Expat Diaries - Our Jeddah to AlUla, Saudi Arabia, Adventure - Epic, Surreal, Jaw-dropping!

It’s been two years since our last trip to AlUla and oh my, how things have changed.
The place has been booming and no doubt will continue to under the Royal Commission of AlUa - catering to foodies, adrenaline junkies and those wanting to immerse themselves in the rich culture.
For a belated birthday trip, we organised a three-night stay in the Habitas Caravans, and three words to describe our trip…
Epic. Surreal. Jaw-dropping… Still 3 words ;)
We decided to drive up from Jeddah, nearly an 8 hour trip with stops, as we wanted ease of transport when up there. I hear there is a car rental at the airport, but we wanted our trusty Jeep. Plus, when out of the Jeddah/Yanbu area, it turns into quite the scenic drive.
All the activities can be found at experiencealula.com - including what’s on at specific times of the year, where to stay, places to eat. You can literally plan your entire trip here.
There is such a range of things to do and places to eat that we still barely have scratched the surface. Even though it’s our 3rd time visiting, it would have been great to have another couple of days there to explore some more.
As always, reach out to us on Instagram if any questions:
@teratai_yogastrong
@pete_kami_

[@fatimahabdulah3993]

Hello, I am from Saudi Arabia. I enjoyed the video a lot with you. Thank you for showing Saudi Arabia beautifully 😍😍😍🇸🇦

[@petedoessaudi]

That’s awesome, have you travelled much around Saudi?

[@thaoabile]

Absolutely amazing. Thank you for bring us with 😆

[@cl6798]

This is such a wonderful destination. You are a great, down to earth couple. You are making me very excited for Saudi.

[@petedoessaudi]

🫶🏼🫶🏼 Thank you! Are you coming to live or visit?

[@cl6798]

@@petedoessaudi to live hopefully! I’m in a few job processes. I’m Irish, husband Indian, so we are aiming to move by February. Jeddah, Riyadh or Tabuk.

[@alganmiKhaled]

as Saudi i did not expect how beautiful al ula is i hope you guys have nice days and thanx guys for sharing the experience

[@petedoessaudi]

It’s definitely worth the visit, Khaled 🙏🏼

[@samcsuf]

This is the best swimming pool I've ever seen 😍 ... the surroundings are spectacular

[@petedoessaudi]

It’s epic isn’t it 😍

[@samcsuf]

@Pete & Thea Do Saudi yes and I'm jealous 😅😅 JK.. looking forward to the next adventure 💚🇸🇦

[@Brian_Moser1118]

thank you for the footage. I am from Saudi Arabia and was wandering about what alula is like

[@petedoessaudi]

Glad I could help! 🫶🏼🫶🏼

[@neutralholly]

Love this vid! Super informative for people thinking of visiting AlUla. Ignore the ignorant comments, you guys are great

[@petedoessaudi]

Thanks Holly! Hope you’re enjoying your time? Looks like you’re down lots of travelling too?

[@neutralholly]

@@petedoessaudi Yup, it's going great! Coming back to Saudi at every chance!

[@Pompom.933]

Welcome to your second home🇸🇦❤️

[@petedoessaudi]

Thank you bro! 🫶🏼

[@Ahmeed-hm7nb]

❤🇸🇦🕋🇸🇦❤لااله إلا الله 🌹

[@mjd9997]

Love seen this 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@petedoessaudi]

Thank you Majed! 🫶🏼

[@ir5467]

I am living in Alulla it's a wonderful place and mesmerizing

[@petedoessaudi]

It really is, I’m going back at the end of November!

[@عبدالإلهمسلم-ت5ف]

There is no cursed place in Al-Ula, as some claim, because Al-Ula is a large area with a city in which thousands of people have lived for hundreds of years until the present day. However, Mada’in Saleh, which is a small area in the north of Al-Ula, lived in a tribe thousands of years ago who disbelieved in their Prophet despite witnessing miracles, and God punished them because of that. Therefore, it is not permissible to visit it unless you are crying or trying to cry, meaning there is nothing preventing you from visiting it. As for the rest of the Al-Ula region, it has nothing to do with Mada’in Saleh.

