours. To apply for your Saudi e-Visa, visit the official Saudi Tourism Authority website. If you’re from the USA, UK or the Schengen Area, you can also apply for a visa on arrival into Saudi. It’s slightly cheaper than an e-Visa, too, at SAR480 (about £102 or US$128).

Getting there & around

With plenty of direct flight links from the UK to Saudi, it’s really easy to get to the country. Saudi’s national airline SAUDIA flies to Riyadh three times daily from London Heathrow, while British Airways also offers a regular service from Heathrow with daily flights to the capital. SAUDIA also operates twice daily flights to Jeddah from London Heathrow and daily flights from London Gatwick. If you’re travelling from the US, SAUDIA offers direct flights to Riyadh from both New York City and Washington, D.C., as well as direct flights to Jeddah from New York City, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.

Local customs

To really embrace Saudi life and pay respect towards its traditions, there are a few local customs you should abide when travelling around the country. Both men and women should wear clothing that covers their elbows and below their knees when out in public. If you’re heading to the coast, it’s still expected you dress modestly. When meeting and greeting locals, whether it’s a market stallholder or a private guide, say hello with ‘salam alaykum’, which means ‘peace be upon you’, as well as offering a handshake.

Weather

You might think it’s hot all year round in Saudi but it’s a little more nuanced than that. The best time to visit Riyadh is between October and March, when temperatures can dip as low as 20°C during the daytime and rarely exceed 30°C. Summer months in Riyadh can get extremely hot, with temperatures often above 40°C between June and September.

FAQ

Is English spoken in Saudi?

Arabic is the official national language but English is widely spoken.

What is the currency of Saudi?

The currency of Saudi is the riyal, with the current rate (at the time of writing), around SAR4.76 to the UK£. You’ll need to pre-order money before you travel, as in the UK it’s not usually stocked in currency exchange booths.

What’s it like travelling in Saudi as a female?

We think you’d be surprised! To find out more, read our first-hand account on what it’s like to travel in Saudi.

What’s the time difference in Saudi?

Saudi follows Arabia Standard Time (GMT +3) all year round.