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Northern Saudi Arabia

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Madain Saleh

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Overview

Northern Saudi Arabia is the region with the richest pre-Islamic sites in the entire country. While Madain Saleh will rightly continue to take all the headlines, with its Petra-like carved tombs in spectacular desert settings, the lesser-known town of Al Ula is also an impressive ode to ancient civilisations. It sits hemmed in by a forest of palms and stunning red cliffs.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Madain Saleh

    Madain Saleh

    Northern Saudi Arabia

    Often dubbed the 'second Petra', Madain Saleh, for many, is on a par with 鈥� if not more impressive than 鈥� its famous cousin across the border in Jordan鈥�

  • Al Balad

    Al Balad

    Northern Saudi Arabia

    The melancholy of Al Wajh's beautiful old Hejazi houses, as they stare wistfully out to sea, is apparent in every corner of the town's near-abandoned Al鈥�

  • Hejaz Locomotive & Ruins

    Hejaz Locomotive & Ruins

    Northern Saudi Arabia

    A lone rusting locomotive sits in the sun on its side, its funnel pointing downwards. Derailed and useless, this relic really evokes the impact TE鈥�

  • Ottoman Hejaz Railway Bridge

    Ottoman Hejaz Railway Bridge

    Northern Saudi Arabia

    This is one of the only surviving bridges of the Hejaz Railway left in Saudi Arabia. The beautiful 150m long red-and-grey-brick arches, stretching over a鈥�

  • Jebel Al Lawz

    Jebel Al Lawz

    Northern Saudi Arabia

    Jebel Al Lawz, rising 2580m above sea level, is one of the only accessible mountains in the Kingdom to experience snowfall in winter. This is what many鈥�

  • Bir Al Mashy Beach

    Bir Al Mashy Beach

    Northern Saudi Arabia

    The haunting wreck of cargo ship Georgios G 鈥� ambitiously dubbed the 'Saudi Titanic' 鈥� sits half-submerged, rusting in the sun after becoming stranded on鈥�

  • Al Buwayr Hejaz Railway Station & Fort

    Al Buwayr Hejaz Railway Station & Fort

    Northern Saudi Arabia

    Sitting off the old Medina鈥揂l Ula road is this refurbished black Hejaz Railway locomotive, almost complete with wagons in tow. There's also a crumbling鈥�

  • Elephant Rock

    Elephant Rock

    Northern Saudi Arabia

    Arabia's only 'elephant' is a huge red rock three storeys in height. The enormous 'body' connects to a slimmer 'trunk' that bulges in just the right areas鈥�

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