RAMADAN, PRICES AND ALL THE DETAILS- Travelling in Saudi Arabia 2025

......our last blog post about travels in Saudi Arabia was set in other-worldly Al Ula, an ancient desert city...........

We wanted to make a summary blog post about our strong feelings regarding our travels throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our impressions of the country before visiting were so different to the reality within KSA, and we assume it may be the case for our readers. There are many negative preconceptions that arise when thinking about Saudi Arabia, and hopefully we can rectify this with our tales of one of the most rewarding trips we have ever made.

Adorable welcoming father and son, Najran, KSA

Beautiful mountains around Asir region, KSA

TRAVEL NOTES

Transport in Saudi Arabia......

Travelling  in a country where almost everyone drives can be both challenging and easy in various situations. We struggled with walking in cities and towns with huge main roads, as there are few pedestrian crossings, and often walkers are forced to trek a long way around to avoid being mown down. Apparently it is illegal to cross the road when not at an official pedestrian crossing, but we did it all the time to save time and energy. 

On the other hand, when we wanted to get from town to town, with bus options being limited, we found it extremely easy to get a lift in a local's car, and most of our best experiences whilst in Saudi were when hitch-hiking. Our most numerable and successful trips were with military guys, English-speaking Saudis in flash SUVs, Sudanese and Egyptians. Of course, there were dozens of other kind and generous folk who picked us up from the side of the road to see us safely to our destinations. Amazingly, we were without fail taken directly to where we were staying in a new city or town by these lovely people. 

A very young man saved us one morning when our taxi didn't turn up! KSA

A completely mad ride with two lovely guys in the south of Saudi

Highways were always immaculate, new, with no potholes and plenty of room, little traffic outside of urban areas, and even had cleaning crews picking up rubbish by hand. Generally drivers don't speed because of numerous speed bumps and cameras with potentially huge fines. They do still love to use their mobile phones whilst driving, though, hiding them when they see cameras. This, of course, made us nervous, but that is the way it is in Saudi. 

                                       

                                   Driving through tunnels on a mountain side, whilst talking and texting

They love drive through facilities in Saudi, and drive through banks, cafes and pharmacies are all very common. 

Standing at the drive-through coffee place in Najran

Options at the drive-through bank, KSA

Public transport depended on the city/town, but was generally very sparse. We took local buses where we could in a few towns (Dammam, Jazan and Madinah), the networks always a new phenomenon in car-oriented Saudi. Somewhat limited, the buses were nevertheless new, AC and comfortable, and we're sure the systems will improve with time. 

Otherwise, we relied on taxi apps. They were surprisingly cheap, although it took us a while to get used to taking a taxi - something we almost never do! We used a mixture of Bolt, Careem and Uber depending on where we were, the prices varied quite a bit. We found them to be very reasonably priced for short distances, and usually a great way to talk with friendly Saudi drivers. Some of the apps worked without a SIM, others we needed to have our Saudi number. On average, a trip across a town of ten minutes or so would cost 10-20 SAR/£2-£4.

Riyadh has it's marvellous metro, which we spoke about extensively here. 

One of our focuses in Saudi was to take a train on one of the three railway lines in the country. We planned our trip so that we were actually able to take two train trips - one on the eastern line from Dammam to Riyadh, and the other on the pilgrimage line between Jeddah and Madinah. They were equally impressive. The trains were brand new, clean, fast, punctual and super organized and we were dazzled. We were able to gain discounted prices by booking online a few weeks in advance. Both trains were about 100 SAR/£20 each for the three hour trips. 

The last couple of trips we took as we were heading north and out of Saudi were with the North West bus company. These were also superb, perfectly on time, and the drivers were very careful. Also at around 100 SAR/£20, the journeys were much longer than our train trips, but just as comfortable. As the buses were nearly empty, we were able to spread out and enjoy the desert views out the big windows. 

Scenery out of Saudi bus window, KSA

Also, a note about SIM cards here. We hadn't been able to find out this information prior to arriving in KSA, and thought it might be helpful for people thinking about travelling here. SIM cards must be bought from the official phone company office. These are Mobily (the one we used), or STC, and the offices are plentiful, when you know what to look for! We initially bought a card lasting for 30 days, for about 65 SAR/£13, which had more than enough data for us to use taxis and WhatsApp people whilst out and about and away from free WIFI. After our 30 days had run out, we then topped up the SIM for about 35 SAR/£7 for another 30 days.

The places we visited in Saudi Arabia in 2025

Food in Saudi Arabia.......

Food was an unexpected highlight in Saudi Arabia. We hadn't really thought too much about cuisine when planning our trip, supposing it would be something like Egypt or Lebanon. But the food here is quite unique, and more bread based rather than rice based. We were told this is from the times before Indians came with their rice. There is an absolutely huge variety of dishes in Saudi Arabia, and we really only tried a fraction.

Colourful Saudi dips

When we had a host we were treated to an amazing array of local delicacies. Riyadh, Najran and Jazan were the stand outs in this respect, and a great more detail about these cuisines can be found on the respective blog pages. 

