Saudi Arabia

The historic crossroads of pilgrims and traders, and the traditional gateway to Mecca, Jeddah is the most fascinating of Saudi Arabia's major cities, with a cosmopolitan and liberal air not present anywhere else in the Kingdom. Visitors will love the city's World Heritage Red Sea architecture, its bustling souq, the laid-back coastline that's home to fantastic dive sites, and its diverse, world-class cuisine.

The commercial capital of Saudi Arabia, modern Jeddah is more than a thousand times the size of the ancient city where it is believed the mother of humanity, 'Eve', was laid to rest. These days Jeddah is fast-paced and a bit rough around the edges, with high-rises and a waterfront culture that are symbols of the Kingdom's modernisation. This blend of old and new is what makes the 'bride of the Red Sea' such an appealing destination, and often the first Saudi city foreigners like to visit.

This is arguably the Kingdom's premier pre-Islamic site and open-air art gallery. Covering an area measuring 39 sq km are some of the most impressive petroglyphs (rock carvings) you are likely to ever see. The finest carvings date from around 5500 BC, when much of this area was an inland lake and inhabitants carved game animals that came to the waters. Elegant rock-cut ibex, oryx and camels abound, as well as significant Thamudic inscriptions dating to 1000 BC.

Mecca is only accessible by Muslims, who often describe the moment they first lay eyes on the city's sacred Kaaba as an overwhelmingly emotional experience. For those living outside the Kingdom, a visit to Mecca – generally spelt 'Makkah' by Muslims and in Saudi Arabia – is a lifelong dream. Coming here to perform the hajj pilgrimage is a religious obligation for all Muslims who are financially and physically able to do so.

The birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, Mecca is awash with monuments of religious symbolism. Born of the desert, this is a modern city with the heart of an ancient Arabian village. Despite the immense construction projects around the city's sacred Kaaba – the most controversial being the clock tower – sun-bleached homes still nestle in the rocky hillsides and everywhere you look men dressed in two simple cotton sheets wander its streets.

The country's very first national park is home to spectacular scenery that encompasses mountain ranges nearly 3000m above sea level, which look down on green valleys home to some of the most distinct villages in the whole of Saudi Arabia. The park covers an area measuring 4500 sq km, stretching from the desert in the east all the way to the Red Sea coast, and is one of the last refuges of the critically endangered Arabian leopard. You're unlikely to see one, as they reside in the inaccessible mountainous ridges above 1500m. What you will see in abundance though, as you will all over the south, are Hamadryas baboons and majestic birds of prey that include eagles.

The park is divided into two main areas, the mountainous region northwest of Abha and the valleys and plains to the southeast, with some segments fenced off as they are privately owned land. Both regions have areas open to the public, where there are picnic sites, viewing platforms and areas that can be camped in.

Yanbu is fast becoming an appealing tourist destination, due to amazing dive sites and pristine white sandy shores, many with resorts and private beaches. However, at first glance, the backdrop of refineries and petrochemical plants hardly paints the area in an attractive light. Fortunately, this is the 'new' Yanbu, that sits 15km south of 'old' Yanbu, which has a lengthy history dating back 2500 years to when it was a staging post for the marine spice and incense routes. In more recent history it is remembered as the place TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) stayed in.

Yanbu's modest old town is small but quaint, with an unhurried atmosphere not apparent in larger cities, and the historic houses (one of which belonged to Lawrence) are definitely worth a look. Just north of the town is vast, open desert that gives way to blue waters, and this area is where most visitors spend their time.

The doomed Ottoman Hejaz Railway, with its echoes of British Army officer TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and the Arab Revolt, cuts across northwestern Saudi Arabia in the form of abandoned and evocative stations, garrison forts and the odd bridge.

The railway was meant to make life easier for pilgrims trying to reach the two holy cities of Medina and Mecca. It dramatically cut journey times and made it difficult for waiting bandits to carry out raids. The line, begun in 1900, finally arrived in Medina in 1908, covering 1600km from Damascus in Syria, though the planned final leg to Mecca would never be realised.

Despite many Arab tribes supporting the railway for its economic potential, during WWI, the Hashemite ruler of the Hejaz at the time, Sherif Hussein, made an alliance with the British to drive the Ottomans out of the region, and their new flagship project became an obvious target. Harnessing the hostility of local Bedouin, TE Lawrence helped orchestrate the Arab Revolt's successful attacks on the railway, and by 1918 – less than two decades after the project had started – the line lay in ruins.

