When to go
In much of Saudi Arabia, either in the areas where the winter is mild (ie the northern part of the Red Sea coast, the central plateau, where Riyadh and Medina are located, and the coast of the Persian Gulf) or where the winter is warmer (ie Mecca, Jeddah, the south-central part of the Red Sea Coast and the Rub 'al Khali), the best time is
from December to February, since in this way you can avoid the heat, which can be intense in the rest of the year (but especially in summer).
However, in the northern areas, north of Riyadh (see Ha'il, Rafha, Tabuk) you can avoid the winter, which can be cold, and choose the months of
March and November. In the far north, in the Syrian desert (see Turayf, Al Qurayyat) where the winter is longer, you can choose April and October.
For
swimming and sunbathing, the best month in the Persian Gulf is November (in March the sea is still a bit cool, while in April it starts to get hot). In the central-northern part of the Red Sea you can go in March and November, while in the central-southern part, from Jeddah down to the border with Yemen, you can go from November to March, because in those parts both the sea and the weather are warm even in winter.
In summer, even though the sea is very warm, it's too hot for sunbathing.
What to pack
In
winter: in the Syrian desert, bring warm clothes, such as a down jacket, a hat, a raincoat or umbrella, and a scarf.
In the Persian Gulf coast, bring spring/autumn clothes, a T-shirt for warm days, a sweater and a jacket for the central and southern parts (see Dammam, Al Khobar), a heavier jacket and a hat for the northern part (see Khafji), a scarf for the wind, and possibly an umbrella.
For the Red Sea coast, north of Jeddah, light clothes for the day, a sweater and a light jacket for the evening, which sometimes can also be used in Jeddah and Mecca. In the southern part (see Jizan), in addition to light clothes, you just need a scarf for the breeze and possibly a light sweatshirt for the evening.
For the plateau, Riyadh and Medina, spring/autumn clothes, a warm jacket and a hat for the evening, especially in the north. For the Rub 'al Khali, light clothes for the day, a scarf or turban, desert boots or sandals, and a sweater or jacket for the evening and early morning.
For the western mountains, in the north, warm clothes, such as a down jacket and sweater; in the south, spring/autumn clothes (light for the day), a sun hat, a sweater and a jacket for the evening.
In
summer: for the Syrian desert and the plateau above 700 meters (2,300 feet, see Ha'il), bring light clothes, a sun hat, a sweatshirt or sweater for outdoor evenings, and a scarf.
For Mecca, the plateau and Riyadh, the Rub 'al Khali and the coasts of the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, lightweight clothes, long and made of natural fabric (cotton or linen), a desert turban; a sweatshirt and a scarf for air conditioned places.
For the western mountains, light clothes for the day, a sun hat or desert turban, a sweatshirt or sweater for the evening, hiking shoes; for the southern part, you can add a raincoat or umbrella.
Women should cover their entire body except for their face and hands.
Back to the climate of
Saudi Arabia