Ranging from shopping, dining and sailing to exploring the historical areas or even camel riding, the Kingdom provides different kinds of entertaining activities. Arab News has selected the three most famous activities in the Kingdom.
 

Many people living in Riyadh spend their vacations camping in Al-Thmama desert. They mostly choose the spring and winter seasons to set up their tents and camp for months, as in summer the weather gets too hot.

While singles often prefer to go “back to basic,” families usually rent tents equipped with electricity and water services. “Most tents have a private bathroom and a kitchen built outside the tent. Some families rent more than one tent to separate men from women,” related Ghannam, manager of Aldeera Park in Al-Thmama. “Most families spend their nights setting bonfires and sleeping in their tents, which we already set up for them. In the morning, they wake up for a day filled with adventures,” he said.

There are plenty of activities to do for families, but probably the most popular ones are hunting and dune drifting. The former is usually done in spring, when men hunt for rabbits and lizards, but can be done in other seasons as well.

Dune drifting is one of the most famous sport activities, not just in Riyadh but also in Jeddah and the eastern part of Saudi Arabia. “People who love this sport know exactly what kind of sand is fit for it, and in Al-Thmama we have pure and soft dunes that are perfect for drifting,” said Khalaf Al-Khaldi, a 32-year-old drifter. “Drifting needs a special four-wheel jeep, because using a regular car might damage both the wheels and the motor,” he added.

Even though it is a dangerous sport, Saudis take the risk of going up and down the hills for fun. “Many people don’t put in mind that being a professional driver is essential, as dune drifting needs a great amount of control and driving skills,” said Al-Khaldi. “It is very important for dune drifters to be careful, because there are no nearby hospitals or clinics,” he added.

Early morning is the best time to go dune drifting, before the desert heat starts to kick in.
 

The Red Sea is famous throughout the world for its clear waters and astonishing marine life. It can be accessed from the coast of Jeddah, the second largest city of Saudi Arabia located on the eastern shore of the Red Sea.

Its location on the Red Sea makes the city special and as a result, Jeddawis are experts in water activities such as fishing, snorkeling and diving. Taking a dive in the Red Sea is magical, as divers usually go to deep waters where they discover an incredible undersea adventure and explore underwater caves.

“It is incredible what you can find underwater: There are huge numbers of beautifully colored corals and fish that come in different sizes, types and colors,” said Saudi diver Karam Khashoggi. “Divers must be well prepared when diving here, because the Red Sea is known for its white sharks. I highly recommend everyone to take care and follow a diving course before going there, for it can be dangerous,” he added.

Diving trips can be arranged by either booking it through a hotel or a local tour operator. Diving can be very dangerous; hence it requires training from an authorized coach.  Many shops that are specialized in selling diving equipment can provide the necessary training programs for those who are interested in diving lessons for professionals as well as beginners. These shops are also able to provide divers with certificates and license for diving.
 

One of the famous activities in the eastern coastal regions of the Kingdom is fishing, which can be done either from the shore or on a boat.

The water of the Arabian Gulf is rich with different  fish species, especially barracuda, mackerel, yellowfin tuna, red snapper and sea bass, according to fisherman Ahmed Ghazi. “There are other kinds of fishes and whales in the Gulf region, like sharks, dolphins and whales, but we usually only seek for fish we can sell on the fish market,” he said. “Fishermen start fishing after midnight, because they need to start selling as early as 3 in the morning,” he added.

Other people take fishing as a hobby and opportunity to explore the sea on a relaxing fishing trip away from the busy city of Alkhobar. “Fishing is a popular hobby, and you will find many families renting a boat, heading to the deep waters to look for fish,” said Ameen Al-Haj, a Saudi diver. “Most families start their fishing trips as early as 7 a.m. on Fridays. You can see many families gathering at Alkhobar Corniche and having a picnic and barbeque for lunch,” he added.