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Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Middle East You Must Visit / Best Tourism Villages in the Middle East and Africa

7 Best Tourism Villages in the Middle East and Africa

March 12, 2023 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

The United Nations World Tourism Organization, or UNWTO, released its latest list of the World’s Best Tourism Villages. Thirty-two villages worldwide made it to the list; seven are in the Middle East and African regions, home to some of the world’s most unique and fascinating tourism destinations. These villages highlight

Saudi Arabia

Photos From Yanbu Flower Festival 2018 – The World’s Largest Carpet of Flowers

April 1, 2018 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

The annual Yanbu Flower Festival is here again but we were too late to visit the famed Spring festival in Saudi Arabia. We were there last weekend and to our dismay, I’d say that 30% of the flowers were wilting and/or already wilted. You can see it in the photos

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The Fireworks at Yanbu Flower Festival

March 31, 2018 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Here are the photos of the fireworks at Yanbu Flower Festival! Saudi Arabia might be the least country you would expect to have a flower show, but yeah, they have one! Yanbu Flower Festival is on from March 1 – April 7, 2018. Saudi Arabia isn’t really famous for its

Saudi Arabia

I Wore Flip Flops Climbing Mountains in Al Ula

June 11, 2016 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Yes, that’s right. I wore flip-flops climbing mountains in Al Ula. They’re not your ordinary mountains but rocky mountains, which can be dangerous when you step on imbalanced rocks. I didn’t bring my shoes because no one told me we would climb mountains. It was supposed to be just a hike

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Is Al Ula the Grand Canyon of Saudi Arabia?

June 9, 2016 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Is Al Ula the Grand Canyon of Saudi Arabia? From above, it looks like one but not completely like it. The panoramic views of sandstones and rock formations are breathtakingly stunning as the sun goes down. But going up there is quite interesting – you’ll pass through a steep, zigzag

Saudi Arabia

The Mud Brick Houses of the Old Town of Al Ula

June 7, 2016 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

The old town of Al Ula is both historical and biblical. In Biblical Times, Al Ula was called “Dedan.” It is mentioned in Isaiah 21:13 as a home trade base for Arab caravans. Today, the old town of Al Ula is a ghost town. No one lives there anymore but there’s

Saudi Arabia

The Lion Tombs Carved in the Rock Mountains

June 3, 2016 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

They are called Lion Tombs carved in the rocky mountains. Don’t get it wrong – no dead lions are buried inside. The lions are literally carved on the side of one of the Al Khuraiba Tombs. These small tombs are within walking distance from a discovered old kingdom called the

Saudi Arabia

Camping in Al Ula

June 2, 2016 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Are you going camping in Al Ula? Here’s our experience. It was a long drive from our town to Al Ula and Madain Saleh. But it was a fun weekend hanging out with colleagues in our three colleges. We went sightseeing, watched the sunsets, admired Al Ula’s panorama from the

Saudi Arabia

The Elephant Rock

May 31, 2016 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Don’t miss seeing this Elephant Rock when you’re in Madain Saleh or Al Ula in Saudi Arabia. Last weekend, some of us went camping for two nights at Al Ula. Yes, I know what you are thinking – it’s hot and it’s a freakin’ desert! Well, you’re wrong! There are

Saudi Arabia

Another White Beach Island in Saudi Arabia

May 14, 2016 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Last Tuesday, my colleagues and I went to a white beach island here in Saudi Arabia. It was just a brief visit because we were picked up from our apartment at a quarter before 5 in the afternoon. When we arrived at the docking area, the local navy collected the

Saudi Arabia

This is a Tiny White Beach Island in Saudi Arabia

May 6, 2016 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

White Beach Island in Saudi Arabia? Yep, they have islands, too! Saudi Arabia isn’t known for its tourism that it is almost non-existent. The country doesn’t offer a tourist visa. The tourists you see around are those who are already working there and have either a working or a business

Saudi Arabia

My Camel Visitors

February 5, 2016 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

I have camel visitors today – when I woke up at 12:20 PM. When I looked out the window, these desert creatures came to pass by our apartment. Camels are usually seen far from where we are but I guess, this morning is an exemption. They hanged out below us

Saudi Arabia

How To Transport Camels in Saudi Arabia

January 4, 2016 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

Last weekend, while on our way for our weekend shopping, we saw these camels being transported in a Toyota pick-up. As you can see, there are three of them and they seem to be well-behaved camels. I wonder how they were enticed to go into the back of the car

Saudi Arabia

Al Farid – Alone But Beautiful

December 12, 2015 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

The Al Farid / Al Fareed is a monolith away from the other rocks at Madain Saleh, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Saudi Arabia. How it ended up alone and far from the other massive sandstones may not be a mystery, but it indeed has an exciting story

Saudi Arabia

Photos: Al Diwan at Madain Saleh

December 11, 2015 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

I was supposed to post these photos of Al Diwan at Madain Saleh long ago, but I got so busy at work. And I also had to do some research on my trip to Bahrain and UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Al Ain). Now that I’m back, I just realized that

Qasr Al Saneh at Madain Saleh is an ancient Nabatean architectural marvel.

Saudi Arabia

Qasr Al Saneh – A Nabatean Architectural Wonder

November 15, 2015 KeepCalmAndWander 0 Comments

When visiting Madain Saleh (in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk Province), Qasr Al Saneh would be a good place to start learning about the Nabatean architecture which is richly obvious in the carved tombs you’ll see everywhere around the area. If you’ve been to Petra in Jordan, the architectural wonder you’ll find in