Saudi Arabia
Official name: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Population: 36 890 000
Total area: 2 149 690 km²

Gallery
Saudi Arabia – tourist attractions
Saudi Arabia is a new country for travellers. Saudia was opened to tourism in 2019 and since then it has been trying to attract as many tourists as possible. When travelling around Saudi I saw that the Saudis invest a lot of time and money in tourism. Saudia has ambitious plans in this respect, although in 2022 I got the impression that tourism in Saudia is still a novelty and is in a state of initial development.
An introduction to travelling around Saudi Arabia
According to official data Saudia is visited by 20 million tourists every year, and over the next few years Saudia has plans to receive as many as 100 million annually. At the moment however it is not clear to me how many of these tourists are travellers from Western countries and how many of them are religious pilgrims from Muslim countries. In my opinion this is a huge difference in the perception of Saudi Arabia in terms of tourism. Among the many other advantages of the following countries I will now mention: in my opinion Saudia is still a centre of religious tourism, just like Turkey or Iran have ambitions to become centres of medical tourism, and Thailand is a well-known destination for sex tourism. I emphasize: among many other advantages!
Since the founding of Saudi Arabia in 1932 until 2019 only followers of Islam were allowed to visit the country. Even then, the main goals of the visitors were not to get to know the whole country but only to make religious pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina. No wonder that Saudia is still an unknown country and this was the main reason why I decided to explore it thoroughly and also describe my adventure. Saudi Arabia was quite a challenge for me, even taking into account that I had already travelled, among other places, the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan, Tibet and Iran. In Saudi it was completely different.
According to the popular opinion it is not worth going to Saudi Arabia at all because there are only: ‘desert, camels, Islam and oil; and apart from these things there is nothing in Saudi.’ Indeed, when travelling around Saudi Arabia the landscape was mostly monotonous because there was a desert everywhere. When I travelled around Saudia and looked out the window Arabs sometimes said to me: ‘your country is green and we only have desert’. Well, if I believed in the stereotypes that in Saudi there is only a flat desert, camels, Islam and oil, there would be no point in going to KSA. However, I invested time, money and put a lot of effort into this expedition; in order to get to know the whole of Saudia.

Arabian pussy cat at the background of the flag of Saudi Arabia.
On the other hand it is true that 95% of the territory of Saudi Arabia is covered by a desert where live about 1.6 million camels. Also, despite several places and landscapes that differ from the traditional image of Saudi Arabia, the stereotypes in this case are indeed true. As for crude oil Saudia is its largest producer and exporter. I, too, saw oil wells in the desert a few times in KSA.
As for the culture of Saudi Arabia, it is indeed based on Islam and attachment to the desert, but I was sure that there must be something else besides Islam. During my travels through so many countries I found out that often even very similar countries have unique features. However when it comes to Saudi Arabia my main motivation was to get to know a country that is completely unknown to the Western world. I wanted this adventure.
Saudi Arabia – an incentive to travel
Also, apart from stereotypes Sadia has beautiful mountains, canyons, nice beaches, very interesting and even dramatic rock formations, cliffs and even waterfalls. Saudia has also nice forts, attractive villages that form a part of an Arabian cultural heritage and impressive settlements built on top of rocks. Saudi Arabia also has carved tombs in the desert that are over 2,000 years old.
I’m sure that Muslims who only visit Mecca and Medina have no idea that such places even exist in Saudi. That is however not all because I enjoyed traditional Arab bazaars with old architecture and good food, and interesting fish bazaars (bangala), with many species of fish that we don’t see in Europe. In Saudi I also saw several impressive mosques. Some of them are filled with interesting Muslim art and verses from the Koran and are built along promenades by the sea. There are always palm trees in such places too.
In addition, it was very interesting to watch how people cope in such extreme climatic conditions. I saw oases where people dug ditches for the flow of water to irrigate vegetables and fruit, and where date palms were a real salvation from the scorching sun. Growing bananas or lemons in the desert is quite a challenge. By the way, Saudi Arabia is the second producer of dates in the world because it collects as much as 1.5 million tons of them annually, and has as many as 300 types. These are the so-called ‘desert fruits’ which I often ate during my desert adventures.
In many places very picturesque was the desert itself, sometimes with mountains or sand dunes on the coast of the Persian Gulf. Several times I also saw herds of wild camels roaming the desert. The original attraction for me was also the way of brewing and serving Arabic coffee with cardamom from traditional Arabic jugs, usually with dates, and sometimes also in the desert under date palms.

Martin Malik – the ambassador of friendship and peace in Saudi Arabia. Red sand dunes near Riyadh.
It is important for future travellers to realize that although my story framed in nice photos is interesting, there are countries where travel is hard, tiring and a challenge for the body and mind. Especially if it’s a budget trip and if the traveller takes his passion seriously.
Saudi Arabia – a few interesting places
Saudi Arabia has many places worth seeing, although in this article I will only talk about a few. I’d like to remind that some of them are difficult to reach. Fortunately good people helped me, especially since a white man is a rarity there.
Cities of Saudi Arabia
I perceived all the cities in Saudi Arabia differently, although some of them have their own charm. Many have traditional old bazaars where you can feel like in old Arabia. Some also have fish bazaars and others are just bases near the endless desert. There are also cities in Saudi located on the Persian Gulf and on the Red Sea, and they have beaches, elegant promenades, palm trees and mosques on the shore. In winter there is a pleasant sea breeze that gives relief.
I really liked the old city of Jeddah. It was my first and successful contact with Saudi Arabia. In Riyadh I really liked the old city with the central object, which is the Masmak fortress. In Riyadh, I also drove to the top of the Kingdom Tower, which has become the symbol of Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately, the capital of Saudi Arabia is huge, hot, crowded and tiring. Taif also has an elegant old bazaar and an attractive mosque. In all those places there are people who want contact with ‘people from the other world’, and that is also a great advantage of Saudi.
I also enjoyed the desert city of Jizan near Yemen. There was of course another fortress with a nice view of the sea, and a cultural village too. Unfortunately even in winter the heat is unbearable there. I was also in Tabuk because that city has one interesting part that is worth seeing. It is of course a bazaar and an old mosque but I also saw pet shops with exotic birds and an interesting shop with traditional Arab clothes.
Usually it is also the case that most cities in Saudi Arabia are not attractive for travellers, they are very dirty and look like a third world country. Those are the districts of Riyadh where mainly live temporary workers from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. No one has seen a Saudi man there for a long time.
My visit to Medina which is the second holiest place in Saudi Arabia was also a very interesting experience. I joined Muslim pilgrims from all over the world without being a Muslim myself. I got the impression that most people were from Indonesia.

Elephant Rock, not far from Al Ula. Saudi Arabia.
One of my favourite cities was the cooler Abha in the Asir Mountains. Abha is also a starting point for cultural villages and mountain trails with herds of baboons. At the end of my trip I went to Dammam and Khobar on the Persian Gulf.
Nature of Saudi Arabia
There are places of great natural value in Saudi Arabia, the more so that they don’t fit into the stereotype of the desert. One of those places is Wadi Lajab, a beautiful canyon with red rocks, water reservoirs and waterfalls. In addition, when I was in Wadi Lajab I also experienced rural life in the desert. I was in the fields of coffee and fruit. I saw people’s attachment to their desert and culture.
One of the most beautiful corners of Saudi Arabia is also the Al Disah Canyon. Inside I saw a stream, red mountain peaks, and herds of camels and goats. There is also a picturesque desert close to Al Disah. It’s hard to get to both of those places but I assure everyone that it’s worth it.
Another place I would like to mention are the Red Dunes about 60km from Riyadh. I enjoyed that place a lot. I rode a three wheeler in the dunes and saw herds of white camels on a nearby farm. It’s easy to get there. In the vicinity of Riyadh I also launched a hard expedition to the Edge of the World, but more on that later.
In every country I’ve been to there are also unexpected, beautiful and unforgettable events – though simple and ordinary at the same time. Once in the desert I met a camel owner who let me taste milk from a pregnant camel. In addition, several times I saw herds of wild camels in the desert. That’s why you need to stay longer in the country to feel its true character.
Many cities also have very attractive beaches. They are in Jeddah, Dammam, Khobar and my favourite in Khafji. Unfortunately only a few people would go to Khafji because it’s a small town located 5 km from Kuwait. If someone does not intend to go to Kuwait he would not be in Khafji, which is a pity because the beach is long and wide and fishermen pull out large specimens from the sea.

