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Mecca Hotels: 207 Reviews - 326 Photos
Medina Hotels: 212 Reviews - 320 Photos
Riyadh Hotels: 661 Reviews - 1104 Photos
Jiddah Hotels: 955 Reviews - 1191 Photos
Abha Hotels: 24 Reviews - 35 Photos
Dhahran Hotels: 86 Reviews - 129 Photos
Ad Dammam Hotels: 56 Reviews - 91 Photos
Najran Hotels: 14 Reviews - 18 Photos
Ras Tanura Hotels: 8 Reviews - 15 Photos
Sakaka Hotels: 9 Reviews - 10 Photos
Al Khubar Hotels: 66 Reviews - 144 Photos
Khamis Mushayt Hotels: 0 Reviews
`Usfan Hotels: 0 Reviews - 6 Photos
Tabuk Hotels: 13 Reviews - 4 Photos
Duba Hotels: 7 Reviews - 13 Photos

Saudi Arabia Local Customs

They discourage smoking, perhaps the...

by hajjabdullah

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They discourage smoking, perhaps the...
by hajjabdullah
This is me, hajjabdullah with some...
by hajjabdullah
Entrance to the Prohphet's Mosque in...
by hajjabdullah
Across from the Grand Mosque, Mecca;...
by hajjabdullah
You can buy a miswak [toothpick] from...
by hajjabdullah

Most Viewed Local Customs in Saudi Arabia

51.

Religion/History/Culture Jiddah

17 Reviews I recently have been to a Sufi service which is quite commong among the Sufi community men and women respectively. Since it's mainly a segregated culture when it comes to conducting such services,...

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52.

Mosques/Masjid Jiddah

13 Reviews Jeddah one of the famous cities in which the magnificence of the deep rooted past combines with the originality of the present with all its modernity. This allowed Jeddah to preserve its distinguished...

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53.

Wedding Customs Jiddah

4 Reviews this seems to be a long tradition that has originated in arabia but certainly not from jeddah. it's a mixture of henna and water i think. then, it's stirred and mixed in a bowl to make it a thick...

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54.

Holy Month of Ramadan Jiddah

8 Reviews ... you are either an invited guest in the Kingdom or by circumstance due to lack of opportunities, means, you were not forced directly by the host country to come here, therefore, you are subject to...

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55.

Schools/ Education system Jiddah

13 Reviews I liked 2 listen how school was introduced 2 Saudi Arabia & when women officially were given the right to education. Sixty yrs ago,only boys,against housekeeper girls,used 2 attend group studies...

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56.

Housing Architect. Jiddah

15 Reviews The last few years, witnessed a new architectural trend that was trying to combine modern architecture with the Arabic style. The interest in architectural heritage has gone beyond academic studies...

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57.

Wearing the veil. Jiddah

4 Reviews To cover or not to cover, that is the Western woman's question. Well, the first 3/4 of my trip I did not cover my head. The last 1/4 of my trip I did. I found that I was a lot more respected, even...

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58.

Eating Customs&Manners Jiddah

3 Reviews although i have spent most of my life in jeddah, i never thought of what the national dish could be or what jeddawi people eat in everyday life. perhaps i take everything for granted when it comes to...

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59.

Welcoming New babies to the World Jiddah

3 Reviews i guess every reader is aware that Saudia has got the highest birth rate in the world. perhaps Saudis are so proud of it, being the first generator (or exporter,lol) of human babies and resources,...

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60.

Prayertime Retreat Jiddah

3 Reviews This is what I miss most since I left home to have my break time 4 times per working day. This comes from the daily Five Islamic Prayers; Fajr (dawn), Dhohor (noon), Asr (late afternoon), Maghrib...

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61.

Local dress/Tradional wear Jiddah

1 Review For men: Shorts above the knee are not very welcome. You will feel uncomfortable anyway, cause nobody wears them. For women: Don't wear sexy clothes. Try to cover your body completely. The magic...

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62.

Eid Celebrations Jiddah

2 Reviews Eid means an annual event to be remembered by public. Jeddah celebrates two official Eids every year; Eid al Fiter and Eid al Ad'ha. The first means the celebrationf of breaking the fast, and the...

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63.

Greetings customs Jiddah

1 Review For both women and men, this greeting is common. It's to touch cheek by cheek three times on the right, one time on the left, no kissing, as one shakes hands. This greeting is only common among men to...

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64.

Services At The Corniche Jiddah

2 Reviews In Jeddah, a lot of families/friends have picnics in the evenings (once the sun sets it gets a bit cooler). Common sites are: around the monuments, sculptures and grassy median strips, and also along...

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65.

Condolence Customs Jiddah

2 Reviews its divided into 2 steps:The burial: the deceased, Islamically, should be buried ASAP as a sign of honouring them by giving them home. the deceased's body must be washed in a certain way by family...

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66.

Local Drinks Jiddah

1 Review The drink of choice in Jeddah seems to be freshly made juice. There are juice stands everywhere, and prices start at about SR 3 a glass. You choose your own fruit combinations. My favourite is...

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Sections: Single or Family?

by Manyana

In most public places like restaurants, waiting rooms in hospitals, or cafes, there are two sections; the single, and the family. What it is meant by the 'single' is men who have no female relatives accompanying them. So they should use the single corner of a restaurant or so on. Single women would go to the family section as they are considered to be a family. This is also applicable to couples, family with children of course...all go to the family section.You'll find a sign at the door indicating which section that is.Once I met a Canadain Arab online who had been to Saudi for the first time. He didn't notice the sign and just got into the cafe. The waiter came to him, 'Sir, this is a family section'. 'Oh! nice!', he thought that the cafe serves a family meal course or something. The waiter repeated that again and my friend had the same answer. The waiter got upset since he thought...

