The western tip of Mainland Saudi

​The Ras Al-Sheikh Hameed is a beautiful sandy cape located in Tabuk Province, at the junction between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. The sand banks of the Ras Al-Sheikh Hameed used to be the westernmost point of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia until the cession of Tiran Islands by Egypt to Saudi Arabia in 2017. Thus it is today only the westernmost point of the Saudi Arabian mainland.

The sand banks of the Ras Al-Sheikh Hameed lie on coral reefs that are sometimes visible from the beach, especially on the western side of the sandy cape. They host an incredibly rich marine life which is not surprising as the world-famous diving town of Sharm Al-Sheikh in Egypt is just 30 kilometers away on the other side of the Strait of Tiran.

The beaches of the Ras Al-Sheikh Hameed are not only beautiful by themselves but they also offer stunning viewpoints on the Sinai Mountains of Egypt that are just 10 kilometers to the west. From the Ras Al-Sheikh Hameed the sunsets above the edges of the Sinai that fall into the Red Sea are particularly stunning.

The large bay on the south west has a peculiar sight, the wreckage of a PBY-5A Catalina, an American military seaplane from the 1930s. It has laid on the beach since  22^nd March 1960, when the retired American businessman Thomas Kendall landed near the Ras Al-Sheikh Hameed for a stopover during this trip around the world with his children and his secretary. They spent the night there but the next afternoon they were attacked with machine guns and automatic firearms by Bedouins who believed it was an actual military attack! Mr Kendall tried to start the Catalina but only succeeded to move it over about a kilometer where it ran aground on a coral reef. After more than 30 minutes of intense shooting (300 shots hit the aircraft!) and about 4000 liters of fuel poured into the Red Sea, the whole crew was captured by the Bedouins.

​They were brought to Jeddah but the damaged seaplane was abandoned on the beach, where it still lays but more and more damaged by the weather and people who dismantle it to take a souvenir (which shouldn’t be done of course!).

​How to visit the Ras Al-Sheikh Hameed

​It is allowed to swim and camp along the beach but Border Guard that patrol day and night will check ID’s and may ask people to move to a place that is visible from the post guard.

​If people want to swim they must first respect the dressing rule of Saudi Arabia and do it at their own risk as they are no life guards. The first hundred meters are usually very shallow but it is not advisable to swim far away from the shore because of the currents and winds.

​A mountain like no other in Saudi Arabia

The Jebel Al-Lawz, whose name means the almond mountain in Arabic, is one of the most mythical mountains of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Most people think that Saudi Arabia is just a vast extent of sand dunes but with its summit at 2 549 meters above sea level Jebel Al-Lawz is the highest mountain of Tabuk Province. Indeed, it is still lower than the 3000 meter Jebel Sawdah in Aseer Province and many other peaks in Bahah, Jizan, and Makkah Provinces that range between 2 600 and 3 000 meters. But the Jebel Al-Lawz has other assets.

First it really has a mountain shape with a high summit dominating the whole province, whereas many other higher peaks are in fact the highest point of a cliff along the Sarawat range. As an example, the highest point of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Jebel Sawdah, is in fact a low hill that lays on a plateau already 2 900 meters above sea level. On the contrary the majestic silhouette of the imposing Jebel Al-Lawz is visible dozens of kilometers away from all directions.

Secondly the Jebel Al-Lawz is probably the only place in Saudi Arabia where snow falls nearly every year. As surprising as it sounds Saudi Arabia does have regular snowfalls thanks to its many mountains above 2 500 meters. But as the Jebel Al-Lawz is the highest mountain in the north of the country and it is located beyond the northern tip of the Red Sea and its warm waters, this mountain is more exposed to low temperatures and sees snows more often than any other area of Saudi Arabia.

Jebel Al-Lawz is in the ancient land of Madyan where the Prophet Moses lived for ten years with his father-in-law the Prophet Shu'ayb and where he brought his people that fled Egypt. Some consider Jebel Al-Lawz to be the real Mount Sinai where Moses had a mythical experience with God, as mentioned in the Holy Quran.

​How to visit Jebel Al-Lawz

Jebel Al-Lawz is visible from many places but there is only one road that leads to the top. Unfortunately there is a military base that doesn’t allow access to the very top of the massif. The last viewpoint on the road is slightly below 2 100 meters and offers some stunning sights on eastern side of the massif over Jibal Hisma in the distance.

There are numerous valleys and tracks that lead towards the center of the massif but it is important to note that access through these tracks is restricted and local Bedouins may ask travellers without special permission to go back to the road.

The valley of Moses

Tayeb Al-Ism is one of the magical natural wonders of Saudi Arabia that takes visitors by surprise. This incredible natural feature of Tabuk Province is located on the Gulf of Aqaba, just 15 kilometers north of the coastal town of Maqna.

