The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whose name means “the happy desert”, lies on the Arabian Peninsula in south-west Asia, with the Persian Gulf to the east and the Red Sea to the west, bordering Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen, Bahrain and Qatar. It covers an area of 2.25 million square kilometres with a coastline of 2,448 km. The terrain rises from east to west, with much of the country consisting of plateau and vast deserts. The capital is Riyadh; the summer capital is Taif and the diplomatic capital is Jeddah. The heart of Riyadh, where modernity and the past blend perfectly. The high-rise buildings along the main thoroughfare are a striking sight and the easiest landmarks for first-time visitors to recognise — much like Chang’an Avenue in Beijing. Standing on this street, your sense of direction is instantly clear: it is a main road running north to south through the city centre and its most prosperous district.The postcard of Hegra (Madain Saleh): Elephant Rock.Saudi Arabia’s magnificent natural landscapes — a spectacle you can only truly appreciate in person!The Valley of the Giants at Hegra. This archaeological site was the first in Saudi Arabia to be inscribed on the World Heritage List. More than 2,000 years ago it was the southern capital of the Nabataean kingdom, a trading centre on the caravan routes that linked the southern Arabian Peninsula with the Mediterranean basin and Mesopotamia. The vast necropolis surrounding the mountains features more than 130 carvings cut into natural rock faces, exuding a sense of original Arabian character.Here, would you still remember that Saudi Arabia is a desert country?Mecca is the holiest city in Islam and its most sacred site. It lies in a narrow valley in the Sarat Mountains of western Saudi Arabia, covering less than 760 square kilometres. Surrounded by rolling mountains on all sides, it enjoys magnificent scenery.Together with Mecca and Jerusalem, Medina is one of the three holiest cities of Islam and is its second-holiest city. It sits on open ground in the Sarat Mountains of western Saudi Arabia. Its principal sanctuary is the Prophet’s Mosque, which contains the tomb of Muhammad.The Edge of the WorldDiving in the Red Sea off Jeddah — a dive paradise not yet fully developed, where coral of every colour is within reach while snorkelling and a vibrant underwater world unfolds before your eyes!Here there are red deserts too — dune bashing and camel riding take on a special charm in this setting!At present there are direct flights from Guangzhou to Riyadh and Jeddah!