Spectacular fish feast in Jazan, KSA

Left to our own devices, we often weren't sure what to order, especially when no-one spoke English. Kabsa, shawaya and mandi (classic chicken and rice dishes) were always a safe bet, and often we ate at simple eateries. Foods such as felafel, shawarma, murtabbaq (a stuffed meat pancake), ful (mashed and spiced beans) and sambousa were delicious and readily available almost everywhere. The Saudis actually claim the samosa (India's national food!), and call it sambousa. Sorry Saudi, but they are not as good the Indian version! For those interested, a filling meal for the two of us including (non-alcoholic) drinks usually set us back between 20-30 SAR/£4-£6.

Murtabbaq, fast food in Saudi

Other meals we enjoyed were at Egyptian, Pakistani and Indian restaurants, as these were usually delicious, filling and cheap options. We did also try Al Baik, the Saudi version of McDonalds, and far superior in quality, as one would imagine! The shrimp sandwiches were quite tasty and everything on the menu was extremely good value for money. We did struggle slightly with the crowds trying to order, before discovering the ladies ordering section which was slightly less manic.

A unexpectedly massive Egyptian feast in Riyadh, KSA

Most restaurants have family rooms with curtains for ladies, children and families, with men eating in the main part. It seemed to be acceptable for us to eat in either. We noticed when eating out with a host, we would normally be taken to a family room, probably because of the presence of a woman (Sal!). 

Not being an alcohol consuming nation, coffee culture has become very important in the Kingdom. Saudis take their coffee extremely seriously, with tea being a secondary beverage. Saudi coffee is served as a welcome everywhere, usually along with dates, and has a spicey fragrance thanks to the cardamon added. It's quite unique, and Sal, in particular really grew to enjoy the taste. The coffee beans are roasted lightly, which gives the coffee a pale colour. This great webpage clearly shows the process. Dates, of course were ever present, and we very much loved trying the different varieties. From quite dry and hard to sticky and sweet, we discovered we loved them all!

Date palm plantation, KSA

Richard was amused to see the Saudi's love of Vimto, a drink he remembers from his British childhood. Apparently here it is THE drink with which to break the fasting at Ramadan!

Vimto loving nation!

A malt, fake beer drink, KSA

Never seen popcorn in a can before! KSA

Accommodation in Saudi Arabia........

We alternated our accommodation between "cheap" hotels and Couchsurfing. We really prefer our own space and time these days, but Couchsurfing was unparalleled when it came to fantastic local information and tips. And of course, we love company and a good chat about travelling. 

A meal with our Couchsurfing host in Jazan

Most hotels were in actuality what they called serviced apartments. Often rooms had an almost palatial living room, washing machine, microwave and massive TV (none of which we used), but were lacking basic items in the kitchen such as spoons or cups. Most often we had AC, a kettle and a fridge (which was all we needed anyway). Although the price was comparatively high for us, usually they were very comfortable and clean, and we learnt to deal with the expense. They really don't have cheapy, basic options for sleeping in KSA- or at least as a tourist, we would find it difficult to locate those places. The cheapest of these hotels came in at about 72 SAR/£15, but usually we paid around 150 SAR/£30 a night. Air B and B was practically useless, and we usually relied on Booking.com. A minor and weird quirk was that no towels were included at most hotels, although sometimes if we asked some would be rustled up. 

                                                                        Our lovely rooms in Najran

                                                                Rich happy with our luxury room in Al Bahah

Saudi Arabia weather in February and March..........

We were surprised at the range of weather we experienced in Saudi Arabia during our stay. We had thought coming in winter would mean warm temperatures pretty much across the country. But each area varied greatly. At the beginning, in Dammam and Riyadh, we had generally windy and cloudy weather, with a little drizzle even. Najran in the south was sunny and warm, and Jazan on the coast was uncomfortably hot and humid. As we moved into the mountains around Abha it cooled down, especially at night, but the days were beautiful for exploring. Al Bahah region was the most extreme weather. Terribly foggy and quite cold at nights, we held out and were rewarded with a couple of lovely sunny days. As we travelled up to Jeddah and north to more deserty areas, the weather was dry and hot. We feel like we had the full spectrum!

Mountainous region of southern Saudi.......

......contrasting desert in the north of Saudi!

Money in Saudi Arabia......

On the whole, Saudi Arabia was cheaper than we expected. Although we were paying more for hotels rooms than we would be in South East Asia, Central Asia or the Balkans, many other aspects were affordable. We were impressed with the price/standard ratio for transport (when it was available), and food could be very inexpensive. Considering the huge percentage of imported goods in the shops in Saudi, the prices are much more reasonable than one would think. 

We used ATMs in KSA without any hassles. They were, in fact, all fee free, an amazing perk for travellers like us. We are used to searching all over a city for the free ATMs in other destinations. We had to laugh at the huge amount options offered on the screen for withdrawals- 10,000 SAR, or the equivalent of £2000 being an option.

Saudis are incredibly honest, and we never had any problems with being overcharged or feeling as though we might have been ripped off in the entire two months during our stay. It just isn't part of their culture. It was quite the opposite, people giving us things for free, and often refusing payment for services such as taxis. We felt completely relaxed and safe. The same went for the foreign workers living in Saudi. They seem to behave impeccably, maybe because if they don't they will not be allowed to stay.

The only slight downside was the proliferation of bank cards. We are big proponents of using cash, but Saudi is a digital society, or at least becoming one very quickly. We usually managed OK using cash, there were only a couple of times we were forced to use our debit card to buy a bus ticket. Many Saudis use their cards to pay for absolutely everything, and all shops and taxis are required by law to have an electronic card reader. People also have their whole lives on their phone- IDs, bank cards, tickets and bills.

