For centuries, Saudi Arabia kept itself closed to everyone but Muslims. The country did not grant non-Muslim visas for tourism. Travellers to this last frontier of Islam could go there only to see the holiest sites of Mecca and Medina.
In 2019, that changed.
The Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman, decided to open the kingdom up to tourists and for the last six years, Saudi Arabia has been at an interesting inflection point. It is at once straddling two very different hemispheres: of pilgrims prepared for modesty, and luxury tourists in bikinis looking to take a dip in the pool, sipping virgin Martini from cocktail glasses. Saudi Arabia is still trying to figure out how to keep the twain satisfied without having one rub the other the wrong way.
Saudi Arabia has poured billions of dollars into the Red Sea Project. Photo: Tilina at St Regis Red Sea
The kingdom doesn't allow alcohol as of now. The tourism authority says it is confident of "getting people so interested" in what Saudi Arabia has to offer: the years of history, culture, and a people waiting to be discovered by the world, that "alcohol will be the last thing on their mind". However, there are growing murmurs of alcohol being allowed at some point, what with a liquor store for non-Muslim diplomats now open in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.
The First Indians In Red Sea Project
"If you try realllly hard, you might get high on this kombucha after a year," said our 'bar-tender' at the non-alcoholic bar at the St Regis Red Sea resort. NDTV was among the first Indians visiting the magnanimous, many-billion-dollar Red Sea Project, an outrageous ambition backed by an outrageously ambitious government. The Red Sea Project, on the country's west coast, is the "world's most ambitious regenerative tourism destination".
Fifty shades of blue at St Regis Red Sea. Photo: Author
A short flight brought us from Riyadh to the Red Sea airport, a private-jet terminal scaled up to handle a few commercial liners a day. Once out of the tiny terminal, a custom-made Mercedes van whisked us off to the private boat terminal at the Red Sea Project. This is the Red Sea Welcome Centre. The Red Sea has two types of vehicles clearly marked for tourists, customised Mercedes-Benz and Lucid sedans; and the workhorse, Toyota Hilux, for the rest of the construction that is underway in the area.
A Maldives Within Saudi Arabia
Tourism, a big chunk of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 project, has Red Sea perched firmly on top of the list. As per initial estimates, the kingdom is spending USD 1 trillion (1,000 billion) on Red Sea by 2035, with a third of that already gone into developing the project. Saudi expects to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to its west coast, where the Red Sea includes an archipelago of 90 islands.
Saudi is looking to create a Maldives within its borders, with temperatures that are equally good if not better. Take this: in late-April, when this journalist visited the Red Sea, it was a breezy 24 degrees. Back home in Delhi, the mercury hovered steadily around the 45-degree-Celsius mark that week.
From the Red Sea Welcome Centre, which has a dedicated area for people looking to invest in apartments in the area, a five-star luxury speedboat took us to our destination: the pristine new St Regis Red Sea. Coffee in buoyancy-controlled cups, with pastries and fresh fruits made for unlikely companions on sea, as we rippled across the Red Sea for our destination.
Mind-Bending Luxury
On the way, the orbs of Shebara glittered somewhere on the horizon. When the boat cut through the Red Sea and docked at the St Regis, you could have mistaken it for the Maldives. The sky here was a crisp blue; the water, inviting; the sand dunes of Arabia a thing of the past; and my 'dune' villa, constructed in the eponymous shape, betrayed unbeatable luxury... of the mind-bending kind.
The 'dune' villas at St Regis Red Sea. Photo: Author
Saudi Arabia has poured money into Red Sea and how. The Red Sea still has unspoilt reefs and an ocean of marine life, all of which Saudi is trying to turn into global attractions. Fifty new luxury resorts are supposed to dot the coast of the Red Sea by 2030.
