Saudi Arabia

Bordering Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, Oman, and Yemen, Saudi Arabia sits at the crossroads of the Middle East with coastlines on both the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf. Riyadh serves as the capital, Arabic is the official language, and the Saudi riyal is the currency. The country is the birthplace of Islam and home to its two holiest cities, giving it outsized religious and political influence across the Muslim world.

Many nationalities can now obtain a Saudi tourist eVisa online through the official Visit Saudi platform, a system introduced in 2019. Some passport holders qualify for visa-on-arrival. Travellers should verify current eligibility through their nearest Saudi embassy or the official government portal, as policies have evolved considerably in recent years.

AlUla's ancient Hegra contains over 100 Nabataean tombs carved directly into sandstone outcrops, making it Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old city of Diriyah on the outskirts of Riyadh preserves mud-brick palaces of the first Saudi state. The Red Sea coast near NEOM and the Farasan Islands offers coral reefs in largely undisturbed waters. Abha in the Asir highlands sits above 2,000 metres and is known for its cooler climate and terraced mountain villages.

The climate is predominantly arid desert, with extreme summer heat across most of the country — interior temperatures regularly reach 45 °C between June and August. Winters are mild to cool, ranging from roughly 8 °C to 20 °C in Riyadh. The southwestern Asir region receives more rainfall and stays cooler year-round. October through March is generally the most comfortable period for travel. Packing light, loose layers and sun protection is essential for most of the year.

• Home to Mecca, Islam's holiest city.
• World's largest conventional crude oil reserves.
• Rub' al Khali is Earth's largest continuous sand desert.
• Women gained the right to drive in 2018.
• The riyal has been pegged to the US dollar since 1986.

• visitsaudi.com — official national tourism authority portal
• evisa.visitsaudi.com — official Saudi tourist eVisa application system
• ncm.gov.sa — National Center for Meteorology, official weather data
• saudiairlines.com — national carrier, Saudia, for domestic and international routes