Jubail Staycation

When I accepted a two-month bespoke contract extension a few weeks ago, I already knew it included a two-week religious holiday. While we could have hit the road on an expensive mission to check out Saudi's premier sights (like Mada'in Saleh and Umluj), I decided on a destination a little closer to home. I guess the main reason for this was financial. I had already seen Saudi's Red Sea coastline and Mada'in Saleh during my first Saudi season based in Sakakah. The idea of a mammoth 20-hour taxi ride, with associated expenses, just to see the newly touristy Hegra just felt like too much, especially with a potential ordeal to reach our destination this year: Siargao. Therefore, we spent the first twelve days of the Eid vacation in Khafji enjoying beach, cafe and restaurant life before taking a taxi 250km south for a staycation in the city of Jubail on the last four days.

The trip couldn't have started off any better. After a swift 2-hour ride, we checked into luxurious Danah Al Jubail Suites offering well appointed suite rooms with unique views across Dareen Marina. A couple of hours later, my family and I hired a speedboat for a swift exploration of the outer bay and its white sand beach islands. I had contacted a boat owner months before for a more extensive five-hour tour, but his boat wasn't in operation at the time of our vacation so we had to settle for a more standard trip. Regardless, we loved the 45 minutes out to sea spotting a lot of coastal birds, a couple of shipwrecks and some pristine islands. Late afternoon, we ended the day at Coast to Coast Burger for a few beef and chicken sliders followed by a caramel latte oceanside at Yogorino Cafe. 

The next day, we got up bright and early and walked over to Dareen Beach revelling in the blossom laden trees and greenery surrounding the beach. After a brief swim, we wandered back under increasingly oppressive skies for a buffet breakfast to remember on the sixth floor of Danah Al Jubail Suites. Before checking out, we made the most of Danah's delightful pool with two long swims despite the strong sunshine. While the hotel kindly extended our stay until 2pm, they couldn't organise a taxi to take us to our next hotel. I guess something had to go wrong given how perfect everything had been. Without a taxi in sight, we were forced to walk 3km in 42-degree temperatures to reach our second hotel for the next two nights: the Karan. Thankfully, we survived the 30-minute walk along Fanateer Corniche and, after checking in, quickly retreated to our air-conditioned room on the second floor. Although it had a wonderful sea view, the internet was ridiculously slow, and cable TV lacked any decent English channels, both of which inspired me to take a long nap until sunset prayers were over and food places opened up once again.  

I guess a large part of any staycation is sampling some of the best restaurants in town. For that reason, we chose nearby Brasa De Brazil Restaurant as the ideal spot for our evening meal. Brasa is, according to Trip Adviser at least, Jubail's finest restaurant, so we even got a bit dressed for the occasion. Fortunately, to keep our costs down, the restaurant had a two-for-one promo for their 13 cuts of meat special, so all three of us jumped at this deal. Kids were half price too. Everything was really top notch, from the wonderfully presented sushi and salad starters, to the attentive waiters who cut myriad meat right at our table. Even the bill, around $100 for food and mocktails, felt more than fair given the incredibly memorable time we had all had.

Our final full day in Jubail wasn't quite as eventful as the first two. It began with a swim at Fanateer Beach followed by a long day of being a mall rat at Galleria. Shockingly, I bought more items than Miras and Raf combined after finding several discounted deals on shorts and shirts. Between evening prayers, we met up with our old friends David and Josephina (a Canadian-Filipina couple) at Piatto Restaurant. Raf devoured more pizza than anyone else, Miras and Josephina talked Philippine life, and David and I articulated our respective strategies to maximise crypto trading profits in the months and weeks ahead - definitely a successful night. 

All too soon it was time to say goodbye to both the Karan Hotel and Jubail. Three nights in the city definitely wasn't long enough. Of course, we made the most of our last morning - another sunrise swim, a slightly disappointing buffet breakfast, and a final coffee with David and Josefina - but by midday we were already hurtling towards Khafji for the last time. You see, this staycation was our final trip anywhere in Saudi, probably for the rest of our lives. The next time we leave Khafji we won't be returning at all - we'll be heading to Dammam Airport to leave the Kingdom forever - I don't think there'll be a third season. Saudi is about to fall into my past.