Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In

Riyadh Local Customs

Search:
email to friend | help

Riyadh Travel Guide


Sponsored Links for Riyadh

Holiday Inn Hotels In
Riyadh. Official Site- Low Internet Rates Guaranteed.

InterContinental Riyadh
Luxury hotel on golf course near business district. Book online.

Hotels cheap
Find Cheap Hotel Rates & More For Your Next Destination at ORBITZ!

100 Hotels in Dubai
Save up to 75% on your Dubai hotel. Good availability and great rates!

Dubai Package
Hotel Photos, Info & Virtual Tours Book with Expedia and Save!

Riyadh Local Customs

Now isn't this what you call a professional photo? - Riyadh
Now isn't this what you call a professional photo?
by baronedivandastad
Learn the local customs of Riyadh. Tips and photos posted by real travelers and Riyadh locals.
Local Time 11:13 pm Saturday, May 17, 2008
Riyadh Map
• Riyadh Hotels
All Riyadh Hotels
Check-In Date:
Check-Out Date:
Guests
Hotels by OneTime.com
Popular Local Customs | Miscellaneous Local Customs Tips | All Tips (79)
Sort By:  Most Recent | Best Rated
Hajj (Pilgrimage)
  • Tip Rating:
  • HAJJ is the 5th pillar of Islam and is obligatory to all Muslims to perform this pilgrimage once in their lifetime. It is being performed on a specific time of the year. According to the Hijra Calendar (Arabic Calendar), it is during the 12th month namely Dhul Hijjah. It is performed from 9th until the 13th of the Dhul Hijjah month wherein the most important day is the 2nd day where Muslims stand on the Mt. Arafa. Conditions of Hajj: a. Must be an adult - Over 14 yrs of age b. Must be able to afford the cost to perform Hajj. Borrowing of money to perform Hajj is not allowed. Footnote: a. Special White clothes has to be worn when performing the pilgrimage. It is made up of 2 pieces of white cloth: (FOR MEN) Upper part: Ihram Lower part: Izar ***No other undergarments or any clothes should be worn underneath for men. As for women, they have to uncover their faces and wear an ordinary dress***


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Ramadan
  • Tip Rating:
  • Ramadan is the Holy Month for our Muslim brothers and sisters.It falls on the 9th month of the Hijrah Calendar or Lunar (moon)Calendar. The date and month may not be fixed if it would be based on Gregorian Calendar. The holy month of Ramadan is considered as one of the higights of the year , and during this time our Muslim brothers and sisters fast from dawn to dusk. The celebration culminates with the Eid-Al-Fitr holiday, in which it is customary to buy presents and clothes for children and visit friends and relatives. The Arab calendar is a lunar calendar. The 12 months are: Muharram (30 days) Safar (29 days) Rabi'a al-Awal (30 days) Rabi'a ath-Thani (29 days) Jumada al-Ula (30 days) Jamada Ath-Thaniya (29 days) Rajab (30 days) Sha'aban (29 days) Ramadan (30 days) Shawwal (29 days) Dhul Qa'dah (30 days) Dhul Hijjah (29 days: 30 days in a leap year)


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Saudi names..
  • Tip Rating:
  • Saudi names usually consist of 3 to 4 names or more. It i s part of their tradition that the children carry the name of their father and their grandfather plus their surname. Example: Fahad Abdulrahman Hamad AlGaeed Fahad is the first name given by the parents, Abdulrahman is the name of the father, Hamad is the name of the grand Father while Algaeed is their surname. Though the ladies name are constructed on the same manner....however, when they get married...they do not used the surname of their husbands.Their names remain the same, meaning they will still used their maiden names. Most of the names consist of 2 words. Example: Abdulrahman ABDUL = fixed prefix, while RAHMAN - is one of the names of GOD, believed to have 99 names.


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Umrah
  • Tip Rating:
  • UMRAH means visiting the Holy Mosque in Mecca at any time of the year. It inlcudes 7 complete turns around the Kaaba (House of God) as well as 7 laps between Mt. Safa and Mt. Merwah. One lap is approximately 500m. Performing Umrah can last for a short period of time (approximately 1 hr for a fit person). Footnote: a. There is no age limit when performing Umrah b. Special white cloth has to be worn with no undergarments for men c. Women must uncover their faces and wear an ordinary dress.


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Iftar in Ramadan
  • Tip Rating:
  • IFTAR is an Arabic word which means to break fast. Muslims break their fast at sunset with few Dates and Arabic coffee coupled usually with fresh breakfast cream or Tahina (made of sesame) The reason why they eat dates when breaking their fast is because dates contain high sugar content to balance the sugar level in the body after refraining from drink and food for the whole day. