Unseen by Western eyes for several centuries, tombs the size of skyscrapers rise from honey-hued Arabian sands.

More than 100 carved monuments are scattered throughout the UNESCO-listed Nabataean necropolis of Hegra, a site equal in importance to Jordan’s Petra. Providing an insight into lost civilizations, barely explored archaeological sites decorate the region of AlUla, a fertile date-palm oasis revived as a hub for tourism. Shaped by the winds of time, the surrounding desert is an open-air gallery of natural sculptures, including the popular Elephant Rock and the other-worldly, starry-skied Gharameel. Elsewhere, the country is rapidly embracing tourism as part of a long-term strategy, with new developments including futuristic smart city NEOM and heritage center Diriyah Gate constructed around the first capital of the Saudi Dynasty. Lapped by the Red Sea, cosmopolitan Jeddah sums up modern Saudi with its unexpectedly liberal air. But all over this unknown kingdom, there are surprising discoveries to be made.