| It may seem in the days of mass tourism and | | | | Peninsula is far from a large plateau of sand and |
| cheap worldwide flights that no stone has been | | | | sun. The cultural legacy of the great civilisations |
| left unturned in our pursuit of the unexplored. | | | | can be seen and felt everywhere in the ancient |
| However, Arabia still offers much in the way of | | | | cities, temples and fortifications such as the Beit |
| mystery and exoticism. | | | | Sheikh Isa bin Ali on Bahrain's Muharraq Island, or |
| If you are brave enough to venture into this | | | | the Madain Saleh embedded in a rock face deep in |
| unknown, a feast of surprises await the senses. | | | | the heart of the Saudi Arabian desert. |
| The scenery is the first to strike. The | | | | So what activities might one engage in? Truly |
| picture-postcard desert is home to an astonishing | | | | world-class golf resorts such as the Montgomery |
| array of mountain landscapes, deep and rich | | | | in Dubai, thrilling 'dune-bashing' (4x4s driven |
| forests, bursting and colourful coral reefs, endless | | | | expertly over dunes at high-speed), wildlife safaris |
| date plantations and lush green wadis, plus of | | | | such as watching green turtles invade a beach at |
| course miles and miles of undiscovered, untouched | | | | dawn to lay their eggs, snorkelling and scuba |
| and truly breathtaking beaches. | | | | diving some of the planets most breathtaking and |
| Perhaps the most striking aspect of this | | | | undisturbed coral reefs, or perhaps mountain |
| fascinating region is its ascension from a 3rd world | | | | trekking or desert safaris, meeting the indigenous |
| barren landscape to a series of prosperous, | | | | Bedouin people for a cup of steaming arabic |
| emerging nations in a little under 30 years. The | | | | coffee with dates along the way. |