Active vacation in Saudi Arabia - things to do, entertainment and nightlife

Strict observance of religious dogmas affects the lives of citizens of Saudi Arabia. Many things that are common to Europeans are considered depraved and undermining the foundations of faith. Alcohol is completely prohibited. It is not possible to legally buy alcoholic beverages. The religious police enforce this rule. Modern dancing and dancing with members of the opposite sex is prohibited. A woman cannot communicate with a strange man who is not her relative. All this makes the existence of bars and night clubs impossible. There are coffee shops and restaurants divided into zones instead. Couples or only women can stay in the family zone. Interesting night programs are often arranged in restaurants. Visit a hookah bar was one of the most popular entertainments in the country until recently. But hookah smoking has been banned since 2012.

Cinema has been banned in the country since the 80s of the last century. The first cinema was opened only in 2018. However, films are strictly censored. For example, all films from the Harry Potter franchise are banned because magic and witchcraft are forbidden in the Kingdom. Theaters are still banned.

Alternative entertainment is popular due to numerous prohibitions. Side-riding is popular in the desert. Skilled drivers make the car goes on two side wheels. Sometimes even the two side wheels are removed from the car while driving. Sometimes passengers or even the driver get out of the car and stand on the roof. Some adrenaline fans sit down so that the car passes over them. Illegal racing and drifting are also common. Even the death penalty for street racing doesn't stop riders. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Different game rooms and quests are common. You can solve various puzzles or search for keys to get out of locked rooms in Escape Arabia. You can go karting at IN10SO in Jeddah and at GP Karting in Dammam.

There are many beautiful beaches, both private and public in Saudi Arabia. Both men and women must comply with the dress code on public beaches. A woman can swim only in a burkini or Abaya. Al Fanateer beach in Jubail is popular with tourists and locals. Durrat Al Arus is a private beach in Jeddah available to villa tenants. There are a diving school and a theme park on the beach. Silver Sands is the least conservative beach in the country. Women in Abayas are not allowed on it. A place on the beach must be reserved in advance.

You can go windsurfing and scuba diving at Silver Sands beach. Oia Beach Resort is stylized as a Greek beach. Many water sports, including kayaking, are available here. There is a diving school at Bhadur Resort beach in Jeddah. This is a private beach where you need to book places in advance.

Saudi Arabia has the longest coastline among the countries surrounding the Red Sea. Diving is very exciting here. You can find corals with lots of colorful fish just below the surface. There are about 200 species of corals in total. A large population of sharks lives near the coast. The bottom of the Red Sea off the coast is almost not studied. The number of reefs near the coast is the same as in the rest of the Red Sea. The lifeless desert mostly stretches along the coastline. But you can go diving in the cities of Jeddah, Yanbu al-Bahr, and Jizan. Commercial fishing is almost not developed. Therefore, the reefs are untouched even in large cities. The water temperature near the shore ranges from 27-35 degrees.

Golf and football are very popular in the country. Women have recently been admitted to mass sporting events. Golf courses are available in many cities. Local Golf courses are famous for their high quality.

Deserts cover most of the country. But the Hijaz mountain range with the highest point Jabal al-Lawz (2400 meters) stretches to the west. Unique geological formations rising above the flat surface make Saudi Arabia an interesting country for trekking and hiking. One of the most difficult routes leads from Jeddah to the Al Wahbah Crater. The crater is located on a lava plateau. It reaches 250 meters in depth. The highest volcano in the Kingdom, Jabal Abyad, and the volcano with a white caldera, Jebel Bayda attract attention on the same plateau. There is a sheer cliff 96 kilometers away to the north of Riyadh. It is impossible to get down from it. The views are striking in their harsh beauty. Jabal Dakkā is a high peak near Ta'if. Special climbing equipment is not required.