Obhir Creek, 50 kilometres (which is 30 miles) north of Jeddah, has good facilities for water skiing, swimming, fishing and sailing, and there are similar beaches on the Gulf coast south of Al Khobar and hotels have swimming pools.

The British and United States embassies have men only health clubs as well as swimming pools, golf clubs and squash and tennis facilities. Many companies employing foreign workers also have some sports facilities.

The desert terrain provides brilliant opportunities for off road motorcycling but this sport is forbidden from time to time. Football is popular and several large towns have modern stadiums.