Saudi Arabia is a road adventure.
While in Jizan I also took the ferry to Farasan Island. There I saw nice beaches, desert of course, but also a unique phenomenon for Saudi Arabia which were mangrove forests. So Saudia amazed me with its natural diversity and yet there is supposedly: ‘only desert, oil, camels and Islam’.
Historical attractions of Saudi Arabia
When it comes to the cultural and historical heritage left by the ancestors, the biggest attraction of Saudi is Al Ula and the nearby Hegra: tombs in the desert left by the Nabataean civilization. I wrote about this before in my chapter on Jordan. Hegra is a unique place which is still being developed. There are, among others, fruit plantations in the desert and a very attractive Elephant Rock.
There are also cultural villages in Saudi, some of which are located in picturesque surroundings. In the vicinity of Taif I went to the wonderful Thee Ain, a fortified village on a huge rock. There was also a waterfall, banana plantation and baboons. In the vicinity of Abha I went to the wonderful cultural village of Rijal Alma, which is the best-known tourist attraction in Saudi. Near Khamis Mushait there are small and interesting cultural villages with old houses and herds of goats. There are always people who provide yet another experience.
A Saudi adventure for the persistent ones !!!
No one will know how much effort, health and money this trip cost me. I doubt anyone realizes my cold and hard nights in the desert and how hard it is to walk through the hot desert, counting how much water I have left. In Saudi however I didn’t experience a sandstorm like earlier in Jordan, on my way to the Dead Sea. I was also in the hospital once.
There are of course those who land in Jeddah, just to see the old bazaar and then they go to see the tombs in Al Ula. They are tourists, not travellers. I dedicate my work to adventure travellers.

Thee Ain – beautiful settlement on a rock, near Al-Baha. Thee Ain is surrounded by a banana plantation, palms and mangroves, and there is a waterfall behind the castle. There is also a tiresome herd of baboons. Saudi Arabia is amazing sometimes.
By the way, I would like to recommend the national airline of Saudi Arabia: Saudia. Good service, good standard and reasonable price.
Saudi Arabia – the present times
Economy of Saudi Arabia
Mainly oil
It is well known that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the world’s leading producer and exporter of oil. Saudi Arabia’s economy is based on the production and export of crude oil, which is controlled by the Saudi government. Saudi Arabia has approximately 16% of the world’s proven oil reserves and is its largest exporter. Saudia is also the largest member of OPEC (The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and is the second largest oil producer in the world.
Some sources say that Saudi Arabia has 16% to 20% of the world’s oil reserves and that its exports account for 75% to 85%; depending on years. This situation is changing as the Saudi government tries to diversify its economy. Still, Saudi Arabia has proven oil reserves of over 267 billion barrels. According to some sources, in 2021, oil production in Saudi amounted to 9 million barrels and a year later to 11.5 million barrels; depending on demand and prices.
This means that even if Saudi Arabia stopped exporting oil, it would have reserves for 221 years at its current consumption and resources. I think it will last much longer because these are unconfirmed data that Saudi Arabia does not have to share with the world. Besides, Saudia can also increase production if it wants for its own use.
Despite many efforts to diversify the economy, according to https://tradingeconomics.com/ from 2024, oil production still accounts for about 46% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP. So far, Saudi’s greatest success was the annual oil revenue of 40% of GDP, but this was during the Covid-19 years when the demand for oil was lower, and with it the prices.
However, https://oilprice.com/ reports that Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Economy and Planning revealed that non-oil revenues reached 50% of Saudi gross domestic product in 2023, the highest level ever. Despite several successes and many ambitious investments, escaping from oil is very difficult for Saudi Arabia. This is however a problem that Saudia will face later because the world still needs oil.
For this reason the ‘tolerant warriors for democracy’ such as the US and UK still smile at Saudi Arabia while calling it an authoritarian dictatorship. Saudi Arabia is the only one able to increase oil production at a very rapid pace, and is also able to reduce prices depending on demand.
In my opinion, if Saudi Arabia was not a client of the US and Zionist Israel, and if it wasn’t an official enemy of Iran, then the ‘democratic and civilized states’ and the chosen by them ‘international community’ would treat Saudia like Iran or worse. Jews hate Arabs with all their hearts, which is why in my opinion the USA, controlled by terrorist Jews is just waiting for the right time to invade.
Diversification of the Saudi economy
The war in Ukraine is profitable for Saudi Arabia because the demand for oil has increased, but this will not always be the case. According to the Brooking Institute which conducts research on global trade, the demand for oil will decrease around 2040. Saudi Arabia must therefore invest in moving away from oil so that in the worst-case scenario Arabs don’t return to living in tents in their desert. Moreover, Saudi Arabia is surrounded by other oil-rich countries that don’t particularly like Saudi Arabia and will be happy to do business with both the West and the East at Saudi’s expense.

Dariyah. An old village near Riyadh.
For this reason Saudi Arabia’s economy is undergoing a transformation aimed at reducing dependence on oil, diversifying sources of income and increasing competitiveness. Roughly, the non-oil sector accounts for about 45% of Saudi GDP, mainly with strong growth in tourism, manufacturing, logistics and renewable energy, and foreign investment. Looking at the numbers however, with huge investments tourism takes up only 4% of GDP, agriculture over 2% and logistics and transport about 6% of Saudi GDP (Source: Investopedia).
A well-known program is Saudi Vision 2030, launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2016, which aims to achieve greater economic, social and cultural diversification. This is the vision of the ruler of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. I saw these changes and numerous investments personally during my long trip around Saudi Arabia at the end of 2022. I agree that Mohamed bin Salman has very ambitious projects and he’s trying to achieve his goals with oil money, but when it comes to social and cultural changes I don’t believe in these two in particular.
According to experts Saudi Arabia needs more time to abandon oil. There are only six years left until 2030 and economists say the actual percentage of oil-related and non-oil-related GDP in Saudi Arabia has remained roughly the same in that time.
Saudi Arabia has other branches of economy, but in my opinion a more realistic program would be Saudi Vision 2040.
The services sector represents 36% of Saudi Arabia’s revenues, including government services, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants and hotels, insurance and real estate. The remaining sectors are: production (approximately 10%), construction and distribution of electricity, gas and water (6%), and agriculture, forestry and fishing (2%). Saudi Arabia exports petrochemicals, plastics, metal products, construction materials and electrical appliances.
Islam is business too
Saudi Arabia has two holy cities of Islam, which are: Mecca and Medina. Every year approximately 3 million Muslims come to Mecca and Medina for the Hajj pilgrimage. During Ramadan an additional 2 million people come to Saudi for Umrah. From a financial point of view Muslim pilgrimages are extremely important because they generate approximately $12 billion per year for Saudi Arabia. This represents 20% of Saudi’s non-oil GDP and 7% of total GDP.
If it weren’t for Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia would be much poorer. Even if the regime in Saudi was atheistic, Islam is still very profitable for them, not only for financial reasons but also for political and often authoritarian reasons.
I once saw a map of the Arabian Peninsula probably made by Saudi enemies. There is a new country on this map called: The Holy Islamic State, which includes Mecca and Medina and part of the Red Sea coast.
I can’t go to Mecca because I’m not a Muslim, which is a pity because it would be probably a good experience. I know this because I was in Medina, I walked inside the temple square and even entered the mosque. The religious police kicked me out three times but I saw everything. However, the Saudis are businessmen and if the economy was bad they would certainly start organizing ‘trips for infidels’. I believe that non-Muslims should have the right to visit Mecca and Medina for tourist and cultural purposes.
The BBC reports that during the last Hajj to Mecca, 1,300 Muslims died due to the heat. Well, Allah is not always on their side, even though the Saudi regime has installed large water fans. Mecca was built in the desert and temperature there reach over 50ºC in summer.
Tourism not related to Islam is also growing very much in Saudi, of which I am also an example. According to the Saudi government over 106 million tourists visited Saudia in 2023, although part of Saudi Vision 2030 is for 150 million tourists to visit Saudia every year. When I was in Saudi Arabia at the end of 2022, I saw how many places were prepared for tourists not related to Islam, and many others were in preparation. One such place is the old desert-coloured Arab town of Dariya, near Riyadh. When I was there I was told that the opening would take place in three months. In 2022 I was an active witness of the development of Saudi tourism.
In my opinion however, the problem in Saudi is the climate and prices, what I explained in the chapter above: ‘Saudi Arabia – tourist attractions’, and in the practical information.
Neom – the city of the future
An extremely ambitious part of Saudi Vision 2030 and an astronomically expensive project is Neom, also called ‘the line’. It’s a modern city of glass running through the middle of the hot Saudi desert. It is meant to be 170 km long, 200 m wide and 500 m high. Neom is to run from the city of Tabuk, along the Gulf of Aqaba to the Red Sea, entirely within Saudi Arabia. Neom is advertised as 33 times larger than New York, and its area is as much as 26,500 km².