[@ابوعزام-ذ1ر]

Welcome to saudi aribia ❤

[@petedoessaudi]

Thank you! It’s been a good four years 🫶🏼

[@Snowfox23]

Love it 🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@petedoessaudi]

Thank you!

[@mohammedelnour9191]

رحلة ممتعه والسعوديه لديها المزيد من المواقع الرائعه

[@petedoessaudi]

شكران !

[@alialghamdi.1804]

Nice vlog😍 considering going there 💭

[@petedoessaudi]

Thank you! You absolutely should, it’s epic

[@pierreduprey9032]

Awesome! 😎

[@petedoessaudi]

🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@comee100]

The area of hegra is preserved and closed for free roaming, going into the area only by organizers transport.

[@petedoessaudi]

Yep, that’s right

[@missd3605]

I'm thinking of going here soon! That place with the pool is a hotel right? You can just go there for the day?

[@petedoessaudi]

It is yes, Habitas. I think you may be able to get a day pass - not 100% sure on that though

[@معتز-ت9ث]

❤️🇸🇦alula

[@petedoessaudi]

🫶🏼🫶🏼

[@abdurahman49]

I see Hegra has come a long way. Just a few years ago, nobody outside of Saudi knew this place even existed, despite the fact Petra - which, let's be honest, has the more impressive structures, carvings - being one of the most popular tourist spots in the world.

[@petedoessaudi]

From what I hear people in Saudi barely knew this place existed! I still need to visit Petra, although I imagine it’ll be absolutely saturated with tourists

[@giasmahamud2408]

Wow! Just awesome. What camera do you use?

[@corvette6499]

I m in the same tower 👍🤟

[@petedoessaudi]

No way! Howdy neighbour 👋🏻👋🏻

[@corvette6499]

@@petedoessaudi 19 floor

[@صالحالقرني-ك3ج]

💚💚💚💝💘

[@shaharyarqureshi6894]

Excellent video. Can you please tell how much did this tour cost from Jeddah to Al ula

[@petedoessaudi]

It’s not the cheapest… It’ll probably be about 7-10k exclusive of any flights

[@shaharyarqureshi6894]

@@petedoessaudi thanks. You should also visit Pakistan

[@michaelrodgers9419]

Quick ?. It looks as though the conservative dress laws are relaxing based on your workout attire. Is that the case? Do you get any push back from locals?

[@petedoessaudi]

Couple points here - we were in a hotel setting and hotel gym so attire is a bit more relaxed and the mixed gyms rules don’t really apply. Usually in every day the gyms are segregated so men and women don’t work out together. This will likely change in years to come. And Thea wouldn’t go out in public just wearing what she was in this video to / in the workouts when we’re home in Jeddah. She would wear an abaya on top still. Hope that helps?

[@rimesherif5775]

​@@petedoessaudi no hopefully they remain segregated. We don't want your immoral culture. It's not superior. God's way of life is superior.

[@petedoessaudi]

Where did I say that non-segregated gyms were superior, or that Western culture was superior? Don’t you think there are reasons why I want to live in Saudi and not move back to London - perhaps because I prefer elements of the culture here? Plus, maybe you should reconsider as there is already a mixed gym in the Kingdom, and no doubt more to follow…

[@petedoessaudi]

Lol at the dude who deleted his ‘we do not want your culture here’ 👀 Why is it that people think they speak for a whole segment of society or population? “We don’t not want your culture here” - like dude who’s we…?! By all means share your opinion, but what gives you the power to speak for “we” 🙃

[@محمدالحربي-ق1ج]

السكان لا يتدخلون بشؤن الغير كل شخص له حريته ولا يمكنك اجبار شخص او الاسائه له لأن يوجد دولة تحفظ حقوق السياح والجميع مجرد إبلاغك عنه سينال جزائه استمتع بوقتك وكل شي على ما يرام وأغلب سكان المملكة العربية السعودية لطيفين ومرحبين انضر لليوتيوبر والسياح وردة فعلهم وتعليقهم عن سكان السعودية مرحبا بكم في بلدي انتم ضيوف لدينا لا يمكن ايذائكم بأي شي ولا يوجد شخص يمكنه توجيهك الا المسؤلين و الشرطة فقط ❤❤🇸🇦👍

[@fyeahitsrul5683]

This Al Ula place was prohibited by our Prophet Rasulullah pbuh to visited. I don’t read much of the stories yet just found out about it last week.

