Saudi Arabia: When to Go

The ideal time to visit Saudi Arabia is between November and February when the summer heat is over. Mid-April until October will see you sweltering with high humidity in the coastal regions. It''s appreciably milder in the mountains and around Taif year-round, which makes these places popular summer retreats. The Asir mountains are at their best a bit earlier and a bit later than the rest of the country - during winter they are often locked in fog.

The Kingdom's Islamic holidays are another important factor in deciding when to go. Unless you've no choice, Ramadan is to be avoided at all costs: getting a daytime meal can be difficult, opening hours are kept to a minimum and officials can be decidedly (if understandably) surly. During the haj pilgrimage, most forms of transport and some accommodation are busier than normal and prices increase, although usually only in the Hejaz region.

Weather

From May to September, expect daytime temperatures of 45°C (113°F) or higher throughout the country with slightly cooler coastal temperatures. In the dead of winter (December to January) temperatures in the main cities (except Jeddah), will drop into the teens during the day and even hit zero in some places overnight (particularly in the central deserts). During winter the mountains can also be shrouded in fog. In the southern coastal areas it rains quite regularly (it's about the only place that does) with high humidity in the summer, but there's very little rainfall in the capital Riyadh and the northern parts of the Red Sea coast, making the cooler winter days a pleasure.