When approaching by the road that runs along the turquoise waters and white beaches of the Gulf of Aqaba, what strikes people first is the imposing shape of the 600-meter-high granite massif of the Tayeb Al-Ism, whose sharp edges fall into the Gulf of Aqaba.

While getting closer to a nice little palm grove ornamenting the bottom of the cliffs, the mountain side that looks towards the Gulf suddenly reveals the stunningly high edges of a narrow canyon whose entrance is just few dozen meters from the sea. There the granite massif looks like it's been torn in two by a supranatural force.

From the bridge the Tayeb Al-Ism visitors see another marvel, a small stream of crystal clear water than runs through the gravel all year long. As a result, the wadi hosts numerous palm trees and reeds that create little oases surrounding by the vertiginous sides of the canyon.

The grandiosity of Tayeb Al-Ism has another dimension as it is directly related to religion. The territory bordering the eastern shore of the Gulf of Aqaba is the ancient land of Madyan (or Midian) whose capital was probably today’s city of Bada’ where monumental tombs were sculpted in the rock later by the Nabatean people. Madyan is the land where Moses spent ten years in voluntary exile after fleeing from Egypt. It is believed that when later Moses brought the people out of Egypt through the Red Sea they reached the land of Madyan at Tayeb Al-Ism, the reason why it is also called the Valley of Moses. For the same reason the wells of the nearby town of Maqna are called the Wells of Moses.

How to visit Tayeb Al-Ism

The wells of Moses

Maqna is a charming coastal town located on the Gulf of Aqaba that faces Egypt and the Sinai mountains, clearly visible from it. But the town is famous for its wells that witnessed an important episode in the life of the Prophet Moses.

The territory bordering the eastern shore of the Gulf of Aqaba is the ancient land of Madyan (or Midian) whose capital was probably in today’s city of Al-Bada’, where monumental tombs were later sculpted by the Nabatean people. Madyan is the land where Moses spent ten years in voluntary exile after fleeing from Egypt following an altercation with an Egyptian that was beating an Israelite.

It is believed that Moses crossed the Red Sea and arrived in Maqna and went to a well called Bir Al-Sa’idani to drink. There he saw two girls collecting water for their cattle and he offered to help. The girls reported this gentle move to their father, the prophet Shu’ayb, who went to meet Moses, recognized his pure soul, and decided to marry one of his daughters to him. Thus, Moses settled in Madyan and lived there for ten years with his wife and father-in-law.

Later when Moses brought the people out of Egypt through the Red Sea, they are supposed to have reached the land of Madyan at Tayeb Al-Ism which is located just 15 kilometers north of Maqna, and also bears witness to him, as it is called the Valley of Moses.

During the first years of Islam an important event took place in Maqna as it was there the troops of the Prophet Mohammed signed a treaty with the people of Judham, the tribe controlling this area that converted to Islam.

How to visit Maqna

The ancient city of Madyan

For too long people have believed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is devoid of historical remains. But in 2015 the world was astounded to discover that Saudi Arabia hosts the second largest Nabatean city, Hegra (also known as Madain Saleh) as that year the ancient city was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But in fact Saudi Arabia doesn’t have only one major Nabatean city but at least three, with Dumat-al-Jandal in Al-Jawf Province and Al-Bada’ in Tabuk Province. The latter, also called Mugha’ir Shu’ayb, is still mostly unknown although it has some of the most beautiful monumental tombs typical of the architecture of the ancient Nabatean kingdom.

​History of the ancient oasis of Madyan

The importance of Al-Bada’ is due to its location in the Wadi ‘Afal, a wide, 50 kilometer long valley oriented north-south that connects the Levant (Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine) to the western shore of Arabia and its great seaports such as Aynuna and Loke Kome. Al-Bada’ is also connected to an east-west road that leads to the town of Maqna on the Gulf of Aqaba.

​Most scholars agree that Al-Bada’ is the ancient city of Madyan, although there is no formal proof yet, but we hope that the Saudi-French archeological mission that started in 2017 will confirm this hypothesis. Madyan, which refers to both a land and a city, probably dates back to the end of the 2^nd millennium BCE.

M​adyan is known for being the place where the Prophet Moses sought refuge after fleeing from Egypt. There he met the Prophet Shu'ayb who recognized in Moses a pure soul and gave him one of his daughters. Moses then lived for ten years with his wife and father-in-law in Madyan before returning to Egypt to free its people from the Pharaoh Ramses II. On his way back, his people crossed the Gulf of Aqaba at the location named Tayeb Al-Ism, also called the canyon of Moses.