SOCIETAL NOTES

Religion in Saudi Arabia........

I think we were expecting a more radically religious country. Most Saudis pray five times a day, and mosques are not loud. Sometimes men pray in the middle of a shop or restaurant, but usually we didn't even clock it was prayer time. Our hosts were always very discreet, and when driving with someone, they would sometimes pull off the road for a few minutes to pray, and we would happily wait for them. It was really no different from many other Muslim countries we have travelled in. We didn't realize there was such a large Shia community in Saudi, we had assumed most people to be Sunni Muslims. They are mainly in the East and around Najran in the south. Probably the most notable element about Islam in Saudi, is that the overwhelming majority of people are Muslim. From what we saw, it is only a tiny part of the population who are not, mainly some of the Philippino workers.

Old mosque, southern Saudi Arabia

We were unsure what to expect during Ramadan in KSA. Our original plan involved leaving Saudi before Ramadan started, in order to miss what could be a difficult period for travelling. But as we were enjoying the country so much, and felt relaxed about things, we decided to stay on and experience the fasting time. 

At first, we attempted to reverse our routine to fit in with local times. Nothing whatsoever happened in the mornings, when pretty much every business was shut. We would make sure we had bought some fruit and yogurt the evening before to eat in our room in the mornings and snacks for during the day. Everything shut every prayer time. Some shops opened at 2.00pm, and some eateries generally opened between 4.00pm and 6.30pm selling takeaways. People seemed to break the fast at home at sunset (6.30pm-ish). We would often buy a takeaway at this time and eat in our accommodation. People then went for Taraweeh, a special extra Ramadan prayer, which finished about 9.00pm. This was when the country came to life, with everyone on the streets and restaurants and shops full. Sometimes we waited until this time to eat, even though it was so late for us.

We were not able to completely change to this routine. We are just way too used to getting up in the morning, having several hours of sunlight outside doing something, and going to sleep before midnight. It wasn't too bad to adjust ourselves a bit temporarily, but we couldn't do it completely. 

Saudis told us it was going to be very difficult to hitch-hike during Ramadan. This may have been true to an extent. There may have been less cars on the road than usual, but our main hitch-hiking during this period was in the mountains, so it's hard to know what it is normally like. We always managed to get lifts, even if we had to wait a while in some cases. The main difference during Ramadan was that because people were fasting and all eateries were shut, they were not able to invite us to eat with them. This was the main way people showed us their hospitality, and the central means for us to learn about culture, food and Saudi life. We loved it so much, and very much missed this aspect of life on the road. 

An upshot of travelling during Ramadan was the reduction of prices at some hotels. Locals weren't moving about much, and we were happy to see lowering of rates in many towns, a plus for us in this situation. The reverse of this was true in Madinah, however, a seemingly popular place to visit for umrah (pilgrimage) during Ramadan. Visiting the ancient tombs at Al Ula was half the price of normal entrance- apparently Saudis don't visit this town when they're fasting. 

We had decided not to stay with locals during Ramadan, as it would be too much of an imposition and difficult for them to host us whilst fasting. We always carried water with us during the day, but snuck off somewhere quiet to drink, so not to offend anyone. Saudis said it's fine for us to eat and drink in public during Ramadan, but it seemed the height of insensitivity to us. 

The fasting is tough in a hot and dry country like Saudi Arabia, especially without water. We felt a lot of respect to those going through it. One poor bloke in the line for the Farasan ferry, keeled over and fainted. This must be pretty common. We suffered the most from dehydration on our hitching day from Al Bahah to Jeddah. It's a horrible feeling, and we felt especially sorry for the people working outside. Hopefully they are exempt from the no water rule.

Overall, travelling during Ramadan in Saudi Arabia as a backpacker is certainly possible, and with careful planning not too much of an inconvenience. But it is definitely not the best time to experience the best of the Saudi people - in the day time, anyway. 

Clothing in Saudi Arabia.......

Saudis wear modest and loose clothing suitable to the culture and climate, and traditional dress is adorned by both sexes for everyday life. Men wear the long robe called a thawb, and a head scarf known as a shemaagh. We were most familiar with the classic white and red checked summer combination, but there are some varieties for seasonal differences. A darker grey or black robe, and a woollen scarf can be worn in winter. Men always looked so clean and fresh in their crisp white thawbs.

Boys dressed up for Saudi Founding Day, KSA

Women mostly wear all black. A tarhah covers the head and sometimes the face-covering niqab is worn. Usually an abaya covers the entire outfit. There are regional varieties, but for both men and women these outfits are considered the national dress and must be worn for any official duties. 

Lovely woman working at Al Turaif, Riyadh, KSA

Abaya safety, KSA

Rich wore long trousers and a long sleeved shirt for the entire time in Saudi, and Sal covered up with an abaya. Neither of these were compulsory, we just felt more comfortable dressed like the majority of the population. Things were obviously more modest in more rural places, and slightly more liberal in the cities. We noticed in Jazan many men wore shorts, and in Riyadh and Jeddah women's attire was sometimes more colourful than the basic black. I don't think we saw a woman without an abaya for our entire stay. This, of course, may be because we weren't in contact with any women in their own homes. 

