KEEP CALM and WANDER

Yes, that’s right. I wore flip flops climbing mountains in Al Ula. They’re not your ordinary mountains but rocky mountains which can be dangerous when you step on imbalanced rocks. I didn’t bring my shoes because no one told me we were gonna climb mountains. It was supposed to be just a hike – but when […]

Is Al Ula the Grand Canyon of Saudi Arabia? From above, it looks like one but not completely like it. The panoramic views of sandstones and rock formations are breathtakingly stunning as the sun goes down. But going up there is quite interesting – you’ll pass through a steep, zigzag road that can be really […]

In Biblical Times, Al Ula was called as Dedan. It is mentioned in Isaiah 21:13 as a home trade base of Arab caravans. Today, the old town of Al Ula is a ghost town. No one lives there anymore but there’s a new town that is settled not far from the old. When you think of […]

They are called Lion Tombs carved in the rock mountains. Don’t get it wrong – there are definitely no dead lions buried inside. The lions are literally carved on the side of one of the Al Khuraiba Tombs. These small tombs are walking distance from a discovered old kingdom called “Kingdom of Lihyan.” Unlike the […]

It was a long drive from our town to Al Ula and to Madain Saleh. But it was a fun weekend hanging out with colleagues in our three colleges. We went sightseeing, watched the sunsets, admired Al Ula’s panorama from the summit, drove up via a dangerous zigzag road, fed animals, and climbed rocky mountains. […]

Last weekend, some of us went camping for two nights at Al Ula. Yes, I know what you are thinking – it’s hot and it’s a freakin’ desert! Well, you’re wrong! There are rocky mountains and incredible mountain formations, too! We didn’t really see much of the desert as we were surrounded by rock monoliths […]

Last Tuesday, my colleagues and I went to a white beach island here in Saudi Arabia. It was just a brief visit because we were picked up from our apartment at a quarter before 5 in the afternoon. When we arrived at the docking area, the local navy collected the photocopy of our passport and […]

Saudi Arabia isn’t known for its tourism that it is almost non-existent. The country doesn’t offer a tourist visa. The tourists you see around are those who are already working there and have either a working or a business visa. This huge nation is mostly known for its desert where oil pumps are spread across […]