Scene from a store in Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
Inside there will be residential houses, hotels, swimming pools, parks and even ski slopes. Neom is also to have an underground train capable of traveling at 510 km/h, which means that it will cover the entire 170 km route in 20 minutes. The Line (Neom) is expected to be a technological marvel, powered by renewable energy and monitored by artificial intelligence. Mohamed bin Salman (colloquially: MBS) intends to create 460,000 jobs in this way, which in his opinion will bring Saudi Arabia an annual income of approximately $50 billion. The Saudi regime will of course not spare money for the best European architects (who are infidels).
In my opinion MBS is a man with imagination but he will not build it with his own hands and he doesn’t realize how much work is involved. Such an extremely hot climate is also a major obstacle to the construction of this huge, ultra-modern metropolis. Many of the technologies to build Neom have not yet been proven and invented. What I wonder most is what the Saudis would do if the air conditioning breaks down inside Neom? If the temperature in the desert is over 50ºC, it would be much hotter through the glass. Life inside Neom would become impossible. Moreover, countries hostile to Saudi Arabia may treat Neom as part of a dirty political game in order to impose their conditions on Saudi Arabia.
I also wonder if Neom is not a monument to the pride of the Saudi ruler and I wonder what the sense is in that? Why build ski slopes in the desert when they are in the Alps and Tatra Mountains. Why build a jungle for a lot of money in unnatural conditions when you can experience it in many other areas of the world naturally and for much less money. Neom looks to me like a space station on Earth, of which success I have doubts about. I support projects that are close to the culture and natural conditions of a given country, so Neom would not be my project.
So how much is this massive project going to cost? In the beginning Neom was supposed to cost $100 billion, and then $200 billion. However, some forecasts say that the entire project may cost as much as $1 trillion, of which only half will be covered by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. Therefore Neom needs external investment to make Salman’s dream come true. I think that Mohammed bin Salman should personally work in his hot desert for at least one day so that he could think about this huge project in a more realistic way.
However, money is not everything because the construction of such a huge structure also requires human sacrifice. Every year approximately 10,000 construction workers die in the Arabian Peninsula due to heat exhaustion. So Neom also needs blood, and a lot of it. According to Bloomberg the first part of Neom was supposed to be completed by 2030, but due to lack of financing only 2.4 km of the first stage will be completed by 2030. Originally Neom was supposed to be inhabited by 9 million people; that is about 25% of the Saudi population, but then this number was reduced to 300,000 inhabitants by 2030 over a distance of 2.4 km. Saudi officials denied this and said construction of the Neom line was continuing as planned.
Well, every once in a while Saudi Arabia’s ‘allies’ publish articles about political crimes and the lack of human rights in Saudi Arabia to have an excuse to limit investments within Saudi Arabia. Such a country is the hypocrite: USA, which then shakes hands with the Saudis and writes nicely about Saudi Arabia when a barrel of oil is at the right price for them.
Lucid – car factory
American eco-car company Lucid will open a factory in Saudi Arabia, which is expected to be ready by 2026. The Saudis ensure that 30% of all cars in Riyadh will be fuelled in a more ecologically friendly way by 2030. The Saudis talk about great success and about providing many thousands of jobs that are apparently not related to oil. This is of course part of Saudi Vision 2030.
Lucid is supposed to be a luxury, ecological car, but the problem is that the factory is to be largely financed by the government of Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi government has already agreed to buy 100,000 cars. This is a situation where apparently the Americans have built a car factory in Saudi Arabia, most of which will be financed by the Saudis, and then the Saudis will buy 100,000 cars from themselves that they produced by themselves.

The town of Fayfa in the mountains. A picture unlike the traditional image of Saudi Arabia.
The government of Saudi Arabia is obsessed with Saudi Vision 2030, the main plan of which is to move the economy away from oil dependence, but in my opinion not this way. Today Saudi Arabia’s investment fund is doing well but only because of high oil prices. It is therefore self-deception because projects that seem not to be related to oil are financed from the income from the sale of oil.
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Saudi GDP from 2022 was $1.1 trillion, which increases every year. According to World Economics forecasts Saudi GDP will reach as much as $1.9 trillion in 2024. This means that if the demand for oil grows and Saudi Arabia wants to sell it cheaply enough, MBS will be able to behead a million people in Saudi, then declare a ‘holy war’ against infidels, and still receive the Nobel Peace Prize blessed by US-rael.
Education in Saudi Arabia
Education in Saudi Arabia is compulsory and free at primary and secondary levels, for boys and girls aged 6-14. About 99% of the population can write and read. Saudi Arabia spends 8.8% of its GDP on education, which is twice as much as generally. In Saudi Arabia, even some universities are free.
Islam is of course a part of education at all levels. Saudi Arabia has made great progress in eradicating illiteracy, even though and it has had problems with the selection of good teachers and the quality of education. In the past education in Saudi was based only on the study of the Quran, but today Islam is its integral part.
I’m not saying that Saudis don’t study technology, humanities and other sciences. I believe that these data are true but after observing Saudi society I had the impression that centuries have passed and Islam is still the core of education in their country. When observing their everyday behaviour it seems to me that the Saudis pass all exams in their schools and then what matters most is Islam and the philosophy of life related to this religion. This can be seen in their clothes and public prayers among people of many social groups.
How can this be explained otherwise if even high school students studying natural sciences have to study as many as 5 religious subjects, and this is a law that dates back to the 15th century. About 90% of students enrol in secondary schools. About 30% of the Saudi population has higher education. The Saudi Arabian government also pays for foreign studies for its students in Western countries
After many years however I’ve learned that education is often worthless, and I’m not talking about the Muslim world but about the ‘progressive’ West.
In Saudi Arabia it was difficult for ultra-conservative clerics to accept that women should also have the right to education, but especially during the oil era it was essential. Today, although 60% of university graduates are women, only about 15% work. In my opinion this shows an attachment to traditional family divisions and traditions, which I will discuss in the chapter on Saudi culture. Most women work in education.
Today in Saudi there are also universities only for women, with campuses only for women, of course. Gender segregation is established by law in all Saudi schools.
According to the 2022 census almost 13.5 million people, or about 40% of the population of Saudi Arabia are foreigners. For this reason the Saudi government allows one educational institution in each city, while the rest go to Saudi schools. As for children from Pakistan, Bangladesh, North Sudan or Egypt, in their case the Saudi regime does not interfere with their culture because they are also Muslims.

Saudi man in traditional Arabic clothing. Dammam.
However, there are about 800,000 Filipinos living in Saudi who also have their own private schools and who are Catholic. Also, according to popular opinion in Catholic schools are enforced many Saudi rules, which are inconsistent with the Filipino culture. Christianity is like salt in the Saudi eye. In my opinion it doesn’t matter how many outstanding doctors and engineers they have. Islam is the most important.
Healthcare in Saudi Arabia
Healthcare in Saudi Arabia is free and universal for everyone. In Saudi, the private sector’s participation in the provision of health care services is also increasing. Importantly, all surgeries and dental care are also free.
According to data from 2022 there were 497 hospitals in Saudi Arabia, they are well equipped and have well-trained staff. Unfortunately, I experienced this personally when I had an accident on the Farasan island. An ambulance picked me up while I was unconscious, and after some time I made contact with reality.
Despite good health services, Saudi Arabia, like many other countries is not a healthy country. Heart diseases account for 28% of all deaths, followed by cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases. While travelling around Saudi I also saw many people who would benefit from losing weight, but I didn’t realize that the problem was so serious. According to Forbes, over 68% of the population of Saudi Arabia is obese, although according to other sources it is ‘only’ 55%. Obesity in Saudi is responsible for 18% of all deaths, costing the Saudi government billions. Obesity is a problem throughout the Arabian Peninsula, as I have already described it in the section on Kuwait and Bahrain.
About 14% of Saudis are addicted to cigarettes. Importantly, although alcohol and drugs are banned in Saudi Arabia, this problem in Saudi Arabia also exists. I was once taken off the road by a drunk driver who complained to me that he was a bad Muslim because he drank vodka. He had a bottle of vodka with him and was driving very fast at night. I asked him to stop. However, even though Saudis are racing drivers, compared to Poland accidents are very rare because alcohol is banned.
The culture of Saudi Arabia
Islam above all
Saudi Arabia is the epi-center of Islam and therefore its culture is based on Islamic teachings and Arab traditions. Islamic values are instilled in young Saudis from birth both in schools and by society, while points of view and religions other than Islam are prohibited and seen as hostile and illegal. Saudi society is deeply religious and conservative, focused on family life and functioning in society according to Islam.
In Saudi Arabia the dates on the calendar change, but the traditions and culture have not changed for thousands of years, even though Saudia is a young country, having been founded in 1932. Many attitudes and traditions in Saudi have centuries-old roots that come from the civilization of the Islamic heritage of the Arab Bedouins. These were nomadic inhabitants of the hot Arabian desert who moved around with camel caravans long before the establishment of Saudi Arabia.
By using the term ‘epi-center of Islam’ I’m talking about the holy cities of Islam built in the desert, which are Mecca and Medina. The month of Ramadan and Hajj pilgrimages are the most important events of the year, which are more important than national holidays, such as the anniversary of the country’s founding. In my opinion, Saudi Arabia and Mecca and Medina owe much of their popularity to oil.
All of Saudi Arabia’s education, culture, literature, music and legal system are based on traditional Islamic law, also known as Sharia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recognizes as law only what God has established in the Quran and Sunnah. There are three main sources of law in Saudi: Islamic law, statutory law and royal decrees. When talking about Sharia law, the mainstream media does not like to mention its punishments, such as beheadings, whippings and stoning. (I’m not talking specifically about Saudi Arabia right now.)
Usually, someone who has no idea about Islam criticizes all its aspects, but there is one aspect that I really like. The most famous principle of Islamic finance is the prohibition of usury. This means that lenders and borrowers cannot charge or pay interest. Sharia-compliant banks lend money to Muslims but do not charge interest. In Europe and throughout the Western world there is a Jewish banking system based on usury. In Saudi Arabia and several other Muslim countries usury is prohibited because it is contrary to Sharia law.