Rich in Old Al Ula, KSA

Sal and Rakan and a giant ball, Riyadh, KSA

It is the current King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and especially his son the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman that are responsible for most of the current developments in society and government, and most of the changes have occurred in the last five to six years. The most famous of these is women being allowed to drive. Others include cinemas being opened, princes having to pay their own bills, live concerts being allowed, women no longer having to cover up with an abaya and being able to study law at university. There are doubtless many other changes, these are just a few we were made aware of.  

Gorgeous scenery in the mountains of Saudi Arabia

Other interesting societal notes

After spending two months in Saudi, our perception was that most people have a pretty good life in many ways. It's not a perfect system, but it's hard to argue with free health insurance, free education, benefits for disadvantaged citizens, including rent assistance, and no personal tax. A 15% sale tax came into effect during recent years, and this cost is always built into prices in shops and restaurants. Certain food products such as milk are subsidized, as are wages of those on a low income. A massive water desalination project means drinking water is not a worry, and electricity is cheap. KSA is rich, and it seems the leaders spend a lot of the money on much that is good for the people, and therefore the economy.

Healthcare has always been free, but we were told in the last five years that the standard has been raised. When a prescription is given, a person simply goes to the pharmacy where it's waiting and free of charge. If specialist treatment for one's ailment is not available in Saudi, the health care system supports having treatment overseas, no matter what the cost!

Minimum wage in Saudi is 3,500 SAR/£720 per month, and all residents will earn or receive this amount. All citizens have access to free schooling and university, and every student gets financial support of 950 SAR/£200 per month from the kingdom to cover basic expenses such as books. If a family is in a bad financial situation, there is a possibility for additional help, such as free laptops. This creates a system where there is no need for student loans. If someone wants to study a subject that's not so common in Saudi, the government may pay for their expenses to study abroad. 

We had heard a rumour that many Saudis are paid not to work, but discovered this is not true. Residents who unable to to work due to an advanced age, or have a disability or illness are given 3,800 SAR/£785 per month. Unemployed Saudis may qualify for 3,000 SAR/£620 per month payment as part of a program to find employment. For this they must apply for more than ten jobs in a month. If they remain without a job, they may receive the payment, but only for a one year maximum period. 

Non-citizens live a different existence. They don't qualify for free medical care, for example. Most of the service people in KSA are foreigners. Many are Philippino, South Asians and Yemeni. Egyptians and Palestinians are also represented. There seemed to be a few exceptions to this employment trend. One was taxi drivers (most of ours were Saudi), and the other was the Saudi check-out boys in the supermarkets, splendid in their white and red outfits. Only a small percentage of the population is undocumented. It's very difficult to live in Saudi without being registered. Even as tourists, we couldn't do many things such as entering a museum, accessing ferries and taxi apps, checking into a hotel or purchasing a metro card or train ticket without giving our phone number, and sometimes even showing our visas.

Every shop and company in Saudi must adhere to strict regulations. Some of these include having an electronic card reader for customers to pay by card, and also businesses must have a camera installed in order to be allowed to function. Restaurant cooking must be performed in a place where cleanliness is on full display, with a window, or Perspex screen. 

We always felt 100 percent safe in every way in Saudi Arabia. The day we arrived, our friend advised us it was no problem leaving our bags and laptop in his car, and people don't even lock their houses. We were told by many people nothing will ever be stolen. Although out of big cities it might be unusual to see women walking alone, they are entirely safe and protected. It may be the country where have felt the safest in the world. Some say the lack of crime is partly due to honesty and partly fear of harsh repercussions. The one area we heard of criminality was around the Yemen border, where apparently much drug smuggling occurs, and is creating addiction problems within certain parts of society. Those caught smuggling face harsh penalties - people told us they would be put to death. 

Lovely, friendly people, all over Saudi Arabia

We just wanted to end on the random fact about how Saudi Arabia smells so good everywhere! People put an emphasis on a pleasant aroma (what a shame for locals encountering us!), and someone put the theory to us that the fascination with perfume may be a stamp of personality in a country where everyone dresses the same. The ever-present perfumed air is lovely, a bark called oud is burned through an incense burner, and the gorgeous smell drifts around the country everywhere one goes.

Incense burners used throughout history in Saudi

Different types of oud used to create divine smells

As is probably evident from our blogs, Saudi Arabia made a large and positive impression on us. It was one of our most adventurous and rewarding trips ever, and one where we felt we had made some authentic connections with people we met along the way. Who knows if we will ever find our way back, but we felt extremely blessed to have visited and to have found ourselves there at the perfect time. 

Farewell Saudi, and thank you, it has been most amazing

.........next up, a new adventure in a new country - Jordan.......

HITCHING SAUDI - Abha and Jazan regions, Saudi Arabia

..........previously our stay in the most hospitable place in Saudi Arabia, Najran......

* A bit of a warning - this is a rather massive blog! We've had such a range of experiences since we've been travelling in KSA, and it's quite hard to keep up with the news and pictures. Take your time, and hopefully you will enjoy our adventures alongside us.

There couldn't have been a more typical way to exit amazing Najran. We wanted to try to hitch-hike the next leg of our trip, but thought we'd first grab a taxi to the outskirts of town to start the journey. The taxi driver was so sweet, firstly asking us to breakfast and then refusing payment at the destination. This town is really something!

We hadn't thought through our plan very well, as we were leaving on a Friday morning, and the traffic was thin. But after 30 minutes, lovely Abdullah stopped and with no English he indicated he would take us all the way to Abha, about a three hour drive. 