Of the handful that are already operational, St Regis Red Sea scores high on sustainability, claims the resort. The lowest category villas come with a price tag of Rs 2.5 lakh for two; with another lakh for the speedboat transfer; so you get who it caters to. Saudi Arabia's investment in tourism, to attract the global elite, is also somewhere to help people see the 'other' side of the country. The one beyond the scenes of Mecca-Medina or religious tourism.
Saudi For Ultra-Wealthy Travellers
Is Saudi's ambitious tourism megaproject working? That answer might be yes. In 2023, 23 million international visitors came in to the country, contributing to about 4% of its GDP. In 2024, that number rose to 29.7 million. The aggressive promotional campaigns, the tie-ups with global superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, and a tourism authority tasked with the task of getting the ultra-wealthy into the kingdom is paying off.
Overwater villas. Photo: St Regis Red Sea
The Saudi Arabia that the international luxury traveller gets to see is very different, albeit carefully guarded, from the religious side of it. The dichotomy is real, but you don't get to see it. Curled up on your five-hundred thread-count bedsheet, watching the infinity pool outside your villa dissolve into the Red Sea, life is surreal.
Luxury takes on a new meaning in Saudi Arabia. We have all heard (and seen) how wealthy the nation is, and just what they (don't) spend on, but you've got to be in the country to see it.
The St Regis Red Sea markets itself with the tagline "Luxury Without Limits", and nowhere can that be truer than in Saudi Arabia. The resort is located on a private island that you can reach only by seaplane or speedboat. It enjoys a secluded location within the Red Sea project. The property's 90 villas, overwater and beachfront, all come with a private pool and a spacious footprint.
In Ariel's Bedchamber
The beachfront villas are done up with elements from the sea, keeping with the outdoors, with interiors that invite the outside in. The individual architecture is by Japanese legend Kengo Kuma. Kuma's design philosophy, of making architecture bridge the gap between human life and the natural environment, shines bright and quiet at the St Regis Red Sea.
The sea and sand form the main design elements at the St Regis Red Sea. Photo: Author
So, while you have undulating curves outside resembling a sand dune; inside the villa, you have the sea take over. The sea and the sand are ubiquitous. The bedroom doors shut to turn it into an underwater chamber straight from Ariel's world, with fifty shades of blue and green enveloping you as the waves outside lullaby you to sleep.
Immersive Experiences And Culinary Experiments
When awake, the resort has a wide array of activities to try your hand at: the immersive experiences include outdoor pools, a fitness centre, a spa, and a children's club; in addition to the on-site restaurants Nesma, Gishiki 45, Tilina, The Beach Club, and The St Regis Bar (where you can find every non-alcoholic beverage under the Saudi sun). The resort arranges for several inland and underwater adventures. Breathe a word to your personal butler, and wait for them to take over.
St Regis Red Sea has a selection of restaurants to dine at. Photos: Author
Our night on the Red Sea culminated in a fine-dining symphony at Tilina, the resort's restaurant on the reef.
The next morning, the team waved goodbye to our boat back to the Welcome Centre. All that was missing was the soundtrack from The White Lotus (no bodies, of course).
From The Sea To The Canyon
From the Welcome Centre, we had a 45-minute drive to our next stop: the Six Senses Southern Dunes, the first of the two inland resorts at the Red Sea Project (the other is Desert Rock, a 60-key luxury hotel). Six Senses' location takes the cake. From the hilltop it is situated on, the resort has sweeping vistas overlooking the Red Sea, with miles and miles of a many-coloured canyon in between.
Six Senses Southern Dunes is the first inland resort in the Red Sea Project. Photo: Six Senses
The property's architecture is a homage to Saudi Arabia's Nabatean heritage, the Hijaz mountains, and its eternal desert surroundings. Add to that the brand's trademark wellness formulae, and you have a destination that offers practically everything and more.
An Otherworldly 'Oasis' And Sunsets To Not Miss
Awe is the overriding emotion as you drive into the Six Senses Southern Dunes. A nondescript rock inscription with Six Senses' six dots tells you that you're about to enter the property, and once the gates swing open, you catch a glimpse of something otherworldly.
