The haunting wreck of cargo ship Georgios G – ambitiously dubbed the 'Saudi Titanic' – sits half-submerged, rusting in the sun after becoming stranded on the coral in 1978 and bursting into flames. Although swimming near the wreck or getting on it is banned, you'll see many Saudis doing just that on the weekends. Arrive during the week and you'll have only the wandering camels for company, with the barren desert sweeping down from the scorched mountains.
About 35 minutes' drive south of Haql, Bir Al Mashy is so remote it feels like the edge of civilisation. At the time of research, the road south was blocked from this point on.