Abdullah was a real joker, and through Google Translate we had a good laugh, and the time flew. Hilariously, he sprayed us with perfume as we entered the car- a telling sign of our backpacker status. Before we got going too far, he stopped at a shop and came out with a bag loaded with drinks and snacks for the journey. The scenery was dry brown mountains, with many old abandoned mud villages. As we moved further north the style of the villages changed somewhat, and were looking forward to seeing some different designs where we were heading. 

Funny Abdullah, taking us to Abha, KSA

Scenery during the trip from Najran to Abha, KSA

                                             

Saudis we met always told us how good the weather was in Abha, and we realized after a while that by "good" they meant cool and drizzly, preferably with fog, with "bad" weather being hot and sunny.

We didn't gel with Abha as we had with Najran. Not staying with a local, we didn't interact as much with people. The town itself was a bit underwhelming - quite shabby and a bit rough around the edges. The people overall seemed less cheerful, especially the huge population of South Asians. One Bangladeshi, however, stood out from the rest. Entering his tiny cafe one cool night, we were warmly welcomed with a hot meal and friendly chat about his daughter living in Sydney. As we left, he told us he refused our payment, saying we were his guests. Another engaging person we met was a Saudi taxi driver, a pilot oddly enough, who declined our money at the end of a short trip across town. 

A tiny heritage area in Abha was of interest, due to the mud building's design. Similar to the buildings we had seen further south, these ones had the added benefit of thin flat stones inserted in layers around the exterior. This was presumably to protect the mud from rain, which might be a bigger problem here than down south. It was an ingenuous design, and the wooden shutters added an aesthetically pleasing touch.

Interesting style of mud houses in Abha, KSA

Abha's small heritage village, KSA

Detail in the stone houses in Abha Heritage Village

We unwittingly perfectly timed our visit to the Thulatha (Tuesday) Souq to coincide with the Saudi Founding Day festivities. Wandering around the fascinating stalls, we noticed many items of exotic women's clothing- long black gowns with gold embroidery, accompanying headbands, scarves of many colours, jingling silver belts, head decorations and plenty of costume jewellery. Obviously, we haven't seen any women wearing these, but it would be lovely to see them bejewelled and uncovered from their abayas and niqabs.

Guy selling hats, Thulatha Souq, Abha, KSA

Brass mortar and pestle, Thulatha Souq, Abha, KSA

Sparkly outfits for sale, Thulatha Souq, Abha, KSA

We hadn't seen so many families in one place since Riyadh, and we noticed many of them arriving dressed up, even the women. They wore gold headdresses and headbands, many had fully made up eyes, and henna markings on their chins. All the little kids were dressed in different Asir styles (the region in which Abha is located), with straw hats, yellow scarves and black dresses being characteristics of the clothing. Many people had flowers in their hair, and bouquets and herbs for sale filled the air with a sweet perfume. The range of colours and ethnic backgrounds in people was also noticeable in this market- some looking quite African. 

Local urchins, Thulatha Souq, Abha, KSA

Smiley girl in Abha's Founding Day celebrations, KSA

Saudi kids in the crowd, Thulatha Souq, Abha, KSA

Gold and henna, Saudi Founding Day, Abha, KSA

Dressed up like kings! Founding Day, Abha, KSA

Extremely photogenic kid, Abha, KSA

Young people in the crowd, Saudi Founding day, Abha, KSA

Some dancing broke out amongst the youngsters, everyone looking on, and after there was date pudding for everyone. It was a wonderful atmosphere, with everyone in a happy mood, and it was a change for the women to outshine the men for once! Females happily chatted with Sal, although no photos again unfortunately. Of course, we were thrilled to experience this celebration, especially as most people didn't mind having their photos taken. Richard became surrounded by so many men and boys at one point that we had to sneak out. 

Beautiful girls dressed in traditional Asir outfits, Abha, KSA

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Our final day in Abha had been put aside for a big day trip hitching to the stone village of Rijal Alma. However, Rich had a bit of a tummy issue, and the site didn't open until 3.00pm, so we opted for a quiet morning catching up in our room, and took a taxi the one hour trip to Rijal Alma later in the day.

*A note about taxis in Saudi. Normally, we rarely use taxis during our travels, unless we absolutely have to. We like to save money and experience local transport. But in Saudi, public transport is rare or non-existent in many towns. We discovered that ordering taxi through one of many apps used here, it is quite affordable, and usually a great way to talk with friendly Saudi drivers. An average 10-20 minute trip across town would cost on average 10-20 SAR/£2-4.

The drive to Rijal Alma was absolutely stunning, and the driver was kind enough to stop a few times in order for us to appreciate the amazing views down into the valley. There were also baboons along the road, which we weren't expecting! 

Baboons on the road to Rijal Alma, KSA

Stunning view, road to Rijal Alma, KSA

Making our way carefully down the windy roads, we eventually found ourselves dropped off in a village outside what is one of the most popular tourist sites in Saudi, Rijal Alma. Amidst all the surrounding beautiful nature we were immediately dismayed at what we could see of the "heritage site". A revolting, tacky advertising wall surrounded the location, with bright banners and hideous coloured cafe signs covering the actual historical buildings inside. We don't know whose idea this was, but it completely ruined the effect even from the outside, and we weren't interested in entering. 