[@petedoessaudi]

Oh wow, history can be so fascinating! You’ll have to let me know what else you find out about it.

[@محمدالحربي-ق1ج]

@@petedoessaudi العلاء ما قبل الإسلام كان يسكن فيها قوم النبي صالح الذين عقرو الناقه وهي الجمل وحذرهم النبي صالح ولم يسمعو بنصيحته ونزل عليهم غضب الرب واهلكو هذا قديماً قبل الآلف السنوات اقرئ بتاريخ المكان انا احب قرائت القصص والكتب 😊

[@maximilliangillardo5764]

​@@petedoessaudi Al Ula The Cursed place in Saudi Arabia.

[@عبدالإلهمسلم-ت5ف]

There is no cursed place in Al-Ula, as some claim, because Al-Ula is a large area with a city in which thousands of people have lived for hundreds of years until the present day. However, Mada’in Saleh, which is a small area in the north of Al-Ula, lived in a tribe thousands of years ago who disbelieved in their Prophet despite witnessing miracles, and God punished them because of that. Therefore, it is not permissible to visit it unless you are crying or trying to cry, meaning there is nothing preventing you from visiting it. As for the rest of the Al-Ula region, it has nothing to do with Mada’in Saleh.

[@rohanmajumder8715]

For enjoying the pool in habitas did you have to pay anything extra or it was free?

[@petedoessaudi]

I was a guest in the hotel so it’s included as part of the hotel

[@kmm422]

I think you should respect the culture of the place you’re going to. we all know saudi is modest country, so wearing a bikini and tank tops is honestly disrespectful:)

[@TheNevhod]

They did not break the regulations in AlUla that allow women to wear swimsuits. You should be educated before you attack tourists! I am Saudi and I will allow my wife to wear swimsuits in alula and I will swim with her! If you don't like this, don't go to her and don't speak for the community, because you don't represent me!!

[@alamgirkabir2244]

Watching from Bangladesh 🇧🇩. Hello dear, Please come to visit my country. My country Bangladesh 🇧🇩. Please come here.

[@petedoessaudi]

Thanks for the comment!

[@andrewhouston6631]

Are you guys married? What are the rules for travelling and sharing rooms if you're not married ??

[@petedoessaudi]

Back in 2019 there was a new law saying that non-married couples can now stay in the same hotel room. Previously they were not allowed. I had this problem when I first came before the new law passed and I went into a colleague’s room in a hotel to cook our lunch and there was this big uproar… Fortunately nothing happened - they just raised it to my employer who was putting me up in the hotel at the time. Now it’s not a problem to share a room 👍🏼👍🏼

[@j.l4078]

@@petedoessaudi if you are not married yet then what you are waiting for?..why don't you marry her already!

[@S_kw1]

who go to Saudi Arabia it's unsafe they don't know what they missing 🤣🤣

[@abdulazizalrashid8179]

No pig in saudi !

[@petedoessaudi]

Nope, nowhere to be found

[@maximilliangillardo5764]

The cursed place in Saudi Arabia

[@petedoessaudi]

Yes! That’s right, good knowledge

[@عبدالإلهمسلم-ت5ف]

There is no cursed place in Al-Ula, as some claim, because Al-Ula is a large area with a city in which thousands of people have lived for hundreds of years until the present day. However, Mada’in Saleh, which is a small area in the north of Al-Ula, lived in a tribe thousands of years ago who disbelieved in their Prophet despite witnessing miracles, and God punished them because of that. Therefore, it is not permissible to visit it unless you are crying or trying to cry, meaning there is nothing preventing you from visiting it. As for the rest of the Al-Ula region, it has nothing to do with Mada’in Saleh.

[@sg-gl3zg]

For all people who plan to visit our country plz respect the culture and wear and act modesty regardless what the laws say.. it is not nice to visit a conservative country and bother most of the citizens by your actions.. you have the whole world to wear bikini and to live as a disbeliever