Al Khobar, or simply Khobar as it's commonly known, is to the East of Saudi Arabia and sits by the Persian Gulf. The dominant industry is obviously oil but tourism is expanding as the city's coastal location blesses it with some excellent beaches. People are also aware that the oil has to run out some day so a more conscious effort is being made to develop its appeal with more attractions. Less of a reliance is being placed on the city's biggest employer Saudi Aramco which is also the world's biggest oil company.
The city's focus as an oil hub originates from the 1930's and since that time it's expanded rapidly from a remote fishing village to a thriving commercial centre. Khobar's function as a port has been reduced recently as the main shipping responsibilities are now carried out in Dammam which has a larger port. With this change the city has worked hard to transform itself and the sections by the sea have been extended with reclaimed land and have gone through a substantial make-over.
No more is this more apparent than at the Corniche which is a scenic location decorated with pretty parks and manicured gardens. The areas of greenery are ideal spots for a picnic and the views out over the Persian Gulf are amazing. At night it's also busy with plenty of outside gatherings and instead of wine under the moonlight the alcohol is replaced with shisha. Walking along the cornice there are a good selection of places to stop and get something to eat and the edges are outlined with family friendly beaches.
The most significant piece of construction work by the city is the King Fahd Causeway. This is a sweeping road that goes straight through the sea to connect Khobar with Bahrain. Obviously as an island Bahrain was previously only accessible by sea or air but this impressive piece of engineering now means there is a road to get between the two countries. Saudi Arabia paid $1.2 billion to have it made and the 26km road has two bridges that are joined to a small island in the centre. The longer of the bridges runs from Al Khobar to Umm al Na'san Island which belongs to Bahrain; a smaller bridge then continues to Bahrain. On the central island is the Causeway Tower and it's possible to stop here either to enjoy the views on the upper viewing deck or spend a little longer and have a drink or some food at the restaurant.
Khobar's shopping malls are huge and manage to include miniature theme parks inside as well as the usual types of shops. Mall of Dharan is an epic centre with a grand exterior that is matched on the inside too. The choice of stores to shop at is vast with clothes and make-up obviously popular with the lady residents so there are plenty of these while there are also dozens of outlets selling shoes and sportswear. This is one of the places that has a small amusement park with children's rides and even near the desert it's able to contain an ice-skating rink. Saudi Arabia's large supermarket chain Geant is housed within and in addition to the grocery stores there is a food court which has the widest range of food in the city. All of these malls are within fairly easy reach of most Al Khobar hotels.
Rashid Mall is another haven for shoppers and the variety is more diverse compared with Mall of Dharan. Jewellery, mobile phones and home d©cor are all popular items to be bought up here and there are also many smaller stalls laid out with handicrafts.
The city's focus as an oil hub originates from the 1930's and since that time it's expanded rapidly from a remote fishing village to a thriving commercial centre. Khobar's function as a port has been reduced recently as the main shipping responsibilities are now carried out in Dammam which has a larger port. With this change the city has worked hard to transform itself and the sections by the sea have been extended with reclaimed land and have gone through a substantial make-over.
No more is this more apparent than at the Corniche which is a scenic location decorated with pretty parks and manicured gardens. The areas of greenery are ideal spots for a picnic and the views out over the Persian Gulf are amazing. At night it's also busy with plenty of outside gatherings and instead of wine under the moonlight the alcohol is replaced with shisha. Walking along the cornice there are a good selection of places to stop and get something to eat and the edges are outlined with family friendly beaches.
The most significant piece of construction work by the city is the King Fahd Causeway. This is a sweeping road that goes straight through the sea to connect Khobar with Bahrain. Obviously as an island Bahrain was previously only accessible by sea or air but this impressive piece of engineering now means there is a road to get between the two countries. Saudi Arabia paid $1.2 billion to have it made and the 26km road has two bridges that are joined to a small island in the centre. The longer of the bridges runs from Al Khobar to Umm al Na'san Island which belongs to Bahrain; a smaller bridge then continues to Bahrain. On the central island is the Causeway Tower and it's possible to stop here either to enjoy the views on the upper viewing deck or spend a little longer and have a drink or some food at the restaurant.
Khobar's shopping malls are huge and manage to include miniature theme parks inside as well as the usual types of shops. Mall of Dharan is an epic centre with a grand exterior that is matched on the inside too. The choice of stores to shop at is vast with clothes and make-up obviously popular with the lady residents so there are plenty of these while there are also dozens of outlets selling shoes and sportswear. This is one of the places that has a small amusement park with children's rides and even near the desert it's able to contain an ice-skating rink. Saudi Arabia's large supermarket chain Geant is housed within and in addition to the grocery stores there is a food court which has the widest range of food in the city. All of these malls are within fairly easy reach of most Al Khobar hotels.
Rashid Mall is another haven for shoppers and the variety is more diverse compared with Mall of Dharan. Jewellery, mobile phones and home d©cor are all popular items to be bought up here and there are also many smaller stalls laid out with handicrafts.
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