Eastern Province Travel Guide: Art, Culture, and Heritage

Key facts

• Al Asfar Lake is a nature reserve northeast of Al Ahsa’s National Park in Omran.
• Jabal Al Qarah is located 10km outside Al Hofuf with an entrance fee of USD 13.
• Qaisariah Souq is one of the oldest markets in the Eastern Province, recently restored.
• Al Fanateer Corniche in Jubail is a popular spot for locals and tourists.
• Dougha Handmade Pottery Factory in Al Ahsa is over a hundred years old.
• Heritage Village in Dammam features a museum, photography gallery, and traditional restaurant.
• The train to Riyadh began operating in 1981 and covers 449km in just over 3.5 hours.
• Jawatha Mosque dates back to 628 AD and is the earliest known mosque in the Eastern Province.
• Uqair port played a role in the 1922 Uqair Protocol defining modern Saudi Arabia's boundaries.
• Ibrahim Palace was built in 1556 during Ottoman rule and includes a museum.
• Tarout Island is one of the oldest inhabited sites on the Arabian Peninsula.
• Al Ahsa Oasis is the largest date palm oasis in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Street art on Aqair Street was created in 2018 by the Alfan Sharqy project led by Madawi bint Mansoor Albaz.
• SciTech features over 350 interactive displays and an IMAX theatre.
• Ithra includes a museum, library with 270,000 books, and a 90-foot sculpture by Giuseppe Penone.
• Ithra's theatre seats 900 and cinema seats 300.
• The Energy Exhibit at Ithra introduces STEM learning about oil production.
• Bohemia Art Café in Al Khobar is a record store and live music venue.
• Al Koot Heritage Hotel is fully female-run and near Ibrahim Palace and Qaisariah Souq.
• Movenpick Beach Resort is 30 minutes from Al Khobar with a private lagoon beach.