AlUla, Saudi Arabia, Is the Middle East’s Most Underrated Hot-Air Balloon Destination
When we think of hot-air ballooning, we tend to imagine the Albuquerque Balloon Festival in New Mexico or the balloon-filled skies above Cappadocia, Turkey. With Saudi Arabia bursting onto the tourism scene, however, it’s perhaps no surprise that AlUla, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the northwest of the country, is hosting its own hot-air balloon festival called AlUla Skies. The region is marked by gorgeous desert landscapes and otherworldly rock formations, making it a no-brainer for hot-air balloon enthusiasts looking for a cool flyover environment.