The old village at Rijal Alma, KSA

The tackiness of the signs and colours on the heritage village, Rijal Alma, KSA

Luckily, in the surrounding village were many other old buildings that had been left alone and although some were in disrepair, at least they were authentic. A small (closed) museum, a mosque and some clusters of ancient stone beauties held our attention, as did an intriguing tower on a hill. After a few false starts we scrambled up a path of sorts leading to the top, but it was overgrown with thorny bushes, and too steep for us to make it all the way. 

Close up of door detail, Rijal Alma, KSA

A mix of renovated and more dilapidated buildings, Rijal Alma, KSA

Clay pot hanging in Rijal Alma museum, KSA

Beautiful sunny day at Rijal Alma, KSA

Some of the deserted parts of Rijal Alma village, KSA

Apparently Rijal Alma village is about 900 years old, and used to be an important spot on the trade route from Yemen. We did love the intricate style of the stone and wood structures, quite different from what we had seen around Najran. Such details as alternating layers of small and large flat stones, and inlaid quartz around the windows were unique and pretty.

Quartz used as decoration around window, Rijal Alma

Falling down structures at Rijal Alma village, KSA

A lot of work put into this doorway, Rijal Alma, KSA

There was enough traffic coming back from Rijal Alma, that we were easily able to hitchhike back to Abha. The third lift was from a lovely family, who spoke no English, but clearly wanted to help us. A stop at a service station saw the father disappear inside and return with cold water and snacks for us and the three little kids squashed into the back seat. As we approached Abha town, we discovered they were from Najran (of course they were, so kind!), and were heading home. We tried to insist they drop us on the city limits and continue on their way, but they weren't having it and took us to our hotel.

Rich's tummy seeming to be stable, we set off the next morning for what proved to be a most interesting day hitching to Jazan. 

Taking a rest in the outside museum, Rijal Alma, KSA

Beautiful views around Rijal Alma village

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Our taxi driver taking us to the edge of Abha seemed apprehensive to leave us by the side of the road for our onward journey, he said he wasn't sure people would stop and pick us up from there. We told him we were fine, thanked him, and he reluctantly drove away. Within five minutes a car pulled up driven by a fast talking English-speaking Saudi army sergeant in fatigues. He was also worried about us. We told him we had been hitch-hiking for weeks and had had nothing but positive experiences, and he seemed surprised. He said not all Saudis were good and some would want to steal our things. Richard explained to him that we were pretty canny at gauging people at a glance.

We spent a couple of fascinating hours with him driving south, and discovered many new facts about Saudi. An intelligence operative for the army, he told us briefly about his job infiltrating Yemeni circles and reporting back to his Saudi superiors. We didn't ask too many questions about this information!

His views on life offered a unique perspective. A intense and stressed little man, he talked about his family life. He had been married for one year, and his wife had yet to conceive, and he was so worried there was something wrong with him he had visited the hospital for tests. He told us that Saudi women were protected and didn't have to worry themselves with anything practical in the marriage, such as grocery shopping. They were treated like queens.

He knew all about road fines – there are cameras everywhere, separate ones for speeding and using mobiles. A particularly large fine of 500 SAR/£100 is imposed for anyone caught driving whilst using a mobile phone. He described the third degree he put any policeman through who stopped him unnecessarily on the road, before eventually showing his ID (he was the equivalent to the FBI, he assured us). This attitude seemed to be related to traumatic events that happened to him whilst studying in the USA and Canada, when cops would often stop him and harass him based on his appearance.

After insisting on buying us a most yummy kabsa lunch (flavoured rice and chicken baked together with a divine result), and dropping us at our hotel, his last words were about how Saudi Arabia is the safest country in the world, and people here would take care of us everywhere we went and we should always feel safe! What a contradictory fellow!

Men we interacted with in Saudi were without fail respectful to Sal, and often called her sister. Occasionally, we could tell they were slightly awkward speaking directly to her, and their questions were aimed at Rich. This was fine, and we just adjusted somewhat in order to make situations comfortable for everybody. 

Our final stretch to Jazan was spent with the most enthusiastic man we had yet to meet in Saudi. An portly ex-soccer coach, he spoke English and some other languages including Japanese, and was so eager to have us in the car he nearly crashed into the vehicle in front whilst turned around talking to us! His hilariously low-key red-bearded brother-in-law sat quietly beside him, and calmly turned off the indicator that had been switched on in the excitement. They were like a comedy double act. During the journey, we discovered that brother-in-law (who didn't speak English at all), had 300 camels, 80 cows, three wives and 31 children! He put it all down to drinking camel milk!

He was firm on taking us right to the door of our Jazan accommodation and seeing that we got in OK. He only then told us that his home was miles back, but he was so honoured to have us in his car, he wanted to bring us the entire way to show us we were welcome in his country. We're not sure what brother-in-law thought about the long detour.

Sal and brother-in-law, Jazan, KSA

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Jazan is a big city in the far south of Saudi, and there's not a lot to see, to be honest. We wanted to stay a few days as a gateway to some neighbouring areas.

We figured out the brand new local bus service, mainly used by Bangladeshi workers, but felt sorry for the poor guy who sold us the bus card. We didn't understand how it worked, and he had to answer all our dumb questions, but he was very patient and we got there in the end. The various South Asian workers at the main station ended up being so sweet, and gave us their seats, coffee and a cake whilst we were waiting quite a long time for the bus to arrive.

