visit saudi arabia Archives - Nada Al Nahdi Breaking through the social norms Fri, 12 Apr 2019 09:49:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://www.nadaalnahdi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cropped-cropped-Nada_final_logo-Transparency-1-1-32x32.png visit saudi arabia Archives - Nada Al Nahdi 32 32 189328479 Umluj https://www.nadaalnahdi.com/umluj/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=umluj https://www.nadaalnahdi.com/umluj/#comments Mon, 28 Jan 2019 09:58:34 +0000 https://www.nadaalnahdi.com/?p=9477 Experience Saudi’s dramatic landscapes in West of Madinah with @weekendtrip1  The quick weekend getaway will

The post Umluj appeared first on Nada Al Nahdi.

]]> Experience Saudi’s dramatic landscapes in West of Madinah with @weekendtrip1 

The quick weekend getaway will take you to volcanic areas, caves, clear blue water, and black sand dunes in 3 days!

Day 1: Yanbu – Campsite

We were picked up from Yanbu Airport and driven to the campsite on a volcanic area. The area requires a 4X4 car.

The weather was pretty chilly and it picked up some wind in the middle of the night.

Day 2: Hiking

We started our day at 8 am for a 10km hike to explore 3 caves.

The trail is mostly flat ground with different terrains; hard lava, fine volcanic materials, flat sand.

To go down into one of the caves, we used a 6-meter ladder that’s already held in place. It’s safe!

LRM_EXPORT_52571083272706_20190106_221953517

You may want to consider taking an antihistamine and a mouth cover as the place is filled with heaps of bird waste.

We have been blessed with plenty rainfalls this year that plants grew in one of the caves.

DCIM100GOPROGOPR2563.JPG

We had our break with a warm cup of tea before heading back to the campsite.

LRM_EXPORT_53291336181972_20190106_223153770

Black Sand Dunes

Post lunch, we packed up and headed to an area known as “ارض القمر” which means the land of the moon.

As you can see, the volcanic materials are wearing off from the volcanic mountains. Over time, it created a vast area of black sand dunes

LRM_EXPORT_13462902751070_20190102_115221147LRM_EXPORT_13574740197928_20190102_115412984LRM_EXPORT_14934320985221_20190102_121652565LRM_EXPORT_74543978186019_20181227_142903672

If you check google earth, you would be able to see the black area where we camped and the location of the black sand dunes located west of Al-Ais

2019-01-28_1017.png

Al Shabhah Town

As the sun sets, we visited the old town of Al Shabhah where we were greeted in the most traditional way by a group of kind locals.

DSCF3464

The locals are putting together an effort to restore the old houses and artifacts of the area for visitors to enjoy.

DSCF3470

They demonstrated a traditional way of making wheat bread which is by placing the dough directly on ash and covered with charcoal.

DSCF3474

Then the bread is beaten to get rid of the ash and crumbled. Lastly, it is served with a lot of ghee.

It may not sound appealing but once you try it, you won’t be able to stop. It has a very distinct flavor and taste.

DSCF3474
Then we camped by the seashore of Umluj.

Day 3 – Swim/Dive/Snorkel

We went to the boat rental spot in Umluj and hopped in one and went to the tiny islands spread around where we snorkeled.

Boat Rental Location: https://goo.gl/maps/v8srqfM9jp72

DSCF3483The water is crystal clear with many beautiful corals everywhere. DSCF3499DCIM100GOPROGOPR2616.JPG

I wanted to dive but there wasn’t enough time between diving and my flight.

We ended it with a feast of seafood!

 

It was one of the most exciting trips I experienced in Saudi and I recommend everyone to visit the locations mentioned!

Trip Organized by: Weekend Trip

Instagram: @weekendtrip1

Twitter: @weekendtrip1

The post Umluj appeared first on Nada Al Nahdi.

]]> https://www.nadaalnahdi.com/umluj/feed/ 8 9477 A Guide to Saudi Arabia https://www.nadaalnahdi.com/a-guide-to-saudi-arabia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-guide-to-saudi-arabia https://www.nadaalnahdi.com/a-guide-to-saudi-arabia/#comments Sun, 20 Jan 2019 17:08:27 +0000 https://www.nadaalnahdi.com/?p=9247 After meeting many travelers who came to Saudi, many do not know how to go

The post A Guide to Saudi Arabia appeared first on Nada Al Nahdi.

]]> Local TransportInterCity: SAPTCO Urban Buses: SAPTCO Download the app to know the routes & scheduleCar Services: Careem, Uber, Jeeny Tip: Use Careem App and choose Sawa Car (Carpooling) it’s the cheapest fare among the other car services!Delivery Services: Marsool, Hunger Station, HelloFood, Talabat. LuqmetyTrain: Saudi Rail Way and Haramain RailWayShared Car: Located outside SAPTCO bus station (Jeddah)Flight: Saudia, Flyadeal, Flynas, and Saudi Gulf. Tip: Saudia has the most extensive flight network Flyadeal has the cheapest flights if booked in advance. Car Rental: Key, Theeb, Hanco, Budget ***There is a mileage limit of 250 – 300km per day. The best way to go around Saudi is to mix between buses, car rental, and cheap flights.Accommodation We don’t have hostels and basic accommodation are pretty expensive A basic room starts from 100 SAR/26USD. Couchsurfing communities are available in Saudi or try finding a cheap Airbnb.Clothing Men:  Basically anything. Are shorts allowed? YES except at the malls, a few restaurants, Saudia flights (not sure about other airlines) Women: Are colored abayas allowed? YES! We love stylish, colorful and unique styles! It does not have to be ankle length either, it can be above ankle length and below knee length. Should I wear a scarf? No, not needed. Should I wear a burqa? No, not needed. Here’s what I wear around Saudi. Things to do in Jeddah - Jeddah - Saudi Arabia - Darwish House Museum - Darwish House (6)Basic Words to KnowAssalamualaykum – Hello and reply with WaalaykumsalamThank You – ShukranHow Much – BekamWhere is xxxx – Fen xxxxLeft – YasarRight – YameenStraight – AlatoolCostWater – 1 SARPetrol – 0.40 SAR/literInterCity Bus Fare – 2 SAR Food from local eateries

Breakfast: 5 – 10 SAR

Lunch/Dinner: 10 – 20 SAR

Emergency NumbersPolice – 999Ambulance – 997Traffic Police – 993 Accident – 920000560Civil Defense – 998

The post A Guide to Saudi Arabia appeared first on Nada Al Nahdi.

]]> https://www.nadaalnahdi.com/a-guide-to-saudi-arabia/feed/ 2 9247