This town, located 375 mi/600 km northwest of Jeddah, is visited primarily for its ancient Nabataean rock tombs, which have links to the extensive ruins at Petra, in Jordan.
Allow an hour to see the archaeological site, but spend a long day in the area so you can see some of the nearby attractions. These include AlUla (which occupies the same site as the biblical city of Dedan, with an impressive red-sandstone gorge), Hanakiyah (prehistoric carvings) and Qasr al Bint (tombs and palace).
Special permission must be obtained from the Department of Antiquities and Museums in Riyadh prior to going. For information, contact the National Museum in Riyadh.
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