Saudi Arabia beach resort will allow bikinis

Saudi Arabia is to break with its strict religious traditions and open a beach resort on its Red Sea coast where foreign women will be able to sunbathe in bikinis alongside men.

The project is the brainchild of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and will be financed by the country’s public investment fund, which he chairs, The Times reports.

The Red Sea Project will be a luxury resort destination situated across the islands of a lagoon and steeped in nature and culture,” the fund said in a statement. 

“It will set new standards for sustainable development and bring about the next generation of luxury travel to put Saudi Arabia on the international tourism map.”