The stations in both Medina and Tabuk were the biggest in Saudi Arabia and are the most accessible sites. They have both been fully restored along with a few locomotives, and are now home to exhibitions featuring artefacts from the fabled railway, including old Ottoman telephones and unused ticket stamps.

For a more atmospheric experience, you'll need a 4WD. Start near Medina along Route 15 heading west out of the city. Just before it veers north near Qalata Makhit, you'll find the ruins of a small substation and fort off As Salaam Rd. It can only be admired from afar, as it is surrounded by fencing.

Staying on Route 15 until Al Mulaylih, join the slower road to Al Ula. About 20 minutes along, Al Buwayr station and fort, with an almost-complete train and several wagons, will come into view. A further 25 minutes down the road you will see tyre tracks heading northwest through the rocks. Follow them for about 10 minutes and you'll come upon the lonely Jadaah substation, the first to truly evoke the isolation of these romantic relics.

Get back on the road and drive for 30 minutes until you see the turning for the town of Huraymil. Follow the road to its outskirts and take the dirt road west through the mountains for about 4km. A wire fence will suddenly appear on your right and behind it a huge rusting locomotive, turned on its side, as if blown up by the Arab revolters yesterday. It sits surrounded by the ruins of a substation and fort. This is the most rewarding area along the route, for when you backtrack to Huraymil, another dirt track heading north will lead you to a beautiful 150m long Ottoman railway bridge that spans a dry riverbed. Surrounded by barren desert and connecting an invisible track from one bank to the other, the bridge is a poignant picture of what has been and gone.

The waters around the stunning Farasan Islands are rich in marine life, and diving is growing in popularity here. The plankton-rich waters are home to rays, dolphins, giant whale sharks, many varieties of fish, including large numbers of parrotfish, and several endangered species of turtle. The islands are also home to some of the few remaining stretches of coastal mangrove along the Red Sea, the habitat of the endangered dugong.

Farasan Town is the main town (on the biggest island, Greater Farasan), and its most stunning physical legacy is from the island's ill-explored pearling heritage, seen in the town's former pearl merchants' neighbourhood. Sadly, very little is known about this fascinating aspect of the island's past, as most Farasani pearl divers and merchants have now passed away, and it's difficult to see how this heritage will be resurrected. For now you'll have to rely on your imagination.

Dammam is the best place in the region for food and sleeping options. The city's cuisine has a truly international flavour to cater for its huge expat community, most of whom work for the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco). It is also where the causeway to Bahrain is located, making it popular with those wanting to hop across to the Kingdom's more liberal neighbour.

Dammam is where Saudi Arabia's oil story began in the early part of the last century, when America discovered oil here and a partnership between the two nations began; one that has seen their economies intertwined ever since.

It is therefore no surprise that elements of modern Dammam have a distinctly American feel. The city is laid out in a typical American grid system, with streets identified by numbers, and it is home to the largest concentration of American fast-food outlets in Saudi Arabia.

Often dubbed the 'second Petra', Madain Saleh, for many, is on a par with – if not more impressive than – its famous cousin across the border in Jordan. Both were major trading cities along the ancient Nabataean trade routes, as confirmed by recent excavations that have revealed the foundations of houses and a market area for traders and caravans. However, it's the 131 enigmatic tombs, which combine elements of Graeco-Roman architecture with Nabataean and Babylonian imagery, that grab all the attention.

The ancestral home of the Al Saud family in Wadi Hanifa and the birthplace of the Saudi-Wahhabi union, the Turaif district in Diraiyah, west of the capital city, was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2010 and is one of the most evocative places in the Kingdom. Since receiving Unesco recognition, the site has been closed to the public for restoration works, with plans to reopen it in early 2020 as an accessible tourist site. Special permission to enter and explore the site with a private guide (arranged through any travel agency) may be possible in the meantime.

The Turaif quarter, on the site's southwest, is the heart of the historic centre, while the Ghusaiba quarter was the first Saudi capital up to 1683. On the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa a visitor centre, cultural centre and museum were under construction at the time of research.

There’s no public transport to Diraiyah, which is 25km northwest of Al Bathaa. A one-way taxi here costs SR50, or expect to pay at least SR200 for a return taxi, including waiting time.

If driving, take King Fahd Rd north and follow the signs off to the west after passing Dallah Hospital. The road then turns north again – follow the brown signs marked ‘Old Dir’aiyah’.