There is a veil hung over Saudi Arabia that distorts the reality that resides behind it. Lift the veil, however, and you will find that many conceptions of Saudi Arabia are misconceptions. It is a country with many areas of beautiful oases and dramatic mountain-tops, beaches and rivers. Its cities, although having no nightlife, do have plenty of cafes and restaurants. There are also shops galore, from the souk to the huge department store. Indeed, Saudi Arabia's major cities are generally very modern, with amenities of a high standard. The Empty Quarter, the largest sea of sand on the planet, is home to dunes the size of ships. The Arabian oryx, one of the most beautiful animals on earth, also lives there. In the far south lies Najran, an ancient caravan stop, where mud-brick forts rise out of the palm plantations and oases. On the coast, liberal, libertine Jeddah – or so it’s seen by the Kingdom’s more conservative kinsmen – is home to sensation-full souqs and lovely coral houses, once the abode of its moneyed merchants. Off its shores lie Saudi’s Red Sea riches – reefs that rank among the least spoilt and most spectacular in the world.