An interesting experience was my visit to the largest mosque in Riyadh, the Al-Rajhi Mosque.
90% of Saudi Arabia’s citizens are Sunni Muslims and about 10% are Shia Muslims. About 30% of Saudi’s population are foreign workers are Muslim too but not all of them (e.g. India and the Philippines). However, Muslims are treated as a priority in Saudi, what I think makes sense. What doesn’t make sense by the way is that Muslims are also prioritized in England, Sweden, France, Germany… but this is not the fault of Saudi Arabia but fault of the Zionist-occupied governments of Europe.
Wahhabism
However, Islam in Saudi Arabia is unique even though it is officially Sunni Islam. It is enriched by the most ultra-conservative, and by many consider to be extremist ideology called Wahhabism. Wahhabism has been dominant in Saudi Arabia for over 200 years and it is a very radical form of Islam, because it emphasizes a literal interpretation of the Quran. The most extreme Wahhabis believe that even those Muslims who don’t practice Wahhabism are enemies of Islam or pagans.
Imagine what Wahhabis think about those who are not even Muslims, e.g. Christians? I believe however that despite everything Wahhabis hate Shias the most, whose centre is Iran. I have experiences in that matter too
Wahhabism calls itself a reformist movement in Sunni Islam, but in my opinion it is the denial of any reforms. Wahhabism is based on the teachings of the 18th-century cleric Hanbali Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab, who called for the purification of Islam and rejects the theology and philosophy of Islam developed after the death of Prophet Muhammad. Wahhabism calls for strict adherence to the scripts of the Quran and hadith, and casts all others as enemies, the greatest of which are the Shia (Iran).
Wahhabism is different from the school of Sunnism, because according to this extreme ideology the principles of Islam should be based solely on the Quran, while rejecting many aspects of Islamic culture. This sentence itself is already the subject of arguments even among the Wahhabis themselves, because they also have different opinions on what should be prohibited or not.
In my personal opinion Wahhabism is an extremist movement within Sunni Islam that calls for people to go back in time hundreds of years. It is an extremely dangerous ideology and the law based on it is dangerous and extremely oppressive, especially for Muslims who would find themselves under this regime. For example in England, which is today the centre of Islamic extremism, their anointed Muslim theologians say that Islam is one and it is the same everywhere. Please don’t believe them! It’s a lie which is the result of the delusion of their hearts and sick minds. I have explored so many Muslim countries and I travelled through them for so long that I know that Islam in Muslim countries does not depend on the Koran but on the culture of a given Muslim country. Islam in Tajikistan is different from the one in Kuwait and Islam in Pakistan is different from Islam in Bangladesh, because the laws are enforced differently and the local culture is different.
My opinion about Wahhabism and Islam in general is well reflected in the following quote from the Bible, but I also have good news for Muslims. If Muslims want to find and accept Jesus, they can also find him in the Quran.
„The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.
Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I will punish these lying prophets, for they have spoken in my name even though I never sent them. They say that no war or famine will come, but they themselves will die by sword and famine!
Jeremiah 14-15, Old Testament.
Wars between different factions of Islam take place all the time, even though it is officially the ‘religion of peace’. I described very important issues regarding Islam in the articles: “Cultural Enrichment of Europe – Muslims”, “al-Takiya – Muslim philosophy of deception”, and many others. Europeans will never understand Islam, much less naive European women who vote like lambs going to the slaughter (Gospel according to St. John). I understand Islam very well and have extensive experience with it, but I am a ‘racist and Islamophobe’ who will be condemned to open hatred from Europeans and secret respect from Muslims.
I call Muslims ‘the tribe of the misguided ones’. The Jews on the other hand are a ‘brood of vipers’.
A Christian in Saudi Arabia
A white man from outside the Islamic world is still a rarity in Saudi. I don’t criticize it because I believe that every country should defend its identity. I’m just stating the fact. There are several things that I have experienced and I think that through these situations my readers will better understand my own feelings and theirs too.
When I arrived in a small village in the mountains, near the Wadi Lajab canyon, Arab boys saw me and shouted at the top of their voices: ‘Christian, Christian’, as if it was the end of the world. A Christian came to Saudi. Mohamed bin Salman opened Saudia to tourism, but in 2022 for average people seeing someone from the Western civilization is a shock. Yes, a Christian has come to you, and even a Catholic. Rejoice, Arabs!
When I was in the coffee fields in Wadi Lajab I wanted to present the Saudis instrumental music from Europe. I saw that they liked it but they told me to turn it off because it was inappropriate for them to listen to music unrelated to Islam in their group.

Kings of Saudi Arabia. On the left, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS). Unfortunately, he didn’t welcome me at the airport with Arabic coffee and dates.
For a full cultural experience I decided to go to the holy city of Islam: Medina. People in Saudi were usually hospitable and tried to show themselves from their best side. This was never a problem. In Medina however I was met with reluctance, and on a few occasions with anger. Everyone asked me if I was a Muslim, and because I wasn’t they made me feel like that I was unwanted. I told the hotel manager that I was going to Al Ula to see the desert and ancient tombs, to which he replied: ‘it will be better for you there, so just go there’.
I entered the temple complex in Medina and also managed to enter the Prophet’s Mosque; Al Masjid an Nabawi. My presence aroused surprise and even indignation among some. The religious police kicked me out of the temple grounds three times and I saw hatred on their faces. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter there. I felt as if I had insulted their holy place purely with my presence, even though I was behaving politely. Someone else approached me and told me that: “they catch and remove those who look strange.” Okay, no problem. I came, I saw, I left in peace.
On the other hand why should I be surprised with the Arabs’ behaviour? In Israel the Jews didn’t want to let me into the pub because I wasn’t Jewish. Only white people must accept the whole world, only white people must feel guilty and must agree to self-denationalization. However, other cultures thrive despite bad economies and wars because they don’t allow themselves to be destroyed like white nations. I recommend my ‘Politics of Truth’ section where I described, among other things, why racial and cultural purity would heal Europe.
An interesting experience was my visit to the largest mosque in Riyadh, the Al-Rajhi mosque. It was indeed worth it. I was in the great prayer hall, I talked to Arabs about Islam and saw original architecture. In addition I also went to the library in the basement of the mosque, where I spent some time studying Islamic philosophy. The Saudis were polite and willing to answer my questions, but the problem arose when I questioned one of the quotes. I emphasize; I didn’t insult or criticize. I just asked a question that sounded as if I was questioning one quote. Once again hostility appeared on the Muslims’ faces, even though they kept their cool in the presence of the foreign guest.
⇒ Which quote was this about? It was a quote of the Prophet of Islam from the book: “Minhaj Al-Muslim; book of creed, manners, character, acts of worship and other deeds”, which reads as follows:
“If two Muslims meet each other with their swords, then both the killed and the killer will be in the Hell-fire.”
إذا التقى المسلمان بالسيف فالقتيل والقاتل في النار
So I took the book of Islam in my hand and asked the Saudi Arabs in the mosque in Riyadh to verify the words of the prophet: “If a Muslim meets a Christian with a sword and if he kills him, will he find himself in the Hell-fire, or he would be embraced by the grace of Allah because he killed a non-believer?” I remind you; I was at the centre of Wahhabism!
In the largest mosque in Riyadh I had a small religious dispute with at least thirty representatives of the ‘religion of peace’. They however kept such cold blood and such perfect patience of a chess player that after a short discussion among themselves, they called an Islamic cleric to explain to me in English that I was not complaining for no reason because I had only chosen one quote. I replied: “yes, and you can’t even answer this one question even though the answer is very simple.” In Islam not only criticism is illegal, but also exploring the prophet’s thoughts from a different point of view.
At the end, they gave me a small cake for the journey, patted me on the shoulder and advised me to convert to Islam because it is the greatest religion of all. What is extremely important, the Arabs in the mosque did not react with hatred or aversion to the Christian. They wanted to pass on their knowledge to me in order to convert me to Islam.

