Rabigh, Saudi Arabia
No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Hamata, is 394 km away.
Watch this spot We email you when Rabigh is worth the trip.
About Rabigh
Known for kitesurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces E, so wind from the W blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.
Water about 31°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
A spot for kitesurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing E. Wind from the E blows onshore, wind from the W blows out to sea, and wind from the S or N runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 450 m out (1 in 44). The sea is about 25°C in February, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 32°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Hamata, is 394 km away.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 24 h 30 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to JED, changing at LHR.
See flights ORD → JED · Skyscanner from about £630 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 40 from the airport to Rabigh.
Accommodation.
No town nearby
No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Hamata, is 394 km away.
Hire and lessons.
Kitesurfing lessons in Rabigh · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Rabigh · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
Rabigh on Google Maps · Directions
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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Shore | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north-north-west, 4 knots | 9kn | cross-off | – |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-east, 3 knots | 9kn | side-on | – |
| Tue 20Oct | 0, poor | wind from the east-north-east, 1 knot | 8kn | side-on | – |
| Wed 21Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north, 6 knots | 12kn | side | – |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north-north-east, 2 knots | 8kn | side | – |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north-north-east, 3 knots | 8kn | side | – |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north-west, 2 knots | 8kn | cross-off | – |
| Sun 25Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north-north-east, 3 knots | 8kn | side | – |
| Mon 26Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north, 3 knots | 8kn | side | – |
| Tue 27Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north, 5 knots | 10kn | side | – |
Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.
The season
Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan0of 7
- Feb0of 7
- Mar0of 7
- Apr0of 7
- May0of 7
- Jun0of 7
- Jul0of 7
- Aug0of 7
- Sep0of 7
- Oct0of 7
- Nov0of 7
- Dec0of 7
Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to JED, changing at LHR, then 2h 40 by road. About 24h 30 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 1 kn gusting 8, side-onshore. Offshore: not safe to ride.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 6 kn gusting 12, side-shore. Offshore: not safe to ride.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 2 kn gusting 8, side-shore. Offshore: not safe to ride.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 3 kn gusting 8, side-shore. Offshore: not safe to ride.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 2 kn gusting 8, cross-offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to JED, changing at LHR, then 2h 40 by road. About 24h 30 door to door
Rough cost
About £890–£1,785 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. No town nearby, so no stay is in it. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.
- Flights £630–£1,315
- To the UK airport £35–£65
- Hire car £70–£115
- Food £155–£290
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