attractions OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES


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SAND DUNES Not all desert areas are devoid of interest. Recreational activities are popular in the protected Nafud Al Urayq and the Alsa’afeeq Al Ghada Nature Park located south of Unayzah. Picnics, camping, hiking and quad bikes are popular activities here. The windswept sand dunes of Nafud Al Kabir (located near Tabuk) and western Al Asyah, (located northwest of Buraydah), offer the fabled beauty of the Arabian desert.


FORESTS Though primarily known for its deserts, Saudi Arabia boasts some 50 forest enclaves. Two prime examples are Raghdan Forest and Shahba Forest, both of which are situated fi ve kilometres north of Al Baha city. Raghdan Forest covers 2.5 square kilometres and overlooks a valley, while pine trees and juniper bushes make up the Shahba Forest, which is set at a higher


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altitude and has the Al Baha Science University at its peak. Al Geme Forest is home to olive,


acacia and juniper trees and its main draw is a cable car that runs up the forested slopes, offering a bird’s-eye view of the trees below. Lastly, Nawan Al Ala is a


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six-kilometre-long valley between two mountains near Asham village.


COASTLINE Saudi Arabia boasts long stretches of coast on both the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf and each offers abundant marine life, even in the more heavily industrialised Eastern Province. Just 32 kilometres from Jubail city is a chain of fi ve coral atolls: Harqus, Karan, Kurayn, Jana and Jurayd. These islands, an hour’s boat ride from the city, were formed when sand built up on a submerged coral reef. The islands are also a protected


breeding ground for turtles and it is necessary to gain permission to


1 Dust storm in the Tabuk region 2 Red Sea coral reef


visit them during the turtle breeding season. On the Red Sea some of the world’s best coral reefs are found. There are several important dive sites near Yanbu, particularly in the stretch of sea between Al Hasani Island and Sha’ah Al Abjad. Boat trips can be organised from the settlement of Sharm. Other sites include the Gotha El Sharm Reef, where divers can reach the wreck of the Shouna, an old Turkish steam ship that sank a few miles from Yanbu. Turtles, whales, dolphins and


even the dugong, otherwise known as the manatee or sea cow, can all be seen here.


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