Tabuk

Tabuk, the capital of the Tabuk area in northern Saudi Arabia, has traditionally served as a stopover for Jordanian and Egyptian pilgrims. Souq Twaheen, famous for selling patterned carpets and goat-hair tent coverings, reflects the country's varied culture. Visitors go to Tabuk to study old archaeological sites and the location of the prophet Moses' tale, who resided for a decade east of the city. Tabuk's beautiful coastal towns, such as Haql and Sharma, mark the commencement of the Saudi Coast and provide clear waters and pristine beaches. There are other areas to visit, such as the carved tombs of Maghaer Shuaib in the desert or Moses Springs in Maqna, where natural springs run beneath date palms. Or the magnificent Tayeb Al Ism, a valley of high granite stones separated only by a road from the turquoise-fringed Gulf of Aqaba.

The Maghaer Shuaib appears out of nowhere in the reddish desert west of Tabuk, its finely carved façades and tombs etched into the sandstone cliffs reminiscent of Petra in Jordan and Hegra near AlUla. Moses resided here for a decade after fleeing Egypt, under the sponsorship of the prophet Shuaib, who was struck by Moses' chivalry. In exchange, Pharaoh promised Moses his daughter Zipporah's hand in marriage, which he accepted before returning to Egypt.