We made another crazy stop in Saudi Arabia and hope it is the last one on this trip. We followed the road trip guide and arrived at Al Mansour Palace in Al Awsajiyah. Unfortunately, it’s just a ruin, and sadly, we did not find any information about this tiny forgotten palace...
We didn’t expect much from this stop, but to our surprise, we found a lovely old town with a collection of old mud houses built with adobe, clay, and mud. Most of them were completely demolished, but some survived the rain torrents and were renovated. Parking location – Uyun...
We loved Dubai’s southernmost district, brimming with luxurious beachfront resorts, restaurants, and some of the city’s most glamorous see-and-be-seen nightclubs. Daytime, we strolled along the Dubai Marina waterfront; we enjoyed The Walk at JBR and, of course, The Beach at...
We encounter the world at the deliciously kitschy Global Village (🎟️23 AED). The carnival-like Global Village is like a “world fair” for shoppers. Each of the 35-something pavilions spread over a massive space showcases a specific nation’s culture and products. Aside...
We parked in the garages of Souk Al Bahar, where the first few hours were free. Then we walked to the lake with great views of Burj Khalifa. It is a stunning feat of architecture and engineering, with two observation decks on the 124th and 148th floors and a restaurant on the 122nd. The...
It’s challenging to take photos of Dubai’s most iconic hotel and a global icon of Arabian luxury. You can explore it from the private beach in front of the hotel or the boat. You can also visit the hotel on a guided tour or book a room there. We wandered around Souk Al...
In the late afternoon, we made a stop at Zabeel Park (🅿️10 AED,🎟️5 AED) to walk around and take photos of a 150m rectangular “picture frame.” It opened in January 2018, right between historic and modern Dubai, and provides grand views of both parts of the city. But we could...
The historic courtyards of Shaqra’s heritage village feature beautiful triangular windows, roofs, and ornately carved wooden doors. We strolled around the old market and its traditional shops before our drive to Riyadh.
Parking location – Shaqra: 25.255977N 45.254603E
Already second Continental tyre exploded during our ride to the forgotten house of Hatem Al Tai – a symbol of generosity and chivalry. Hatem Al Tai (died 578) was an Arab poet of the Tai tribe who lived in the region of the Aja and Salma mountains, currently known as Hail, in...
Finally, we arrived at the ruins of ancient Dumatha, nowadays Dumat al-Jundal, located in North Western Saudi Arabia in the Al Jawf Province. It is the largest and best-known oasis at the northern limit of the great al-Nafud desert. The city has a history dating back to the 10th century...