Top Saudi Arabia hotels
![You can buy a miswak [toothpick] from him](http://cache.virtualtourist.com/15/4522005-You_can_buy_a_miswak_toothpick_from_him_Saudi_Arabia.jpg "You can buy a miswak [toothpick] from him")
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Well this doesnt apply here , hefty and serious penalty will be given if caught drinking in Saudi Arabia ! To some extend - deportation !Thus most people go over to Bahrain for a drinking session ! Just 1 1/1hours drive from Khubar/Dahran/Dammam
Well ...even for those who have visited Dubai (UAE), Qatar or Bahrain ...please take note of the following differences -There is no pubs/disco here ( just nice cafe, restaurants and fastfood outlets) of course there are Mc Donald's., KFC , Chillis, Pattis France , Starbucks, Steakhouse and other nice or even posh restaurant ...
Dress conservatively. Never did I see a woman without her head covered, and it was rare to see a man without his head covered. Saudi Arabia is an extremely conservative nation, and modest dress is key.
Most of Saudi Arabia's 2,240,350km is desert.Western KSA is dominated by the Hejaz and Asir mountain ranges which run the entire length of the country, gradually becoming higher and braoder as they move towards Yemen.About half of the country is taken up by Rub' al-Khali, or the Empty Quarter (not like Planet of the Apes lol).Much of the northern and central regions are a great big gravel-covered desert plain.The extreme northwest contains Arabia's second great sand desert - the Nafud.The Eastern Province is a low-lying area containing a number of sabkhas or salt flats. Its main geographical feature is Al-Hasa oasis, centred on the town of Hofuf.
Islam is the official religion of Saudi Arabia, which also forms the basis of the country's legal system, called the Sharia, as set down by Prophet Mohammed.Most Saudis are Sunni Muslims. The country's Shiite population is 5-10% of the population, who live mainly in the Eastern Province
The committee for Propogation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice - the muttawa or religious police - is a government sponsored squad of moral vigilanties out to enforce Islamic orthodoxy.If you find yourself confronted by them, they will be asking something reasonable by local standards, like covering your head (for women), or not using a telephone during prayer time.
Working hours Government: 0730-1430Private businesses and shops: about 0930-1400, and about 1700-2200The workweek begins on Saturday and runs through to Wednesday or Thursday. Official holidays Friday is the Islamic day of rest, corresponding to Sunday in the west.Government offices are also closed on Thursdays.
There are two official holidays, Eid Al-Fitr celebrates the end of the holy month of Ramadan and is the longer of the two. It starts with a large prayer gathering and then visits to relatives and friends.Presents are usually given to children and close family members.Eid Al-Adha, celebrates the annual pilgrimage to Makkah.National Day is on 23rd September, although not an official holiday, can have a festive atmosphere.
Whatever their job or social status, Saudi men wear the traditional dress called a thobe. During warm and hot weather, white thobes are worn by Saudi men and boys. During the cool weather, wool thobes in dark colours are not uncommon. At special times, men often wear a bisht or mishlah over the thobe. These are long white, brown or black cloaks trimmed in gold. A man's headdress consists of three things: the tagia, a small white cap that keeps the ghutra from slipping off the head; the gutra itself, which is a large square of cloth; and the iqal, a doubled black cord that holds the ghutra in place. Some men may choose not to wear the iqal. The ghutra is usually made of cotton and traditionally Saudis wear either a white one or a red and white checked one. The ghutra is worn folded into a triangle and centred on the head.
When drinking beverages with an Arab always drink with your right hand rather than your left. This is because the left hand is considered "dirty' and is used for bathroom purposes only (I don't need to go on here). Don't attempt to take photographs of a person without their consent first, as you can get into all sorts of problems especially if you are trying to take a photo of a woman. I personally wouldn't my photo taken without my permission first. So think before you click. The photo you see below is taken from my bedroom window, I suppose taking a photo like this is OK, but be sensible. Don't eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in front of any Muslim during the holy month of Ramadan. This is the time where the Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and do not let a single thing enter their mouths. If you are caught again you could be up for some serious problems.Even though Saudia is a warm...
Hilton Hotel Jiddah
3 Reviews and 67 Opinions i have a long history and ties with Hilton Jeddah; have been to many conferences, bazaars,...
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...
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...
Reviews and photos of Saudi Arabia attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Saudi Arabia sightseeing.
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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