Car & Van Hire - Al Khobar

Due to its location on the Persian Gulf, Al Khobar is a popular seaside resort and holiday destination. The city’s Corniche is a 16-kilometre-long seaside promenade that has become one of Al Khobar’s top attractions.

Along the Corniche, you’ll find several city beaches, urban parks, gardens and artificial lakes, many of which have dedicated children’s play areas. On the Corniche’s northern side, you can visit the Tea Museum and learn about the historical importance of tea in the Gulf region. A couple of blocks away is Sharqiah SciTech Centre, which functions as a museum and is well worth a visit if you’re interested in natural sciences, as its permanent exhibits cover areas like oceanography, astronomy and physics. The centre is also home to Al Khobar’s observatory and to an IMAX dome.

In the same area and right on the waterfront is Alardha Square, known for its interactive fountains, which deliver a water and light show in the evenings. If you continue strolling along the northern Corniche, you’ll come to Unification Square, from where you can see one of Al Khobar’s most distinctive landmarks: the Water Tower.

If you’ve arranged car hire in Al Khobar or at Dammam’s airport, you can explore the southern side of Al Khobar, which starts at the city’s marina. A five-minute drive from the marina is King Fahd Causeway, a feat of engineering that connects Saudi Arabia with Bahrain.

The beaches in the southern Corniche have calm waters and are rarely crowded. A popular choice is Azizyh Beach, where you can go ATV driving or take the family on a camel ride. The southern beaches are also popular among watersports enthusiasts. You can then continue driving to Half Moon Bay, one of the top destinations for tourists in Al Khobar. There are several beaches along this picturesque bay, some of which are equipped with showers, restrooms and picnic tables.

The majority of attractions in Al Khobar are kid-friendly, but if you’re planning a family day out, a 30-minute drive will take you to Loopagoon Water Park.

Back in the Corniche, you can find dozens of restaurants and cafes overlooking the sea and open until late. King Fahd Road and Prince Turkey Street are also teeming with local and international eateries.

Al Khobar is a known shopping destination. The best-rated shopping venues include the Mall of Dhahran, Al-Rashid Mall and Khobar City Walk, all of which are a short drive from the Corniche.

Cultural events are regularly held at Dhahran Expo building, which hosts international fairs and congresses. The religious holiday of Eid is widely celebrated in Al Khobar with fireworks displays and family-friendly activities.

If you’ve arranged a car or van hire in Al Khobar, you’ll need to be familiar with the main hazards in the area. First of all, the city has extreme and changeable desert weather, so be prepared for sudden hail and thunderstorms in the winter, mainly between November and January. Dust storms are possible during the first half of the year, but they’re not as common as in other parts of Saudi Arabia.

Secondly, defensive driving is a must since local drivers don’t follow traffic rules consistently. Tailgating and turning or changing lanes without warning are particularly common, especially on multi-lane roads that connect Al Kohbar with Dammam. You’ll also want to be extra vigilant when exiting roundabouts and motorways.

Road quality varies but is generally good if you stick to the city’s main thoroughfares, which run parallel to Corniche Road and include King Fahd and King Khalid roads. On these roads and on motorways in the surrounding area, road signs are in English and Arabic, so you shouldn’t have any problems finding your way around.

Other roads that will be useful to visitors include motorway 605, which you will need to get to and from Dammam airport, National Road 80, which becomes King Fahd causeway and goes from Bahrain to Riyadh, and road 617 going to Half Moon Bay.

Speed limits range from 120 to 140 km/h on motorways, 70 km/h on national roads and between 40 and 50 km/h in built-up areas. On King Fahd Causeway, the speed limit is set at 100 km/h.

Although there are no toll roads in the vicinity of Al Khobar, there’s a toll booth just before the access to King Fahd Causeway. Non-residents can pay by card or with cash.

As in the rest of Saudi Arabia, drinking and driving is a criminal offence leading to high fines, driving bans and can have severe legal consequences.