by Manon Roca
Duration: 3 weeks
Traveler: Solo female traveler, French passport
Note: Honestly, I don’t recommend traveling to Saudi Arabia during the summer. Except for the mountains of Asir and Jizan where the weather was pleasant, the average temperature across the rest of the country was around 45°C (113°F): extremely hot and difficult to handle.
Duration: 3 weeks
Traveler: Solo female traveler, French passport
Note: Honestly, I don’t recommend traveling to Saudi Arabia during the summer. Except for the mountains of Asir and Jizan where the weather was pleasant, the average temperature across the rest of the country was around 45°C (113°F): extremely hot and difficult to handle.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Manon Roca
Weather
Like all the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, the best time to visit Saudi Arabia is from November to March.
Pleasant temperatures almost everywhere - though it can get cold in the mountainous regions of Asir and Al Baha.
Pleasant temperatures almost everywhere - though it can get cold in the mountainous regions of Asir and Al Baha.
Visa
I paid $130 USD, which included: the visa fee and a mandatory health insurance (required by Saudi authorities).
E-visa
I applied through the official website: https://visa.visitsaudi.com
I received it one hour after submitting my application.
It was valid for a 3-month stay in my case, with multiple entries (this may vary depending on your nationality; please check before applying).
Visa on arrival
I was also eligible for a visa on arrival, which is issued quickly at the border.
Check whether your country is eligible for this option as well!
E-visa
I applied through the official website: https://visa.visitsaudi.com
I received it one hour after submitting my application.
It was valid for a 3-month stay in my case, with multiple entries (this may vary depending on your nationality; please check before applying).
Visa on arrival
I was also eligible for a visa on arrival, which is issued quickly at the border.
Check whether your country is eligible for this option as well!
Accomodation
Saudi Arabia isn’t cheap, and the hotel options aren’t either.
I used Couchsurfing almost all the time.
Locals were mostly using Agoda and Hotels.com.
I used Couchsurfing almost all the time.
Locals were mostly using Agoda and Hotels.com.
Rijal Almaa, Saudi Arabia - Manon Roca
Transportation
Flights
Saudi Arabia is vast, and it's very common for Saudis to travel by plane between major cities.
Flights are often cheaper than long-distance buses, especially when booked in advance.
Buses
SAPTCO is the main long-distance bus company, connecting all major cities in the country.
Website: https://www.saptco.com.sa
Trains
Taxis Apps
Uber and Careem are available in most cities and are safer and more reliable than street taxis.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking in Saudi Arabia is very doable.
I hitchhiked mostly at night due to the heat, often traveling alone at midnight, and I always felt safe.
It was quite easy to find a car and many Saudis actually stopped to help, even spending up to 2 hours with me to find a ride (this happened 3 times), and some even drove up to 3 hours out of their way to take me to my destination (this happened twice).
Saudi Arabia is vast, and it's very common for Saudis to travel by plane between major cities.
Flights are often cheaper than long-distance buses, especially when booked in advance.
Buses
SAPTCO is the main long-distance bus company, connecting all major cities in the country.
Website: https://www.saptco.com.sa
Trains
- Haramain High-Speed Railway: Makkah Jeddah Medina, runs at 300 km/h, fast, clean, and efficient
- SAR (Saudi Railways): Riyadh Qassim Hail and beyond
Taxis Apps
Uber and Careem are available in most cities and are safer and more reliable than street taxis.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking in Saudi Arabia is very doable.
I hitchhiked mostly at night due to the heat, often traveling alone at midnight, and I always felt safe.
It was quite easy to find a car and many Saudis actually stopped to help, even spending up to 2 hours with me to find a ride (this happened 3 times), and some even drove up to 3 hours out of their way to take me to my destination (this happened twice).
On the road, Saudi Arabia - Manon Roca
Itinerary
East of the Country
Central Region
West of the Country
Must-See next time: AlUla !
The big miss of this trip but not by 50 degrees
- Dammam
- Al Khobar
- Al Ahsa
Central Region
- Riyadh (Modern capital with strong contrasts between ultra-modern architecture and traditional heritage - highlights include Diriyah, Masmak Fort, and the National Museum
West of the Country
- Jeddah (Coastal city known for its Red Sea diving spots, historical old town Al-Balad, and the Corniche promenade) – my favorite from the three main cities of KSA
- Medina (non-Muslims are allowed to visit the city, which is not the case of Mekkah)
- Taif (mountain region)
- Al Baha (mountain region)
- Tanomah ((mountain region with hiking trails)
- Abha & Rijal Almaa (Abha is the capital of the Asir region; Rijal Almaa is a heritage village with typical houses from this region)
- Wadi Lajab (Absolutely incredible, my favorite place in KSA)
- Fayfa (terraced mountain village in a bit overrated to me)
- Jizan (Southern coastal city; gateway to the Farasan Islands -very hot and humid during summer)
Must-See next time: AlUla !
The big miss of this trip but not by 50 degrees
Wadi Lajab, Saudi Arabia - Manon Roca
Safety and general thoughts
Saudi Arabia felt extremely safe. I never once felt in danger as a solo female traveler, not even in the big cities, at night, or while hitchhiking after dark.
As for clothing, wearing an abaya is no longer mandatory for women. Personally, I always wore long pants, but in the big cities I even saw foreign women wearing shorts.
There’s no strict rule preventing you from dressing how you want, except if you're visiting Medina, where I chose to wear an abaya out of respect.
The Saudis are incredibly kind and respectful. I truly felt welcomed and had zero problems during my stay, but of course, this is just my experience
As for clothing, wearing an abaya is no longer mandatory for women. Personally, I always wore long pants, but in the big cities I even saw foreign women wearing shorts.
There’s no strict rule preventing you from dressing how you want, except if you're visiting Medina, where I chose to wear an abaya out of respect.
The Saudis are incredibly kind and respectful. I truly felt welcomed and had zero problems during my stay, but of course, this is just my experience
On the left: Medinah, Saudi Arabia - Manon Roca
One the right: Damman, Saudi Arabia - Manon Roca