The '''Eastern Province''' (''ash-Sharqiyah'') is the largest province in Saudi Arabia, covering the entire Gulf coast of the country as well as the Saudi parts of the vast Empty Quarter.
Cities
The three main cities of the Eastern Province are all tightly clustered together and no more than a 15-min drive apart from each other.
Dammam
Dhahran — headquarters of Saudi Aramco
Khobar — the gateway to Bahrain
The rest are scattered around the coast:
Hofuf (al-Ahsa) — the world's largest oasis
Wadi al-Dawasir (Sulayyil) — gateway to the Empty Quarter
Other destinations
Empty Quarter — the largest sand desert in the world
Understand
Talk
Get in
By plane
Dammam's airport has services from around Saudi Arabia and limited international flights to major cities in the region. Flying in via Bahrain is also a viable option.
By train
There are four trains a day from Riyadh to Dammam via Hofuf.
By car
The King Fahd Causeway connects Khobar to Bahrain.
Get around
Public transport is very limited, so having your own wheels will really pay off here.
See
Itineraries
Do
Eat
Drink
Stay safe
Get out