The first collections of archeological material on the surface by explorers and scientists have shown signs of a long occupation of Al-Bada’ with remains from the main populations that reigned in the Middle-East. Coins have proven that the city was also active during the Hellenistic, Nabatean, Roman, and Islamic periods. It seems that the importance of Madyan declined from the 11^th century BCE but was never abandoned as it is still mentioned under the rule of ‘Umayyads, Fatimids, Mamelukes, and Ottomans.

​The archeological site

Madyan was a large and complex habitation area but two main zones are identifiable: the residential area of Al-Maliha that was probably fortified, and the Nabatean necropolis dug in the hillsides of the Jebel Mussalla.

How to visit ​Mugha’ir Shu’ayb

​One of the largest traditional villages of Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has an incredibly rich architecture heritage with dozens of styles throughout the whole country. Each region has its own architectural characteristics. That of Riyadh Province is the Najdi style with brilliant examples like Dir'iyah and Ushaiger. 

Located 250 kilometers from the capital city Riyadh and close to Qassim Province is one of the largest and best conserved traditional villages of Saudi Arabia, Al-Ghat. Located on the northern bank of the Wadi Al-Ghat the heritage village stretches over 1,5 kilometers.

​An ancient oasis

The valley where the town lies is fed by rain water running down the nearby the Jebel Tuwaiq, the same escarpment that has the famous Edge of the World close to Riyadh.

The regular presence of water in Al-Ghat made its soil fertile and still today many farms produce delicious dates that make the city proud.

A brilliant example of Najdi architecture

One of the most special features of Al-Ghat is the gentle slope of the valley on which part of the town is built. Each street going up the hill leads you to many fascinating viewpoints over the town and its elegant architecture.

The main street that runs along the wadi bed will bring you to the iconic buildings of Al-Ghat: arriving from the east (where the modern city is) you will see the triangular shapes of the arches of the old souq on your left. On your right is the Ousherza mosque. To the eastern side of the old town stands the impressive Emara Palace that is now a museum.

This museum used to be the palace of the late Prince Nasser bin Saad Al-Sudairy. It was donated to highlight Al Ghat's social life and history throughout the ages and the contribution of its residents in the foundation of the Saudi State. 

The masterpiece of Arabian Prehistory

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​The proud iconic figures of the ancient kingdoms of Dedan

During antiquity the northwest of the Arabian Peninsula was at the crossroads of the caravan trade between Yemen and the empires of Egypt, the Levant, Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia, and Persia. Although the rich oases were coveted by these empires, this area enjoyed a certain autonomy until the Roman conquest in 106 CE. Thanks to control of the wealth brought by the trade of frankincense and spices in the land that corresponds roughly to the modern Provinces of Tabuk, Madinah, and Al-Jawf, some oases grew to the point of becoming independent kingdoms. The most famous oases of the 1st millennium BCE are Tayma, Dumat Al-Jandal, and Dedan, where excavations on extensive archeological sites have revealed the existence of large fortified cities.

These kingdoms developed their own culture including a specific language and alphabet, that resulted in a mix of Arabian traditions and strong influences from the surrounding empires.

In the ancient oasis Dedan, close to today's city of Al-Ula in Madinah Province, a kingdom flourished from at least the 6th century until the 2nd century BCE. There, the kings of Dedan and later Lihyan reigned over a territory that spread at its apogee from the city of Iathrib (today's Madinah) to the Levant.

Some of these tombs featured interior installations: hollows were carved in the walls or the ground. There are also ordinary individual graves cut in the base of the Jebel Ath-Thumayid, whereas others bear inscriptions giving their owners’ identities; on the slope of the Jebel, some areas were marked out to prepare for future tombs. Remains of bones, shrouds and pieces of wood from the coffins have been found in these graves.

An inscription on one of these two tombs indicates that it belonged to a member of the Minaic community of Dedan that originated from Ma'in in today's Yemen. The Minaic were the most important trade partners for Dedan and even had a small colony living in the ancient oasis. The other lion tomb dates back to the late Lihyanite period.

How to visit the Lion Tombs of Dedan

The Lion Tombs are accessible from the archeological site of Dedan that is indicated on Google Maps under the name of the modern location, Khuraybah. The entrance is from the Ha'il road (75) east of the junction with the 375 that goes through the city of Al-Ula. The location of the Lion Tombs is also available on Google Maps.

​​Since 2018 this sites can be visited only in the frame of the Winter at Tantora festival, you will find ​more information about it on the dedicated website.

Reaching the Lion Tombs involves climbing stairs up fifty meters where the tombs were cut in the cliffs. The reward is twofold: the close view of the lion sculptures and the sight over the oasis.