10 unexpected Saudi sights

Each year, 800 tons of honey come from 125,000 beehives in Al Baha, in southwest Saudi Arabia. Al Baha’s varied trees and flowers make it an ideal spot for beekeeping. Enjoy the region’s annual Honey Festival in July, or pick up honey to bring home as a gift or souvenir.

The largest open-air museum in Saudi, Al Hamraa is a hub for art and culture in Jeddah. Take advantage of the city’s mild winter weather and spend an afternoon admiring more than 20 sculptures, including works by prominent artists Henry Moore, Joan Miró, Maha Malluh and Alexander Calder, in this 7-square-kilometer park on the Corniche.

Camels are historically important across the Arabian Peninsula for their role in transporting goods along famous trade routes, including the Silk Road and the Incense Route. Head 70 kilometers west of Riyadh to Reem Reserve to meet these animals up close. Book a camel caravan tour there, then check out the reserve’s falconry and Bedouin camping experiences.

If you want to see snow in Saudi, set your sights on Jabal Al Lawz, which means “almond mountain” in Arabic. The tallest mountain in the Tabuk Province, Jabal Al Lawz is the only place in the kingdom where it snows almost every year. Go for a hike and explore the 2,549-meter mountain’s historic rock drawings of now-extinct cattle.

Surround yourself with a record-breaking number of flowers at the Yanbu Flower Festival, held annually in late winter through early spring in Yanbu. Winner of two Guinness World Records (in 2014 and 2017 for largest flower carpet), the festival also boasts family-friendly activities, which have included a butterfly exhibit, a mini strawberry farm, rides, food and fireworks.