Al Ula is one of the main tourist destinations in Saudi Arabia, which is non-related to islam. There are ancient tombs and interesting rock formations.
They reacted with reluctance and hatred when I mentioned that I liked Iran and that I had travelled around that country. I asked if they couldn’t reconcile because Shia Islam is also Islam. I’ve heard many times that Arabs hate Iran and Shias. I started to get the impression that if I went to Saudi Arabia with my Iranian friend, they would try to convert me to Islam but they would like to beat up the Iranian. I had the impression that in Saudi Arabia it is better to be a Christian than a Shia, although according to my experience this issue is especially felt in Wahhabism.
♦
According to Islamic teachings: ‘A guest at home is a gift from Allah’, as I have learned many times. In a broader sense this means that in a Muslim country there is no need for Jihad, and therefore a non-Muslim guest does not pose a threat to their faith. For this reason I feel much safer in Muslim countries, even the most radical ones, than in countries that are the ‘land of infidels’ where there is a large Muslim population and where there is no Sharia law. Islam is a religion that preaches conquest of the land of infidels and their women, which is why Muslims in Europe see Jihad as their only duty. There is no other way for Muslims because they only want Islam, and they are able to achieve it even over the corpses of other civilizations.
Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Constantinople were Christian, Afghanistan and Indonesia were Buddhist, and Iran was Zoroastrian. Why can anyone doubt that it will be different with England, France or Germany? The same pattern of Muslim conquests continued for centuries. In Europe however the situation is much more dramatic than just Islam, and it is so dramatic that if Islam was the only problem, in the current situation we could even talk about luck.
I always visit Muslim countries with great joy, even though I do it for reasons unrelated to Islam. Islam however is not a religion that can coexist with others. Let us visit each other, let us trade with each other and respect each other without giving instructions on how to live – but we must live separately. The enemies of Muslims are not Christians, but Jews. I have nothing in common with Jews and therefore unlike Jews I want all the best for Muslims, but I also demand the right to defend my borders.
Family customs in Saudi Arabia
The family is patriarchal and marriages are arranged within the same social groups. Marriages in Saudi Arabia are deeply rooted in Islamic law, which means they are often arranged by family members or matchmakers. This practice best reflects the culture of Saudi Arabia. What I think is very sad, unfortunately, at weddings women and men dance separately.
According to traditional Bedouin culture, especially in rural areas families consisting of grandparents and even cousins live together. However, this tribal tradition is becoming a thing of the past, especially in large cities where there are more families consisting only of a married couple and their children.
In theory, women in Saudi Arabia are equal to men, but in my opinion this is a smokescreen. I’m not a Muslim but I don’t believe in equality between men and women and I even consider it to be harmful to civilization. Equality in this case is against nature. Saudi women have the right to vote and they can leave home without their husbands. I saw this many times myself and talked to ‘black post boxes’. Since 2019 women aged 21 and over can even leave Saudia without the permission of their husband or father, although I have no doubt that there are strong family and social pressures, consistent with Islamic teachings.
Saudi men marry Muslim women from countries such as Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco, but for a Saudi woman to marry a non-Saudi man, she must have court permission. According to Saudi Arabian law marriages with people of religions other than Islam are not recognized. It is easiest for Saudis to marry citizens of countries of the Arabian Peninsula, what I support because it is culturally and racially appropriate.
I read that a Saudi woman who secretly married a non-Muslim man received death threats and under Saudi law committed apostasy. I understand this point of view because after marrying a non-Muslim man a Saudi woman will always change religiously and culturally under the influence of her husband. It’s exactly the same with white women in Europe when they get involved with a man from outside their culture. Women will always be the weaker link, susceptible to cultural and racial betrayal, and that’s why the enemies of European nations address destructive ideologies such as tolerance, feminism and liberalism primarily to women.
However, the government of Saudi Arabia prohibits Saudi men from taking wives from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Chad and Burma (Myanmar), and is reluctant to accept marriages with foreigners. It is easier with the nations related to the Arabian Peninsula region, but most of them face enormous difficulties. I support this policy because of defence of the native culture. If European countries followed Saudi’s example, we would have a guaranteed chance of survival.
Another aspect is that couples who have not been officially married have no right to live together. I don’t support this law, but I don’t criticize it either.
Saudi sports, food and music
The most popular sport in Saudi Arabia is of course football. Despite this Saudia wants the loved by Bedouins and popular on the Arabian Peninsula camel racing to become a sport recognized in the world.
Falconry is also very important from a cultural point of view, but only for wealthy elites. Over the centuries falconry first provided Arabs with income and food, and now it provides a sense of national and cultural unity. Poorer people can ride a camel, but buying, raising and training falcons is a job for the rich. In the Arab tradition falcon is a privileged animal.
A popular food in Bahrain, apart from kebabs, is kabza. Kabza comes from the Arabian Peninsula, but in my opinion it is Pakistani biryani under a different name. Kabza is spicy rice with meat (chicken, lamb, fish) enriched with spices such as cloves, cinnamon and lime. After my 2-month trip through Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait, I would like to thank you very much for the kabza. Those who have traveled in Lebanon have had enough of falafel, and those who have traveled in North Africa have had enough of cous cous for a lifetime. To sum up, kabza is very good, but only once a week. In Saudi, I also liked bread baked in ovens with humus and olive oil.
Both Western and Arabic music is popular in Saudi Arabia. Sawt music is popular in Kuwait and Bahrain, and even though in Saudi it is similar, there is more variety. In Saudi Arabia people play Arabic guitars and hand drums, they dance with clapping hands, with squats and shouts. War dances using knives and Arabic swords are also popular, in the same style as seen on the flag of Saudi Arabia. I presented traditional Saudi dance in my video from Wadi Lajab, which shows boys dancing in the mountains with knives in their hands. Saudi Arabia is a large country and therefore the style varies from region to region.
Freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia
I don’t believe in freedom of speech in the so-called ‘democratic countries’, which is why I don’t believe in freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia and other ‘Muslim paradises’. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press exist in theory in every country in the world, but only if we express the views that the government likes. So before we start complaining about Saudia, Iran, Israel, Russia and other brutal regimes, I advise you to first look at England.
Saudi Arabia is unique because even its constitution does not protect freedom of speech. In Saudi Arabia it is very dangerous to have your own opinion. Many Saudis who expressed their views on the Internet were convicted in staged trials, tortured and imprisoned. The most delicate form of control over speech is a ban on leaving the country and regular persecution of those people who don’t agree with the regime. (In this respect it is exactly the same in England!)
There is no independent media in Saudi Arabia. They all report directly to the government, and self-censorship is common. Private bloggers and journalists have to watch their backs both in Saudi and abroad. However, if someone advocates ending the war with Yemen or peace with Iran, then he is considered either a spy or a traitor. It is the same for example in Poland and England. Anyone who disagrees with the global left is considered a ‘Russian spy’ or commits ‘hate speech’. So, personally, I don’t see much difference between democratic countries and authoritarian countries.
The public practice of religions other than Islam is illegal in Saudi Arabia. In theory Christians can practice their religion quietly in private homes, but there have been reports of police raids and confiscation and destruction of Bibles intended for personal use. This is the moment when it is worth mentioning ‘blasphemy’, and to be promoted to this position you must either like Christianity or speak unfavourably about the royal family.
If the regime in Saudi is in a good mood, then after torture, imprisonment, several lashes and destruction of intellectual property they will put an electronic bracelet on their ankles and forbid them from leaving the country. If the royal family is in a bad mood, in addition to ‘blasphemy’ they may also add the accusation of ‘apostasy’, and then it becomes very unpleasant.
My advice: if you want to become a recognized and well-paid journalist in Saudi Arabia, write about sport.