We had found a DJ-ing Saudi to stay with to provide a bit of local help for the next few days. He was a strange one, laid-back to the point of indifference. He answered all our messages, but with such minimalism we weren't sure what we were getting ourselves into. Anyway, he turned out to be fine, just a bit tired. He was on holidays from his day job as a teacher, and taking it easy. He very generously offered us his huge lounge room and our own bathroom in his apartment. His brother, Mohammed, was called to pick us all up in his Toyota 4WD for a meal shortly after we arrived. We were taken to what was a normal eatery for them, but a special “lunch” (it was 4.30pm) for us. We're probably completely stuffing up the names, but the slow cooked lamb dish was maghsh, and the accompanying sweet, which is eaten first in Jazan, was called marsah. The two breads were also new for us- one (lahoor) seemed to have a fermented element to it, and the other similar to a classic Turkish style (bor). The lady working in the restaurant took a video of Sal saying how much we had enjoyed the meal.

The dish and the pot it's cooked in share a name, maghsh

After dinner, we dropped our host back home and picked up Mohammed's daughter, a shy 14 year old who slid into the backseat, without any eye contact. Soon, though, she and Sal were having a selfie session in the backseat laughing away. After stopping in a park for some Saudi coffee and a chat, we finally finished the busy evening at our temporary home.

Back seat of the car, Jazan

Normally, this would be the end of our day, with a chill-out session and maybe a snack later on. But in Jazan, where the weather is very hot year round (even when we visited in February), people live an after-dark lifestyle, sleeping most of the day and coming to life after sunset.

We were informed that we would be going out to eat dinner later that evening at 10pm, and we could rest until then. After a bit of a nap, at around 1am we left for a restaurant, and ended up eating at about 1.30am! We couldn't believe how lively it was, with people sitting around eating, and more crowds arriving even as we left. Luckily, we were happy to go with the flow! And anyway, it was good practice for the coming Ramadan month when nothing would be open in the day and we would have to change our hours to become night owls!

Our host was very proud to have us try traditional Jazan food, a rich cuisine provided by the agreeable climate and much arable land in the southern region. Situated by the Red Sea much of their diet is also fresh fish, and although we couldn't identify the type of fish we were eating, it was simply delicious. Spiced veggies, an okra dish and more different bread rounded out one special meal. 

Dinner with our new friend, Jazan, KSA

We found out more about the teaching profession in Saudi, and that they used to have a four month summer vacation, but it was recently reduced to two! It still provided a good opportunity for our host to indulge in his love for travel, and we were interested in his perspectives about touring around Europe. We also were fascinated by his insights into the lives of young people in Jazan. Apparently, many young women can now move out of the family home and live alone, and also there is a big problem with youth drug use and suicide in Jazan. 

Our meal on our last night in Jazan included the bubbling hot fahsah (slow cooked lamb), dagah (minced spicy lamb) and the ever present marsah, the famous Jazan sweet dish, a kind of banana and bread pudding.

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We had been invited by our host to come and go as if in our own home (no-one in Saudi seemed to lock the doors to their houses!). Realizing he was happy sleeping away his vacation during the day, we decided to take ourselves off to the mountains. We had read much about the area north of Jazan and neighbouring Yemen, and seen pictures of the lovely tribal people there who wore flowers in their hair.

Feyfa local with flowers in his hair, KSA

A non-English-speaking man from Giza, Egypt picked us up from the roadside, and when he realized how far we were trying to go, he asked us to wait five minutes while he finished up with some deliveries to what looked like his builder's yard. He said then he would have time to take us all the way. At least that's what we thought he was saying, but it seemed too generous to be true. Later, we realized, he probably hadn't known the area we were going to and the poor thing didn't know what he had signed up for! Of course, we also didn't know, and as the road became smaller, more isolated and twisty, as it wound it's way up the mountainside, we started to feel extremely guilty. After nearly an hour, we came to a kind of village with beautiful views, and although the traffic was scarce to the point of non-existent, we told him we could stop here. He seemed relieved to be off the hook of his self-imposed duty to escort these crazy foreigners into the mountains, and we said goodbye to this lovely man. He gave us all the cold drinks he had bought for us, probably thinking we might never been seen again! We were so grateful to him for his generosity.

Road winding up into the mountains, Feyfa, KSA

Village on a hill, Feyfa, KSA

Castle ruins, Feyfa, KSA

We felt quite relaxed though, and after a few minutes wandering around admiring the stunning views, another man, a teacher, took us further up into the hills to a lookout point where we hung out with our cold drinks and a spectacular vista. If you showed someone a picture of these mountains, there is no way most people would think “Saudi Arabia”. It was the complete opposite of the stereotypical Saudi desert scene. Green hills, with ancient stone terraces climbing up the hillsides, huge mountain ranges in the distance and falling down stone forts and towers in every direction. It was quiet and cooler than Jazan, and we loved it.

