Despite its ties to both the desert and sea – arid plains and crashing waves in equal measure – Dammam, heart of the Eastern Province, is impossible to pigeonhole. Across its corner of the Kingdom, you can find an extraordinarily diverse range of scenic walks in and around Dammam.
Strolls that linger long in the memory, from breathing sea air in Khobar and attempting the famous Jebel Loop to patrolling the manicured parks of Dammam on balmy evenings. Explore all the scenic walks that Dammam has to offer, with easy, family-friendly hikes and hiking tours – or something a little more challenging, if you’re feeling adventurous.
1. Nawras Lake Walking Trail
(1.8 km round trip; 40 mins; easy)
If you’re looking for a short, family-friendly hike that nobody in your party will find too challenging, venture out into Greater Dammam toward the coastline of Khobar, which has a range of gentle hikes, none gentler than the Nawras Lake Walking Trail. With around 1800 metres of spotless walking track, tracing along the palm-studded grass to your left-hand side and lapping waters to your right, it’s a consistently tranquil experience – ideal for bringing you a sense of serenity away from the buzz of the city.
To go during the day is to feel part of the vibrant coastal culture of Khobar and the beauty and brightness of Nawras Lake. However, the hike is best enjoyed at night, when the air is a bit cooler, the shoreline twinkling with activity in the distance, and nothing but a slow, steady track in front of you to take it all in.
2. Jebel Loop
(3.9 km round trip; 1hr 10 mins; easy)
The Jebel Loop is perhaps the most well-known of the scenic walks in and around Dammam. AllTrails, the leading hiking platform on the planet, listed the Jebel Loop as one of the eight best hikes in the Kingdom, and with good reason. This trail is accessible to any amateur hiker who wants to escape into nature in their time in the city.
Out on the Jebel Loop, you’ll be able to find peace in the vastness of the desert, the monumentalism of its craggy cliff-faces, moulded and sculpted by eternal sandstorms. Take delight in the sporadic bursts of bright desert flowers springing through shrubbery, willed into life by the sun. Hike it, walk it, jog or ride your mountain bike across it; you could even try camping under the stars to extend your trip.
3. Modon Lake Park
(4 km round trip; 2 hours; medium)
Situated south of Greater Dammam, and out towards the enterprising city of Dharan, Modon Lake Park makes for one of the more family-friendly hikes in and around Dammam; one that could justify a multi-day hiking tour to fully traverse its flat, placid terrains. As one of the Eastern Province’s newer-built scenic walks in and around Dammam, Modon Lake Park is practically pristine, with exceptionally well-maintained children’s areas, play facilities, benches and lawns scattered throughout its environs.
The lake itself is reliably lively with flocks of ducks playing in its waters, and a host of vivacious little fish beneath. For most, there is the standard – and beautiful – 4km path, but if you’re seeking a bit of healthy exertion, there’s the 10km path that crosses the entire lake’s contours.
4. Dammam Corniche
(4.5 km round trip; 2hrs 20 mins; medium)
Dammam’s Corniche is deservedly one of the very top attractions for visitors to the city, studded with all sorts of attractions and temptations to stop off and enjoy the views of the glittering Gulf. For keen walkers, however, the Dammam Corniche is one of the best hikes in Dammam – interweaving paths that take you in and out of the greenery, with frequent stunning coastal views.
Begin at the very tip of Dammam, where the land reaches back out to the sea, AlShati Plaza, before following the path through the famous Dammam Heritage Village, and the grandeur of King Abdullah Park, looping and threading past the Regional Museum and on. If you timed your walk right, you’ll be poised to watch the sun set and the clouds turn peach and pink.
5. Tarout Island Trail
(6 km round trip; 3 hours; hard)
Further north in the Eastern Province is one of the very best scenic walks in and around Dammam, coiled around one of the region’s most picturesque hidden gems: Tarout Island, a storied port with a fascinating history. Take the Tarout Island Trail that draws you all the way through the area’s natural and cultural hotspots as hordes of luminescent flamingoes playfully paddling through the marshes and mangroves.
In just a few hours’ walking, you’ll pass through beaches, tourist farms, Tarout’s old town, and then finally, its grandest attraction: the so-called Portuguese Fort, which to this day is the subject of historical debate – was it built by the locals to defend against the Portuguese, or built by the Portuguese and reclaimed by the locals? One thing there is no doubt about is that Tarout Island Trail is one of the best hikes near Dammam.
6. Half Moon Beach
(30 km round trip; 7 hrs; hard)
No list of the best hikes near Dammam would be close to complete without the inclusion of the sprawling, pearlescent sands that constitute Half Moon Beach. To cross it fully is an undertaking – maybe even a multi-day hike, or a desert safari excursion – but you will be rewarded however you choose to treat it.
Start your journey from Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University on one end of Half Moon Bay, and plot where you want to end up; you can call time at the peak of the curve around the coast, which will take you around three hours, or if you’re really serious about challenging yourself, you can power on to the Dana Beach Resort at the beach’s end, a journey that will take you the entirety of the day.