My adventure in hot Jazan. The photo shows an Arab man who showed me places and a Saudi beauty whose face I couldn’t see.
Saudi Arabia is also among the five countries with the highest number of death penalty executions. The same list also includes: China, Iran, Somalia and the USA, but Saudi Arabia is the only country where public executions by beheading with a sword are still carried out. I was personally at the execution square in Riyadh, near the Masmak fortress, which is an interesting tourist attraction. In 2024 there are still 54 countries using the death penalty in various ways, but they are much less common. China is by far the world leader, with Iran in second place.
Saudi Arabia accounts for 15% of the world’s executions, but they are for various reasons, such as drug trafficking. I don’t want my readers to get the impression that anyone who disagrees loses his head. The regime in Saudi is indeed ruthless, but the Arabs there have a very wide range of punishments and tortures. While entering Kuwait from Khafji, an Arab told me that someone wanted to cross the border by car packed with drugs. Of course they beheaded him but the same punishment could be also carried out in Thailand or Singapore. Someone else told me that he went to prison for 4 months for a few pieces of marijuana. Therefore, it is not always about religion.
When ‘human rights organizations’ talk about death penalties in Muslim countries they usually talk about other cases than a different opinion. For example in England a judge put an Englishman in prison for 2 years just for sticking anti-immigrant stickers. That innocent man, Samuel Melia was called an: ‘anti-Semite and racist with sympathy for fascism and Nazism’. I mention this to explain once again that the regime in ‘democratic and civilized’ countries is sometimes even more unfair than in ‘authoritarian and Muslim’ countries. An Englishman got 2 years for sticking stickers defending England against a massive invasion! The judge in this case was Tom Bayliss.
I am including this paragraph so that someone does not consider Saudi Arabia a symbol of evil. In Europe it is similar, but under the name ‘democracy’.
According to Reporters Without Borders, Saudi Arabia is in the well-deserved 170th place on the freedom of speech list. However, I am surprised how the UK is in 23rd place and who is threatening and paying Reporters Without Borders to pretend that Britain is a ‘democracy’???
Environmental problems in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has the same problems as other countries in the region. I think that the most serious problem is the desertification of Saud, especially since currently the hot, hostile desert covers as much as 95% of the country’s area. The government is aware of this and has therefore taken decisive steps. The Saudi Green Initiative has been established to transform 30% of Saudi land into national parks. According to this plan Saudis also plan to plant 10 billion trees and turn 40 million hectares of useless land into national parks.
After my approximately 1.5-month expedition through the Saudi desert and experiencing temperatures like in an oven, I believe that the plan to green Saudi Arabia is a matter of life and death. Saudia has its successes in this matter too. I was in the Wadi Lajab canyon and on a coffee plantation nearby. I saw fields, citrus trees, banana plantations, waterfalls and irrigation in the desert around Al Ula and at the Thee Ain fortress. I also saw green areas around Abha and at the Al Habala cliff.
I believe that the Arabs will most likely succeed in this project. If Arabs in Dubai were able to build a ski slope in the hot desert, the Saudis who sleep on black gold can plant 10 billion trees and even dig irrigation canals on three sides of the Arabian Peninsula. In the pursuit of the Saudi riyal the whole of India and Pakistan are certainly ready to get to work. While travelling in Kuwait and Bahrain I also saw fields in the desert and immigrants from Bangladesh who cultivated them.
By the way, Muammar Gaddafi also turned the desert into gardens, but he was removed by American and British terrorists to benefit Israel. Gaddafi guaranteed the security of European borders. If Gaddafi wanted $5 million to close off North Africa, they should have given him $10 million to seal off the Mediterranean Sea.
According to the World Health Organization air quality in Saudi Arabia is considered hazardous. Six countries of Middle East are among the 25 most polluting countries in the world. Saudi Arabia is the first Arab country in terms of SO2 emissions and the sixth in the world. This is especially noticeable in large cities such as Riyadh and Dammam. Riyadh is the largest city in Saudi Arabia and the largest on the Arabian Peninsula, with a population of approximately 7.6 million. According to WHO the air in Riyadh has been classified as unhealthy for sensitive people and the emission of certain gases and dust PM2.5 is 4 times higher than the safe level. It is recommended to close doors and windows, not to exercise outdoors and wear masks.
I was in Riyadh in November, when the temperature was bearable but still very hot. Heat, noise, car exhaust fumes, crowds and industrial gas emissions make me advise tourists to see the Masmak fortress and Kingdom Tower and escape to some oasis. Long-term living in Riyadh is not for people who have sensitive lungs. The result is chronic disease and premature death. Despite this air pollution in Saudi is still nothing to compare with large cities of the Indian Subcontinent. From Delhi I advise to evacuate.
Saudi Arabia is investing a fortune in wind and solar energy, especially on the west coast. The Red Sea Project builds solar panels and factories in an area of 28,000 km². I believe that in the case of Saudi this project will definitely be a great success. However, I am against building solar fields and wind turbines, as they do in Vietnam or the Philippines. Solar batteries should only be placed on roofs, while wind turbines look like architectural garbage. Strangely enough these projects are supported by fanciful and uneducated ‘nature defenders’, even though their installation results in huge interference with nature and causes soil erosion.
Saudi Arabia is OPEC’s largest oil exporter and is the region’s biggest air and water polluter due to oil drilling. There are oil spills and of course air pollution. With developing infrastructure and urbanization there is also a greater demand for water, which brings us to the topic of seawater desalination. It is also necessary to fight desertification and droughts, but in my opinion it is also a fight against the nature.

The beach under the bridge on Farasan Island. Saudi Arabia.
I believe that the size of the population in a given area and the climate should be taken into account, not just blind profit. Not a single river flows through Saudi Arabia, and it is a country very poor in water. After the desalination process, desalination plants discharge contaminated water into the sea, which causes pollution in the waters around the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. I think it’s time to accept that people in certain climatic conditions should live in small numbers because they are not adapted to that climate. This may one day have a disastrous effect on them and nature.
While the ambition of the Saudi Arabian government is admirable, I advise them to accept the fact that water is more valuable than oil. I support the project of planting billions of trees, but the costs should not be counted only in money. Countries rich in water, such as Brazil, Russia and Canada can afford such projects, but the countries of the Arabian Peninsula take huge risks. What will happen to trees planted in the desert when sea water pollution becomes so great that further desalination will cause the collapse of the ecosystem?
History of Saudi Arabia
Pre-history and pre-Islamic times
Archaeological evidence has proven that the first humans began to inhabit the Arabian Peninsula around 125,000 years ago. For centuries, the ‘endless sands’ of Arabia were inhabited by the Bedouin. They were traders who travelled across the Arabian Peninsula with camel caravans, moving between human settlements in those very inhospitable areas.
From pre-historic times, so from those for which written sources are lacking, many statues made of local stones have been discovered. One of these was a bas-relief scene of hunting with domesticated dogs, which is around 8,000 years old. In the 4th century, Arabia entered the Bronze Age, when many temples, statues and metal became widely used.
However, there is still much to be discovered on the Arabian Peninsula. In 2021 archaeologists announced that they had discovered human settlements and primitive tools in the Hail region that could be as old as 350,000 years ago. When I was in Al Ula in 2022 I saw a ruined old city from the 6th century BC that the Arabs were starting to renovate. The deserts of Arabia still answer many questions about how ancient civilizations used to live.
As in the case of Bahrain, the Dilmun civilization inhabited the area of Saudi Arabia between the 4th and 2nd centuries BC. In addition to settlements, farming, fishing, and animal husbandry, Dilmun is associated with copper. In later periods the Dilmun people imported timber from southern Mesopotamia. Then, from the 2nd century BC the Mesopotamian civilization and traders from the Sumerian city of Ur (modern Iraq) began to settle in Saudi. Each civilization influenced the other, as it is shown by statues from the 3rd century BC. Some of these came from Dilmun but drew artistically from Mesopotamia.
The Nabataeans were also an important civilization in Saudi Arabia, as I described in my section on Jordan. The same civilization that built Petra also built tombs on the Hegra site, near Al Ula, between the 1st century BC and the 1st century CE. One of these, the most recognizable and unique is the Qasr al-Farid tomb, or ‘lonely castle.’ Carved from a huge boulder, this ancient structure with its ornately carved facades has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. The Nabataean-controlled Saudi area ended with the Roman Empire’s domination of that area. (The same happened with Petra, which the Romans expanded and improved.)
The Rise of Islam
Islam was a turning point for the entire Arabian Peninsula, and due to the bloody Islamic invasions it also turned out to be a turning point for many parts of Asia, Africa and Europe; until today. (I wrote many extensive articles on Islam). As history and the present have shown, Islam is a militant religion, a religion of fanatical conquests and regimes, although during my travels in Muslim countries I have become convinced that Islam is also a religion of hospitality and kindness. I recommend my numerous articles on the culture of Islam, which is multi-threaded and diverse. In short, in my opinion Islam is not a problem but on a condition that it does not spread beyond its borders.
The decisive figure of the civilization of Islam was Mohammed, called the ‘prophet of Islam’. Around 610 Mohammed began filling the empty minds of Arabs with his ideology, and when he had enough fanatical followers, then any manifestation of criticism of Islam was called ‘blasphemy’ and punished with death. With such a gift of persuasion no one could oppose him because they were simply afraid. Imagine the movie “Mad Max – the Road Fury”, where a mass murderer and gang leader Immortan Joe appears in the desert, who maintains his terror through religious blackmail. This is exactly what happened in the desert on the Arabian Peninsula, only his name was not Immortan Joe but Mohamed. Soon, with the help of terror, rape and skilful philosophy Mohamed was able to unite more and more desert clans under the banner of Islam. Moreover, Mohamed was not a genius of literature at all, because the Koran is mainly the Old Testament, but enriched with Muslim extremism.

