Al Wajh Saudi Arabia, AlUla-Medina
Saudi Arabia
10
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Emerald Waterways (2 Cruises)
Frequently Asked Questions
Ships anchor offshore and a tender takes passengers to a quay about five kilometres from town. This is not a call where you step straight into the centre.
For the hinterland. This fishing town in Tabuk Province is the gateway to one of the largest archaeological complexes in the Near East: the AlUla oasis and the tombs of Hegra.
A quarter of merchant houses built from coral stone quarried on the shore, with carved wooden balconies. Most stand abandoned today, and that very absence gives the place its force. An hour is enough to walk it.
About two and a half hours each way. It is the major excursion offered by most lines and it takes the whole day: sand plains, basalt plateaus and ochre mountains that shift colour with the hour.
Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage site: more than a hundred monumental tombs carved by the Nabataeans two thousand years ago into isolated sandstone outcrops. Visits are made in small accompanied groups.
Qasr al-Farid, which stands alone on its rock. It was left unfinished, and that is exactly what makes it moving: you see the work interrupted, the facade carved from the top down and raw stone below.
The mudbrick old town, a maze of covered lanes and restored squares; the remains of the ancient kingdom of Dadan; the thousands of carved inscriptions in Jabal Ikmah canyon, an open-air library; and Elephant Rock.
Yes, and it is a defensible choice if long drives put you off. The old coral town, the fishing harbour and the corniche make a quiet morning, best done early before the heat.
November to March. The desert and the sandstone sites become very hard going in spring and summer, and the AlUla excursion happens entirely in the sun. A hat, sunglasses and plenty of water are needed even in winter.
Modestly: shoulders and knees covered for everyone, loose light clothing. Rules have eased for women visitors, but restraint in dress is still expected in town and at the sites.
