Saudi Arabia: AlUla, Jeddah & the Red Sea

Saudi Arabia opened to tourism in 2019, and the early adopters are being rewarded with experiences that feel genuinely frontier: AlUla's Nabataean tombs (the Saudi Petra, but without the crowds), Jeddah's coral-stone old city, and a Red Sea coastline with reefs that have never seen a snorkel mask. The infrastructure is developing fast, the ambition is enormous, and the hospitality — Arabian coffee, dates, and a cultural generosity that catches visitors off guard — is as old as the desert.

1. Day 1

   Arrival in Jeddah

   Fly into King Abdulaziz Airport. Private transfer to The St. Regis Jeddah, a five-star hotel overlooking the Corniche and the Red Sea. Evening: welcome dinner at Nozomi, Jeddah's upscale Japanese restaurant on the waterfront — sashimi, robata grill, and the energy of Jeddah's cosmopolitan dining scene.

   • Stay: The St. Regis Jeddah — Red Sea suite
   • Culinary: Nozomi welcome dinner

2. Day 2

   Jeddah: Al — Balad & Red Sea

   Morning guided walk through Al-Balad, Jeddah's UNESCO-listed historic district — the coral-stone tower houses (some 600 years old), the rawashin (ornate wooden lattice balconies), the Al-Alawi and Al-Noor mosques, and the Bab Makkah gate. Your guide explains the Hajj-pilgrim trading history that made Jeddah one of the wealthiest ports on earth. Lunch at a Jeddah restaurant: kabsa (the Saudi national dish — spiced rice with slow-roasted lamb), mutabbaq (stuffed pan-fried bread), and fresh dates. Afternoon: snorkeling or diving on the Jeddah Red Sea reefs — some of the healthiest coral in the world, with visibility exceeding 30 meters. Evening: the Jeddah Corniche at sunset — 30 km of waterfront promenade, with the King Fahd Fountain (the world's tallest water jet) visible across the bay.

   • Cultural: Al-Balad UNESCO walk
   • Culinary: Kabsa lunch
   • Scenic: Red Sea reef snorkeling

3. Day 3

   Jeddah to AlUla: Desert Arrival

   Morning flight to AlUla (1.5 hours). Private transfer to Banyan Tree AlUla, a luxury tented resort in the Ashar Valley — mirrored-exterior villas that reflect the desert landscape, a spa, and Nabataean ruins visible from your terrace. Afternoon: guided walk through Dadan, the ancient Lihyanite and Dadanite city (lion tombs carved into the cliff face, 2,500 years old). Evening: dinner at the resort — Saudi lamb, truffle-scented rice (desert truffles are a Saudi delicacy), and Arabian coffee under the desert sky.

   • Stay: Banyan Tree AlUla — Mirrored desert villa
   • Cultural: Dadan ancient city
   • Culinary: Desert truffle dinner

4. Day 4

   AlUla: Hegra (Madain Salih)

   Full-day exploration of Hegra (Madain Salih), Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site — 111 Nabataean tombs carved into sandstone outcrops across the desert, dating from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD. The tombs are similar to Petra's but far less visited — you may have entire tomb facades to yourself. Your archaeologist guide explains the Nabataean trade routes, the hydraulic engineering, and the inscriptions. Visit the Hejaz Railway station (an Ottoman-era stop on the Damascus-Medina pilgrimage railway, now a museum). Lunch at the resort. Afternoon: hot-air balloon ride over the AlUla valley at sunset (seasonal) — the sandstone formations and the oasis below in golden light.

   • Cultural: Hegra Nabataean tombs (UNESCO) with archaeologist, Hejaz Railway
   • Scenic: Hot-air balloon over AlUla

5. Day 5

   AlUla: Oasis & Art

   Morning visit to the AlUla Old Town — the abandoned medieval settlement of mud-brick houses, narrow lanes, and a citadel, now being carefully restored. Walk through the AlUla oasis — date palms, citrus groves, and the ancient irrigation system that has sustained the valley for millennia. Visit Maraya, the world's largest mirrored building (a concert and exhibition hall that reflects the desert on all four facades — surreal and spectacular). Lunch at a desert camp: ouzi (whole roasted lamb on rice), Arabian flatbreads, and fresh fruit. Afternoon at leisure — the resort spa, a desert walk, or the Tantora district's galleries and cafés. Second night at Banyan Tree AlUla.

   • Cultural: AlUla Old Town, Maraya mirror building
   • Culinary: Ouzi desert camp lunch

6. Day 6

   AlUla to Red Sea Coast: AMAALA

   Transfer to the emerging Red Sea coast (flight or drive, depending on current infrastructure). Check into a Red Sea resort — the newly developing AMAALA or Red Sea Global properties. Afternoon: snorkeling on pristine reefs — the Saudi Red Sea has been virtually untouched by tourism, and the coral diversity and fish populations are among the best in the world. Farewell dinner at the resort — grilled Red Sea hammour (grouper), hummus, tabbouleh, and kunafa (warm cheese pastry with syrup) as the sun sets over the sea.

   • Scenic: Pristine Red Sea reef snorkeling
   • Culinary: Red Sea hammour farewell dinner

7. Day 7

   Departure

   Transfer to the nearest airport for your outbound flight. Your Byline concierge confirms routing (the airport infrastructure is evolving — AlUla, NEOM, and Jeddah are current options).