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8 Reasons 2024 Is the Year To Visit Saudi
16.12.2023 - 14:44 / matadornetwork.com
What’s happening right now in Saudi is groundbreaking — literally and figuratively. Huge developments, so massive they’ve been dubbed “giga projects,” are transforming the country like nowhere else in the world, bringing in new attractions, opening next-level luxurious hotels, and even creating entirely new cities.
The incredible diversity of things to do in Saudi — and the increasing ease of getting to and exploring the country — promises to dazzle travelers, and those who make the trip in 2024 get to experience it first. Here’s why you should plan a visit to Saudi now.
Photo: Saudi Tourism Authority
Saudi has more than 1,000 miles of coastline on the Red Sea, the longest of any of the surrounding countries. Think the distance from Houston to Phoenix or San Diego to Portland, Oregon. And this body of water shelters one of the most important but least shouted-about ecosystems in the world. Researchers think the reefs of the Red Sea could wind up being the last stands of coral anywhere on the planet because they’re already well adapted to warm waters. Scuba divers and snorkelers, on the other hand, are simply mesmerized by the hypnotic colors of the coral and schools of fish.
One of Saudi’s giga projects, the sustainability-focused Red Sea Project, has just started to welcome travelers. Red Sea International Airport, designed by renowned British architects Foster + Partners, saw its inaugural flights in September, and new high-end hotels are opening their doors. Six Senses is debuting its first property in the country, its design a nod to the area’s Nabataean history — that’s the civilization that carved the iconic architecture of Petra in Jordan and Hegra in Saudi. Also opening soon are the St. Regis Red Sea Resort, accessible only by boat or seaplane, and Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve with exclusive Maldives-style overwater bungalows.
Photo: KhaledSaad001/Shutterstock
Getting around the Saudi capital city will be easier than ever before with the opening of the Riyadh Metro in 2024, one of the largest such projects in the world, which has been in the works for more than a decade. The public transportation network’s six lines will extend nearly 110 miles with 85 stations across the city, including connections with the airport and downtown, and the driverless trains will be fully automated. The metro will link up with an extensive bus network to reach even farther into the city.
Photo: Saudi Tourism Authority
Saudi’s spirited festival scene fills the calendar year-round. The town of AlUla is a particular hot spot for unusual events, and in 2024 it’s hosting a handful of travel-worthy happenings. These include the AlUla Skies Festival, which will see the region filled with hot-air balloons for 10 days in
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