The beginning of Saudi Arabia. Painting inside the Masmak fortress. Riyadh.
In my article titled “Al-takiya – Muslim Philosophy of Deception” I described the Treaty of Hadubiya which was crucial for the creation of Islam. In short, this ‘messenger of God’ introduced Islam to Mecca in such a way that he murdered all the men, then together with his soldiers he raped all the women, and he kept the girls as sex slaves. To those who survived because they had accepted Islam in time, Muhammad in his justification said that this was ‘the will of Allah’. History likes to repeat itself, but let’s explain it to the European liberals today.
Soon Muhammad built his army, which was so strong that the influence of Islam reached far beyond the Arabian Peninsula. One by one, the Muslim hordes conquered the Byzantine army and the Persian Empire, North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. All these murders, rapes and terrible crimes took place because: ‘it was the will of Allah’. Despite such a huge expansion of the Islamic world, the religious center remained in Mecca and Medina.
Scientists estimate that around 1.2 billion people have been murdered in the name of the ‘religion of peace’, but I believe that this number will surely increase. I want to make it clear that I do not choose Muslims as a symbol of evil. According to the “Black Book of Communism”, communist regimes around the world have killed around 100 million people. Communism, created by Jews, global Bolshevism called Zionism and the so-called ‘liberal democracy’ also continue to claim victims. The terrorist state that is the USA has been at war for most of its existence … in the name of ‘democracy’. So Islam, ironically called the ‘religion of peace’ is very bloody, but Bolshevism created by Jews under many false names is also terrible, even though it is superficially based on equality and tolerance.
Wars of Empires over the Arabian Peninsula
For many centuries the Arabian desert was fought over by many tribes and empires, although for centuries the main battle was between the Ottoman Empire and the Arab Bedouins. Parts of the Arabian Peninsula were divided by many Muslim empires and terrorists, who fought each other for control of the territory. From around the mid-8th century to the 16th century the Arabian Peninsula was controlled by the Umayyad Caliphate and later the Hashemites of Mecca, but they were also subject to the rule of one of the major Islamic empires of the time. In the Middle Ages, these included the Abbasids of present-day Iraq, the Fatimids, the Ayyubids, and the Mamluks of Egypt.
The control of the mentioned above empires ended when a stronger aggressor emerged, and that was the Ottoman Empire. In 1517 Sultan Selim I captured Mecca and Medina and from that time on the Ottomans ruled in whole or in part what would become Saudi Arabia. The Ottomans competed for territory with the Hashemites and the local Arab Bedouins. Although officially ruled by the Ottomans, they never had total control over what would become Saudi Arabia. I refer to these four centuries as the time of chaos due to fighting between different Muslim groups – even though in theory it was an ‘Islamic house of peace’!
In 1727 the Saudi dynasty began to rise from Central Arabia and in 1744 the tribal ruler Muhammad ibn Saud joined forces with the founder of the Wahhabi movement, Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab. This was an alliance that formed the political, military, cultural and religious basis of the territory that is now Saudi Arabia. The Saud dynasty fought many battles over the next 150 years as the Ottomans and Egypt also tried to take control of the peninsula.
The Al-Saud dynasty founded its first state in 1727 and until the early 19th century controlled most of the current territory of Saudi Arabia. Not through democracy, but through bloody conquests. However, the greatest power over the Arabian Peninsula was always held by those who controlled Mecca and Medina. The Ottoman Empire, after centuries of competition for Arabia won victory over the Saudi armies in 1818. Shortly afterwards, in 1824 the Saudis regained control only over the central territory of the Arabian Peninsula. In addition to fighting the Ottomans, the Sauds also competed with another Arab dynasty; the Rashids, who defeated the Al-Saud dynasty in 1891 and drove them to Kuwait.
The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Founding of Saudi Arabia
At the beginning of the 20th century the Ottoman Empire still controlled much of the Arabian Peninsula, sometimes on its own and sometimes through various Arab tribes. The salvation of the Arabs came not from Allah but from the infidels of Europe, during World War I. Britain and France were fighting the Ottoman Empire, which coincided with the interests of the Emir of Mecca. At that time he was also fighting the Ottomans in order to create one great pan-Arab state, including even Syria and Yemen. The army of the Arab Revolution was composed of local Bedouins, but not of the Al-Saud dynasty and their allies, because they were not fighting for a pan-Arab state but against the Sharifs of Mecca and the rival Al-Rashid dynasty.
The Ottoman Empire fell in 1918, with their defeat in World War I. The European forces of Great Britain, France and Italy, with the participation of the Russian Empire planned to dismember the Ottoman Empire, but at their own discretion, so against the assumptions of the great pan-Arab state. Such a huge Arab country would be disadvantageous for the European forces, because it could end not with the defeat of the Ottoman Empire but in time its replacement by the Arab Empire. It was better to divide the Arabs into separate countries, and at the same time free Arabia from the Ottomans.
In 1902 the leader of the Al Saud dynasty Abdul-Aziz Al Saud returned from Kuwait and began a war for influence over the territories of the Arabian Peninsula with the Al Rashid dynasty. Abdul-Aziz conquered Riyadh and for the next years expelled the rival Al Rashid dynasty from the next regions of the Arabian Peninsula. He took the coast of the Persian Gulf from the Ottomans (Eastern Province) with its rich oil deposits and focused on further fighting the Al Rashid in the north. Gradually Abdul-Aziz Al Saud captured all parts of present-day Saudi territory, key areas of which were the Hejaz (along the Red Sea) and Najd (central Arabia). In this way, the leader of the Al Saud dynasty captured all the territories previously loosely controlled by rival armies, and in 1927 he declared himself King of the Hejaz and Najd. Wahhabism became legally binding throughout the territory.
The Ikhwan Wahhabis planned to continue the expansion of Wahhabism into British protectorates such as trans-Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait, but the Al Saud did not want to risk a confrontation with the British Empire. This led to another revolution, in which the Al Saud massacred the Ikhwan leaders. In 1932 King Abdul-Aziz Al Saud founded Saudi Arabia. It is worth noting that the king made the right decision not to take military action against the British, what guaranteed him a guaranteed border. Two years later Saudia fought a short war with Yemen over border areas but it had no effect on Saudi stability.

Art at Jeddah airport depicting King Abdul-Aziz Al Saud stepping off one of the first planes.
Today Saudi Arabia is an authoritarian Islamic regime that claims dominance over the entire region. However Iran, a neighbouring authoritarian Islamic regime stands in their way of domination. These two regimes fight each other as much as they can and are united in hatred against each other. Still, Saudi Arabia has good press because it is an official ally of the US and a secret ally of Zionist Israel. Iran on the other hand has very bad press because it tries to be independent, it does not allow itself to be terrorized by America and openly fights Zionism.
My personal opinion on the country name Saudi Arabia
My personal opinion is that I’ve never encountered such enormous arrogance for a leader to name a country after himself. We could have had the Republic of Khomeini and not Iran, we could have had the Empire of Victoria and not the British, or the Romanov Empire and not the Russian. However, when a leader names a country after his own dynasty, he indirectly tells people that the area demarcated by the borders does not belong to the people who have lived there for centuries but it belongs to him and his family. In other words the Al Saud dynasty chose themselves to be super-Arabs, in which helped them the power over Mecca and Medina. The arrogance, impudence and self-confidence of the founder of Saudi Arabia and his family were therefore unbelievable. Why don’t we change the name of this country to something more neutral, such as Arabia, the Kingdom of Arabia or the Kingdom of the Arabian Peninsula?
If Abdul-Aziz Al Saud and his “super-Arabs” had not been so conceited and motivated by Wahhabism, perhaps all or most of the Arabian Peninsula could be one country today under the name of the Kingdom of the Arabian Peninsula. This is of course historical speculation, especially given the British presence in the region, but I think that Wahhabism and the greed of the Al Saud dynasty may have limited them. Wahhabism is not only an extreme form of Sunni Islam but also an ideology that forces acceptance and obedience to the Saudi monarchy. (I recommend my section on Wahhabism above.)
Map
Location

Practical information
Tourist visa: Saudi Arabia is a new and unknown tourist destination which from the beginning of its existence was closed to followers of religions other than Islam. Saudia has been open to non-Islamic visitors since 2019. Saudi Arabia has finally opened up to the world and has ambitiously begun to promote tourism in its desert kingdom.

