THINGS TO DO IN THE KINGDOM



Since I've been living in Saudi for quite some time now, it is kinda strange to me that I haven't explored some of its provinces. Frankly speaking, the farthest place I've been here is Jubail, I always wanted to go out of Eastern province but since I don’t have that much time during the weekends I was jailed here in Al Khobar ahaha.

I am quite fed up with my usual routine every weekend (though I enjoyed doing them) malls, coffee, dining; then mall again, coffee, dining.  Good thing I started playing badminton every Friday morning, at least somehow I have new extracurricular activity aside from eating hehe.
So from now on I’ll give my rest day a twist and find some interesting places to visit here in Saudi.  I want to prove that Saudi Arabia is not just about sands and oil; it has beauty and charm too. So I made my research on the places to be visited once I find time.


DISCOVER ARABIA

Interestingly, I found a blog written by an expat from Finland who explored Saudi Arabia, surprisingly the Kingdom is indeed a lot of things to offer.
1  
                                    Mada’in saleh


Located on the Madinah Region of SA, this place was proclaimed by UNESCO in 2008 as a site of patrimony, becoming Saudi Arabia's first World heritage site.  It is one of many archeological site in the kingdom. The site constitutes the kingdom's southernmost and largest settlement after Petra, its capital. So if you don't have time to visit the Petra Ruins in Jordan, this is the best alternative!
2        
E                Edge of the world







If Arizona has Grand Canyon, Saudi has Edge of the World. About 96 km northwest of Riyadh on the way to Sadous lies the magnificent sight of the ‘Edge of the world’. Here, the cliffs of Tuwaiq Escarpment drop away giving splendid views over the plain below. Edge of the World is one of the points of Tuwaiq Escarpment with deep steep edges. On a foggy day, the whole plain below is an endless sea of haze.


Red Sand Of Riyadh 






 If you are off for some outdoor activities, try sand boarding or quad biking on the red sand dunes of Riyadh. This spectacular landscape is famous for ATV sports among the locals and expats. This is also a perfect place to camp with especially during the winter.

4                              Secret lake in Riyadh





Actually, this is not a real lake, because of some heavy rains the place is being filled with water thus creating a small lake. Because the surrounding area is so dry, after the rains the water flushes down the dry hills into the valleys and they lead here to the lowest ground forming temporary lake. The best chance to see this location with water in it is after heavy rains.

These are just few places that I guess worth visiting whenever you have free time; the fun fact is they are just around 5 hours away from Al Khobar. So if you are into road trips, these places are recommended without going any further and I can’t wait to visit them one day.

I am pretty sure there are still interesting places here to visit and I’ll find time to check them next time. In the mean time I’ll put those above on my list.

credits to the owner of the photos
blueabaya.com

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