Views down the hills, Feyfa, KSA

So many old towers scattered around the hills, Feyfa, KSA

Doorway in stone house, Feyfa, KSA

Ruins in the terraced hills, Feyfa, KSA

Shepard and cows, Feyfa, KSA

What a view! Feyfa, KSA

As we were thinking to steam ahead up the mountain to where we thought there was a village called Fayfa, along came completely bonkers Abdullah with his pork pie hat and his gentle son, Mortaz in their battered old minibus. We were bustled into the bus, and we embarked on a tour around the hills, Abdullah chattering away in Arabic enthusiastically the entire time. Of course we stopped for the obligatory snacks and cold drinks for us all. Language was a bit of a challenge, but young Mortaz did a sterling job translating his Dad's exuberant rantings into English. Jovial to the point of madness, every time we saw something beautiful, Abdullah would exclaim “Oh My God, Richard” and we would stop for a photo. After bouncing around the mountain roads for some time listening to wonderful Yemeni music and speaking to Abdullah's Moroccan wife on the phone, we understood that they were heading down to the main highway for something, and they could drop us somewhere in order for us to get a lift back home. On the way was a stop to wake up a bee man in order to buy us a huge container of local honey, and another to buy us some flowers to put on our heads, just to complete the job of us looking like complete idiot tourists! Another amazing day, another fabulous Saudi character.

Completely bonkers Abdullah with Rich, Fayfa, KSA

What a character, Abdullah in Fayfa, KSA

Lovely, smiley Mortaz, Fayfa, KSA

Trying to fit in with the local flower people, Fayfa, KSA

Terraced hillside, Feyfa, KSA

Tower remnants, Feyfa, KSA

                                                                Insane jaunt around Feyfa mountains

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The day we left Jazan for Farasan Island, we were standing in the street, looking at our map, trying to discover where exactly the bus stop was, when a friendly older gentleman in a flash car stopped to see if he could help. He said to jump in and he could drive us to the bus stop. As we chatted in the car and he learnt we were going to Farasan, he said he would take us all the way to the port. We were grateful for this when we arrived, as we realized it would have been a bit complicated to find on our own. Although we were early for the boat, the terminal was AC and comfortable to wait in. About an hour before departure time, a line formed where IDs were checked, and Sal was asked to join the women's line to enter the boarding area. After showing passports and a thorough pat down, we embarked with everyone else. The boat was quite old, but seemed steady, and there was plenty of space onboard. The most amazing thing was that the 1.5 hour trip was completely free!

Inside the Farasan Island free ferry, KSA

We immediately noticed the people on the boat were different in their reactions to us. No-one really looked at us or said hello - we weren't used to that! This continued as we took a taxi to tiny Farasan village, checked into a hotel, and set out for a walk to look around the area. We had become used to having everyone being over the top friendly in their welcomes, and people here were just getting on with their life, I guess. Island people are often a different breed. 

Farasan Island, KSA

Detail on old house, Farasan Island, KSA

Our first day was spent on a very pleasant stroll around the quiet backstreets of the old village. Many traditional houses remained, with their coral brickwork and wooden fames showing. A cute little mosque was right in the middle of the once colourful homes. 

Tropical feel, Farasan Island, KSA

Ornate mosque, Farasan Island, KSA

Paved laneways, Old Farasan Island, KSA

Farasan Island, Saudi Arabia

Colourful doorway, Farasan Island, KSA

Large coral house in ruins, Farasan Island, KSA

Decorative interior, coral house, Farasan Island, KSA

Coral walls, Farasan structures, KSA

Decorations on Farasan Island house, KSA

Now being Ramadan, not many cars could be spotted on the roads during the day, and our ideas of hitching to the far end of the island to see what the beaches had to offer were stymied. We decided a day looking round at what we could see of the island would do us, and planned to take the ferry back to the mainland the following day. The weather, however, had other plans. A strong wind blowing for two days saw us stuck, as the ferry was cancelled, deemed too dangerous to cross. We were forced to change our plans, and spent our two extra days wandering around, checking out the fishing marina and catching up on our millions of photos that needed sorting out. 

In the end, the delay turned out to be a blessing, as Sal developed a severe toothache, and needed to quickly visit the hospital, which handily happened to be directly across the road from our hotel. We were worried about the cost, as although insurance had been included with our Saudi visas, we were envisioning fancy services and expensive treatments. As we were approaching the emergency entrance, an English-speaking Egyptian anaesthesiologist asked what we needed and then immediately took us under his wing. He must have felt sorry for us, for when the triage staff said it was too late to see the dentist that day, and that we would have wait until tomorrow morning, he took us to his office. He returned with an Indian dentist and some painkillers. The dentist had a quick look into Sal's aching mouth, and pronounced that her bottom wisdom tooth had to come out. They discussed the matter, and came to the conclusion that the dentist should do it then and there, even though it was nearly 11pm. Sal was so relieved- the procedure was painless and took less than 10 minutes. After our profuse thanks, we asked about the paperwork and payment. The Egyptian winked and said "Just think, this never happened". He sent us on our way, no payment needed! We couldn't think of another place in the world where this would happen.

After our unintended extended stay on Farasan, although it meant a 4am start, we were elated to leave on the ferry back to Jazan, in order to continue our trip further north into Saudi Arabia. 

A few observations about Jazan. The city had a very different vibe to other towns we had been in Saudi. It felt more casual and less conservative in a way. Many men wore shorts, a first for us to see, and there were not as many thawbs and shemaaghs (robes and headdresses) to be seen. There were more women present in general. Half of the cars on the road were in a complete state - bashed in so much from all sides, it was hard to believe they were still running. The driving style here must be insane. People also looked a bit different, darker and many had thick curly hair. Locals were just as lovely to us here as everywhere else we have been in Saudi.

This leg of the trip, within the context of the entire country

Our complete hitching route around the southern part of KSA

.......next up, we continue travelling north to the mountains around Al Baha.....