With best regards for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
You can apply for a visa to Saudi Arabia at www.visitsaudi.com. This Saudi government website is very professional and contains a lot of information that the adventurous traveller needs. Here you can find topics such as: planning a trip to Saudi Arabia, some of the most interesting places in Saudi Arabia that are worth seeing, all information and a visa application form.
In the ‘Apply for eVisa’ section there is information about three types of visas but I’m going to talk only about the tourist visa. My visa is a 1 year multiple entry tourist visa with a maximum stay of 90 days. The price of the visa also includes health insurance, which was very useful to me. Saudia granted me a visa within 5 minutes after sending the application, although it could be up to 30 minutes. I paid 535 SAR for my online visa, which is approximately 116.5 British Pounds. Yes, it is very expensive but I decided to take up the challenge.
There is also a visa issued directly at the airport which costs 480 riyal (£104.5). It’s a bit cheaper but I preferred to have a guaranteed visa to Saudi before I bought the flight.
I warn that the negative decision is most often caused by posting an inappropriate photo or incomplete information. I advise you to fill out the form well because in the case of a negative decision there is no refund.
It should be also remembered that each day spent in Saudi beyond the allowed 90 days costs the deliquent as much as 100 riyals (almost £22). All citizens of Europe and North America and a few others can apply for a visa online at www.visitsaudi.com or at any border crossing. Poles and Brits are therefore warmly welcomed by Saudi Arabia for the blood pressure-raising amount of over £100.
Safety: Saudi Arabia is safe for tourists. The people are nice, very helpful and hospitable – beyond my wildest expectations. I saw that people were genuinely happy that I came because a white man from Europe is a rare species among them. They are curious about what I have to say, they look for information from the world and offer countless good Arabic coffee with cardamom. I have a very good opinion of the Saudis. Traveling around Saudi Arabia, despite that it is a difficult challenge through hot desert, and has high prices; because of the people it was easier and more pleasant for me, for which I thank them.
Government websites of course scare us to be careful because in Saudi Arabia there is a high threat of terrorism and missile attacks on human settlements. There are also neighborhoods, those inhabited by immigrants from the Indian Subcontinent and North Africa, that are dangerous. Indeed, many of those places impact imagination, but I travelled all over Saudia and I always felt safe. For comparison, I believe that the ‘culturally enriched‘ districts and now even entire cities in Europe, USA or Brazil are very dangerous. In my opinion, the most dangerous thing in Saudi Arabia is heat.
Getting around the country: There is a well-organized bus network in Saudi. The government website where you can check all connections, travel times and prices is https://www.saptco.com.sa/. Buses however only reach the main cities and not the places attractive for tourists. For travellers this is a problem, that’s why they have to use taxis or hitchhike, or they have to rent a car. For Saudis such transport is enough because most of them have cars, but for travellers who want to get to know Saudi Arabia well, certainly not. I didn’t use the trains, but they are more expensive than buses.
I flew the national airline KSA: Saudia a few times and I have a very good opinion of that carrier. Please check https://www.saudia.com/. There is also a low-cost airline serving cities inside Saudi: Flynas https://www.flynas.com/en. In my opinion, if a flight with Saudia is the same price as Flynas, then Saudia would always be a better choice.
Also, on the one hand transportation in Saudi Arabia is well developed but travellers have to work hard to reach all the worthwile places. For example there is no bus to the heritage town of Rijal Alma or to the magnificent canyon with waterfalls Wadi Lajab. I saw a lot because I travelled on my own. If I counted only on public transport I would never see beautiful canyons, camels crossing the desert and many other places that are not even in travel guides. From my own experience I know that crossing Saudi Arabia is a big challenge.
Prices: (for 2022 when £1 = 4.6 SAR). The price of the Saudi riyal is close to the Polish zloty, but it does not reflect the cost of travel around Saudi. I regret to say that Saudi Arabia is not a budget destination, so if someone wants to experience a cheap Arabian adventure, I recommend other countries where there is also a desert, sights, art and good food. Unfortunately all the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, except Yemen, are expensive or very expensive. The visa itself costs £116 what means that your financial journey in Saudi begins before you enter the country. I travelled on a small budget, often sleeping in a tent in the desert and hitchhiking, but I spent a lot anyway.
For the cheapest hotels I usually paid 100 riyal, sometimes 120 riyal, and once exceptionally 60 riyal. Nights in the cold and hard desert were free, but waking up in heat and sand became more and more difficult with time, what only intensified the effort of this trip. In Jeddah for 3 nights in the cheapest hotel I paid 240 riyal, while in Medina 120 riyal . But then I found a very low class hotel for 100 riyal. In Jizan I also paid 100 riyal for the hotel. It must be assumed that each night in a hotel usually costs around £20, although you can sometimes find one for £15. I remind however that this is the poorest option. Fortunately the desert in Saudi is huge so there is plenty of space to set up a tent for free; but it’s not always possible.
Saudi Arabia is the ’empire of oil production’, that’s I thought that at least transport would be cheap, but unfortunately in Saudi it is rarely cheap. I believe that for Saudi conditions transport in this large country is still reasonably priced. I paid 40 riyal for the bus from Abha to Beish, although not much further because from Abha to Jizan it would be 72 SAR. From Riyadh to Dammam I paid 92 SAR (6h). The same route by train would cost me 120-135 riyal (4h). From Dammam to Khafji (5km from Kuwait) I paid 105 SAR for a 4-hour ride. From Jeddah to Taif (3h) I paid as much as 67 riyal. For example, I paid 100 riyal for a shared taxi from Taif to Al Baha. When it comes to short distances I paid 30 riyal from Abha to Jebel Sooda. Hitchhiking works quite well, although it is not a way to explore Saudia. It’s boring along the way: a desert, a few palm trees and uninteresting buildings.
I travelled by plane a few times because the bus trip would take 22 hours instead of 2 hours and the cost would be slightly lower. From Jizan to Medina I paid 253 SAR which is about £60, so it was a good price. For the flight from Tabuk to Riyadh I paid 415 riyal, which is about £90.
Eating out is the cheapest of it all. I paid 12 riyal for biryani with rice in a Bengali restaurant. The national dish of Saudi Arabia is ‘kabsa’ which is chicken with rice. I paid 14-18 riyal on average. For an average but good meal in Riyadh I paid 25 SAR. A kebab costs between 7 and 18 riyal, depending on size and quality. Of course you can also buy ‘desert fruits’ (dates), of which there is a huge abundance in Saudi. I paid 10 riyal for a small box. There are many food, fruit and sugarcane juice stalls in Saudi that cost around 5-8 riyal. Tea and coffee are usually 1 SAR, but wherever I went people offered me Arabic coffee with cardamom and dates. It is part of the Saudi culture. Besides, a white man is rarely seen in Saudi as the country is just opening up to tourism. Therefore treating me that way was a way of learning something about life outside their previously closed country. For example a Bangladeshi taxi driver took me from Riyadh to the red sand dunes for 100 riyal (about 60km) and I hitchhiked back for free.
Since Saudia is not a budget destination, how to travel this unknown, until recently inaccessible country? Note – I give advice to ambitious travellers, not occasional tourists. I think it would be the cheapest to go in a group of 4 people and rent a car. When I was in Saudi, a litre of petrol cost only 2.3 SAR and you can rent a car for $25-$50 a day. You should sleep in tents in the desert and sometimes take a cheap hotel. It would be cheaper but it wouldn’t be cheap, and I wouldn’t call it travelling but survival. That’s not what it’s all about.
If someone doesn’t have the right budget for Saudi Arabia and would like to have an adventure in an Arab country that has a rich history, beautiful nature and much lower prices, I recommend Egypt or Jordan. Unfortunately all countries in the Arabian Peninsula are expensive. Of these Saudia is by no means the most expensive. You can experience a price shock in Kuwait or Qatar, but those countries are at least small.
Climate: Saudi Arabia has an arid desert climate, which means unbearable heat and very little rainfall. In summer the temperature in the Saudi desert reaches up to 55°C. However, it should be remembered that each desert is characterized by huge temperature differences. During the day it can be 47°C-52°C, while at night, in winter it drops below zero. I know from experience that life in the desert is extremely hard for this reason alone. First I felt like in a frying pan, then because I froze at night I was unable to fall sleep, and then I was woken up by unbearable heat.
In July Riyadh can be as high as 43°C, in October the temperature in Riyadh varies between 21°C and 35°C, and in December it is around 13°C-21°C. In Jeddah the summer temperature reaches up to 40°C, even though the highest recorded temperature reached as much as 47°C. The holy city of Muslims Mecca, built in the hot desert, easily reaches 48°C. I travelled in October and November when it was cooler but still very hot for me. The climate was particularly unpleasant in the south, in the city of Jazan near Yemen. The temperature there is warm and dry even in winter. At the end of October, it was almost 40°C during the day. The streets were empty and the Arabs were very surprised that I went to see the fort during the day.

Medina, the holy city of Islam and a popular pilgrimage destination. As part of broadening mental horizons also a good experience for Christians.
In my opinion the most pleasant region of Saudi Arabia is the city of Abha lying in the Asir Mountains, which lies at an altitude of 2270m above sea level. Abha and the Asir Mountains are popular with Saudi tourists precisely because of the lower temperatures. Asir is a picturesque mountain area of Saudi, but imagine what kind of country it is if tourists go there not because of the views but to escape the heat. The average temperature in Abha in January is around 8°C-13°C and in July 17°C-23°C. Sometimes there were weather extremes between 0°C and 40°C, but this is rare. (Source: Jeddah Regional Climate Center).
The climate throughout the Arabian Peninsula should be taken very seriously as it is dangerous. Life in Saudi begins around 4 pm when the worst heat fades away. Before that walking in the street is impossible for most, even for local Arabs, which is why most shops are closed. All buildings are air-conditioned, what offers escape from the heat. In addition, about 10,000 construction workers from India and the Philippines die of overwork and heat each year in the Gulf countries.
Rainfall in Saudi is extremely low, but that’s to be expected. On average it is 150mm, but in the desert it is 100mm or less. The exception is the south-western region, in the Asir Mountains where rainfall is the highest. It is between 400 and 600mm per year. I know this data doesn’t say much, so I’ll put it differently. Annual rainfall in Jeddah is only 65mm and in Riyadh 75mm. In Saudi Arabia there are only 17 days a year when the precipitation is greater than 0.1mm, and in June and July in Riyadh it does not rain at all. (Source: http://www.riyadh.climatemps.com/) Rain in Saudi Arabia is a huge event.
For comparison, the average rainfall in Poland is 600-800mm per year and in England 800-1400mm.
I advise to wear long linen trousers, long-sleeved shirts with collars and definitely a hat and glasses. It is also important to use sunscreen number 50 and constantly drink water. The most important thing in a backpack is water, so if there is no room for it, this means that it should to be emptied. In the desert water takes on a completely different value, and 95% of Saudi Arabia is covered with desert, where about 1.6 million camels live. Saudi Arabia doesn’t have a single river and not a single lake. I fear that the time will come when water in Saudi will be more valuable than oil.

The Kingdom Tower. Riyadh. Saudi Arabia.
Due to the hot dry climate I think that white people adapted to low temperatures and rain can go to the Arabian Peninsula from December to January, but taking into account the short days in these months I think that the optimal time is also from October to February. I can take responsibility for this advice. If a white man wants to go to Saudi, Kuwait or Bahrain in the spring and summer months I don’t stop, but in my opinion such a man is getting ready for self-torment. Traveling during this time simply misses the point because the fire from the sky burns mercilessly and most days everything is closed anyway. I’m sure the Arabs would have exactly the same warning about winters in Poland.
Someone could say that he was in Thailand and it was also 40°C, so I’m probably exaggerating? For that reason I draw your attention to the huge difference between a hot dry climate and a hot humid one. In Southeast Asia 40°C has nice companions in the form of a pleasant wind and monsoon rain, while in the Arabian desert there is only a burning fire from the sky that stands still.