'The Oasis' at Six Senses Southern Dunes. Photo: Author
Spikes and ropes and a massive desert flower that you cannot really describe. It is what the Six Senses calls 'The Oasis'. The name is apt. The rope canopy keeps the temperature a few degrees lower than its surroundings and walking under it is a respite from the sweltering heat of the desert.
36 rooms and suites and 40 luxury villas spread across five categories comprise Six Senses Southern Dunes. British architects Foster + Partners picked out lightweight materials that reduce dependence on artificial cooling.
The pool is located at the highest point of the resort. Photo: Six Senses
The resort's speciality restaurants and the pool are located on the highest point of the resort, from where you can take in gorgeous views of the sunset.
No False Notes
Inside the rooms, from the carpets to the beds, everything blends with the desert and mountains outside. The tea paraphernalia is carved out of light black stone. A hundred date delights double up as snacks. Standing tubs in stone make bathtime a veritable ritual, with expansive views of the canyon to gaze at and a tiny wooden floating duck for company.
The suites at Six Senses Southern Dunes opens to views of the 'wadi', or canyon. Photo: Author
The personalisation and attention to detail pores through in every breath you take here. During turndown that night, the Six Senses team, which was aware of our following day's plans, spotted a book by my bedside. They left a bookmark. It had a little detail, in English and Arabic, about the place we were visiting next. No false notes at Six Senses. Only one that left me smiling ear to ear.
Six years of Arabia have shown travellers what Saudi hospitality stands for. At Red Sea, you see the kingdom's latest experiments with luxury. The kind that knows no limits.
FACT SHEET
Where: Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is well-connected by air to Indian cities. From Delhi, airlines like Air India, Indigo, Flynas and Saudia fly direct to Riyadh several times a week. In addition, there are also several connecting flights via cities in the UAE. From Riyadh to Red Sea International Airport is a separate flight.
Once you land at the Red Sea airport, the individual resorts take care of the transfer, via speedboat or seaplane.
What to do, eat, see: While the St Regis Red Sea is big on water activities, Six Senses Southern Dunes' focus is on wellness.
At St Regis, spend a day on sea around the unspoilt reefs in the area, and round the day off with a massage at the spa before heading for a meal at one of the resort's aforementioned restaurants. Note: there's no alcohol in Saudi Arabia, but you have several virgin options.
Saudi Arabia has no alcohol, but a range of non-alcoholic beverages. Photo: Author
At Six Senses Southern Dunes, try out the many wellness options at the spa. The resort offers personalised wellness treatments, ranging from anti-ageing treatments, beauty therapies, red-light therapy given what your skin and body needs.
Six Senses Southern Dunes follows the 'Eat With Six Senses' philosophy, which involves locally sourced ingredients in tune with Saudi Arabia's rich culinary culture. The resort is home to five restaurants, including a cooking school and private chef's table - Bariya, Merkaz Breaw Bar, Pool Bar and Grill, and Al Sarab. They also have a patisserie and a rotating gelato pod.
The cooking school. Photo: Six Senses Southern Dunes
Visa for Indian passport holders and currency details: Indians with valid tourist or business visas from the US, UK, or Schengen countries that have been utilised at least once are eligible for an e-visa or visa on arrival.
For Indian travellers who don't meet the criteria for an e-visa or visa on arrival, traditional visa applications can be made through Tasheer Visa Centres located across India.
- Locations: Tasheer Visa Centres are currently available in Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Lucknow, Kolkata, and Calicut, with plans to open more centres in additional cities to accommodate growing demand
- Process: The visa application process through Tasheer includes document preparation, booking an appointment, submitting the application, biometric enrolment, and passport collection. This traditional route is thorough and caters to a broader range of applicants.
Saudi Arabia uses Riyal as its currency. 1 Riyal converts to 23.67 Indian rupees.
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