Saudi Arabia to open luxury beach resort where women can wear bikinis

Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman CREDIT: REUTERS/CHARLES PLATIAU

Saudi Arabia’s new heir to the throne has announced plans for a beach resort where special laws will allow women to wear bikinis instead of covering up their skin. 

As part of his drive to modernise the Saudi economy, Prince Mohammed bin Salman has unveiled plans for a luxury Red Sea resort on a stretch of coast line in the country’s northwest. 

Knowing that foreign visitors are unlikely to come to beaches where women are forced to cover up in an abaya - a robe-like dress - the government said the resort will be “governed by laws on par with international standards”.