The Guinness World Records has declared Saudi Arabia’s Highway 10 as the world’s longest straight road. The 159-mile long highway runs from Haradh to Al Batha, crossing the Rub Al-Khali desert.
Previously, Australia’s Eyre Highway held the record with approximately 91 miles of straight road. Originally constructed as a private road for King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the road runs through the desert without any bends or noticeable gradients. He was the King and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from June 1982 until 2005.
The road is fully paved and heavily used for transporting goods across the desert, from the central and western regions of Saudi Arabia to the UAE.
The super-straight stretch has an estimated driving time of around two hours.
It comes as Saudi Arabia continues to invest billions of pounds into its tourism sector, as it diversifies away from oil.
The Saudi government is going big on tourism, looking to invest a whopping £618 billion into the sector by 2030.
This includes the development of 500,000 hotel rooms and the creation of 1.6 million jobs.
The Red Sea Project is one of several at the heart of this transformation, which is already beginning to bear fruit.
Sheybarah Island is a key component of the development, offering a sustainable paradise for visitors.
Here, travellers will find the luxury Shebara Resort with its futuristic design and accommodation, including overwater villas resembling spaceships.
The innovative concept and layout is the work of architects from the UAE firm Killa Design.
The resort is constructed from steel orbs, which float on top of the water of Al Wajh Lagoon.
This allows guests to enjoy the full beauty of the natural environment while causing minimal disruption to nature.
