Things To See in Saudi Arabia

By planeSaudi Arabia has 4 international airports in Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah and Dammam. The airport in Dhahran is now closed to civilian traffic, so passengers to the eastern region now fly to Dammam or nearby Bahrain (which is much better connected) and then drive to Saudi Arabia.Saudi Arabia is...

Internal travel permits are a thing of the past. So once you arrive in Saudi Arabia, the country is open to you. However, there are three exceptions:Many archaeological sites around the country, such as Madain Saleh, require permits. The National Museum in Riyadh issues these free of charge, but...

Visa restrictionsEntry is denied to Israeli citizens and those presenting stamps and/or visas from Israel.Saudi Arabia has some of the most restrictive travel regulations in the world, and a visa is required in advance for all foreigners wishing to enter. The only notable exception is citizens of Gulf Cooperation...

Regions in Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia is administratively divided into 13 provinces (mintaqah), but the traditional divisions of the country are more useful to get an overview.AsirSouthwestern highlands with a temperate climate and strong Yemeni influence.Eastern ProvinceIncludes the Gulf Coast, the centre of Saudi oil productionHedjasOn the Red Sea coast,...

Hotels of all types are available throughout the Kingdom. Most tourist cities (i.e. Makkah, Madinah, Taif, Al Abha) will also have very affordable and spacious shigka-maafroosha (short-term furnished rental accommodation). Shigka-maafroosha owners generally loiter in hotel lobbies. They often approach civilised-looking people (usually families) and make an offer. Prices...

Entertainment in Saudi Arabia is very family-oriented. There are few activities for couples-only or singles. Single men are not allowed in family areas: family beaches are separate from bachelor beaches, for example. Women are expected to be accompanied by a male relative in public, although single women may be...

Food in Saudi ArabiaEating is one of the few pleasures allowed in Saudi Arabia, and obesity statistics show that most Saudis indulge as much as they can. Unlike other businesses that kick out their customers at prayer time, most restaurants allow their patrons to sit and eat behind closed...

The Saudi currency is the Saudi riyal (ريال, SAR), which has traded at a fixed rate of 3.75 riyals to the US dollar since 1986. The riyal is divided into 100 halalas, which are used to mark some prices, but in practice all payments are rounded to the nearest...

As in most Middle Eastern countries, the weekend in Saudi Arabia is Friday and Saturday, with Sunday being a normal working day. (Until 2013, it was Thursday and Friday).The Saudi interpretation of Islam tends to regard non-Muslim holidays as blasphemous, and the public observance of Christmas, New Year, Valentine's...

PhoneUseful numbersPolice: 999Car accidents: 993Outpatient clinic: 997Fire: 998Telephone directory (chargeable): 905The four mobile operators in Saudi Arabia, the incumbent AlJawal, Emirati rival Mobily, Kuwait's Zain (Vodafone Network) and STC newcomer Jawwy are fiercely competitive, have good network coverage (in populated areas) and good prices. A starter package with prepaid...

Arabic is the official language of the Kingdom. There are numerous dialects spoken throughout the country, but the most important are Hejazi Arabic, which originated in the Hejaz around Jeddah and is the effective lingua franca, and Najdi Arabic, spoken in the Nejd around Riyadh.Many people understand and speak...

Visitors to Saudi Arabia must respect local customs, especially when it comes to Islam. While first-time visitors to Saudi Arabia are often regaled with tales of beheadings, amputations, and lashings, the full rigors of Saudi law are reserved for real criminals like drug smugglers. With a modicum of common...

Saudi Arabia has centuries-old attitudes and traditions, many of which stem from Arab civilization. This culture has been heavily influenced by the strict puritanical Wahhabi form of Islam that emerged in the eighteenth century and prevails in the country today. Wahhabi Islam has been called "the dominant feature of...

People tend to think of Saudi Arabia as an area of hot desert with oil wells, and for most of the time in most of the country they would be absolutely right. Between May and September, most of the country (practically everywhere except the southwestern mountains) has temperatures averaging...

Al-Magar civilizationAl-Magar is a prehistoric civilization that was founded in, the center of the Arabian Peninsula, mostly in Najd. Al-Magar is the cradle of the first domestication of animals, especially the horse, in the Neolithic.Dilmun civilizationDilmun is one of the oldest and oldest civilizations in the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula. It was a center of trade main at its...

Stay safe in Saudi ArabiaRealistically speaking, the greatest danger to a visitor to Saudi Arabia is fatal driving - drive or carefully select your driver and fasten your seat belt.A low-level insurrection, directed against foreigners in general and Westerners in particular, continues to bubble. The wave of violence in 2003-2004...