Originally Posted by FindingFoodFluency_

Saudi Arabia is none too keen about welcoming backpackers stereotypically low budgets. Al Ula is a good example of this. Neom and various Red Sea projects are no different.



There are a number of historical/natural sites throughout the country, it's just that non-religious tourism is still a very new concept for Saudi Arabia.

For now, I can say that Madinah is open to tourism, save for Al Masjid an Nawabi. Makkah is officially closed to non-Muslims ... but I happened to visit twice anyway.

Jeddah has an old town, called Al-Balad; some of the buildings were made with Red Sea coral. The nearby city of Taif has some cable cars overlooking particularly austere landscapes.

Riyadh is "building" old history in Diriyah, seat of the original house of Saud, and former capital.
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