On Phone...

by Manyana

The older generation usually talk on phone more often than the younger generation (mine). The opening would be asking about every single member of the family, then the main purpose of the call, then the closing.The opening's questions usually are like this: 'how are you?', 'how's your mother', 'how's your father?', how're your siblings?', 'how's your housekeeper? is she cooking well and treating you good?', 'are you doing fine with your husband/wife?'. Then these question will often be repeated twice or three times. This may last for 3 minutes (I know it may sound frustrating) but symbolizes care and politeness, if you don't insist on asking such questions, you'd show you're not interested.The main purpose of the call usually goes around gossips or discussing daily life. Women often talk about cooking and last fashion and work problems and men about work and sports. Be aware, sometimes...

It is not allowed

by clws

No alcohol, no porn, and no pork. These are all items that are banned here in this culture. You wll find that what they mean by porn and what you think is porn are two different ideas. They even consider a woman in a bikini in a movie porn. So beware and censor.

No Woman Drivers

by clws

Women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive. They have to rely on their husbands or other male relatives to drive them around, hire a driver, or rely on public transportation. Even women from other countries are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia.

Traditional Dress For Saudi Women

by clws

When a Saudi women appears in public, she normally wears a black abayah and a scarf covering her hair. You will also see some Saudi women wearing face veils. There are varying opinions regarding the wearing of the abayah and the veil; however, Saudi women cover themselves in public and in the presence of men who are not close relatives. Although most abayah's are black in color they are sometimes trimmed with beautiful beads, embroidery, and designs. They come in a variety of different fabrics as well.

Traditional Dress For Saudi Men

by clws

Traditional clothing for Saudi men and boys is a thobe. When the weather is warm or hot white thobes are worn by Saudi men and boys. When it is cooler out they sometimes where wool thobes in darker colors. At special times, men often wear a bisht or mishlah over the thobe. These are long white, brown or black cloaks trimmed in gold. The head piece a man wears is in three pieces, the tagia which is a small white cap that keeps the gutra from slipping off the head; the gutra itself, which is a large square of cloth; and the igal, a doubled black cord that holds the gutra in place. The gutra is usually made of cotton and traditionally Saudis wear either a white one or a red and white checked one. The gutra is worn folded into a triangle and centered on the head.

Ramadan

by clws

The Ninth month of the Muslim Calendar is Ramadan. This is when it is believed the Holy Quran was sent down from Heaven. Muslims fast during the entire month of Ramadan. They are not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during fasting. At the end of the day the fast is broken with prayer and a meal called the iftar. During Ramadan, they concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concerns of their every day life. On the evening of the 27th day of the month, Muslims celebrate the Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power). When the fast ends (the first day of the month of Shawwal) it is celebrated for three days in a holiday called Id-al-Fitr (the Feast of Fast Breaking).

Prayer Time

by clws

Prayer is a huge part of the Muslim Culture. There is 5 prayer calls a day and they last for around 30 minutes each. These times vary each day, but can be easily found in a schedule you can get from the Aramco CCC office, or you can find in the daily newspaper. We carry small ones in our wallets. It is important to keep up with the prayer schedules, even if you are not Muslim, as everything closes during prayer time. Shops, restaurants, and other business close and lock their doors during this time.

Seperate Eating Areas In Restaurants

by clws

In Saudi Arabia, they have different sections in their restaurants. They have a Bachelor section for single men and a family section for women, and families. Even if a man is married, he can not sit in the family section unless he has a female member of his family with him. He has to sit in the bachelor section. You will find this in the restaurants, coffee shops, etc.

What is Ramadan all about...

by marimar_72

Fasting starts a little after dawn(sun rise)and ends at sun set.We muslims refrain from eating,drinking,smoking and sexual intercourse in day time...this is like detoxing the body...We break our fast by eating dates(following prophet Mohammad`s way)along with a yogurt drink....some people believe it must be an odd number of dates,,either 3,5 or 7.After breaking the fast the whole family prays together for the sun set prayers(Maghrib)usually the father or the grandfather leads the pryaers(Imam).Or in other familes,the father,breaks his fasting with some dates and Arabic coffee,then goes to the mosque to preform the Maghrib prayers,then comes back home to finish his meal....this way will gove the stomach a chance to expect more food,,rather than stuffing yorself at once.On the breakfast table each city has it`s own prefferd cuisine.In Jiddah,for example,it has to be soup(whole grain),meat...

Top 3 Hotels in Saudi Arabia

Hilton Hotel Jiddah

3 Reviews and 67 Opinions i have a long history and ties with Hilton Jeddah; have been to many conferences, bazaars,...

Hotels in Jiddah

Al Faisaliah, A Rosewood Hotel Riyadh

7 Reviews and 56 Opinions The Al-Fasaliah hotel in Riyadh is part of the leading hotels of the world, from check in to check...

Hotels in Riyadh

InterContinental Dar Al Taqwa Medina

2 Reviews and 10 Opinions Dar al Taqwa is the CLOSEST hotel to the Haram in Madinah! It offers a breathtaking view of the...

Hotels in Medina

167 Hotels in Saudi Arabia

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Local Customs: Cities in Saudi Arabia

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Mintaqat Makkah Local Customs Mintaqat ar Riyad Local Customs Mintaqat al Madinah Local Customs Al Mintaqah ash Sharqiyah Local Customs Mintaqat `Asir Local Customs

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Questions and Answers

Q: Greetings! I have a friend/business partner who would like to do some traveling in the United States. He is a Saudi citizen...

A: The answer is that your friend cannot count on any "typical" scenario. He could be in and out of immigration in five minutes, or it could take 50 minutes, or 5 hours, or...

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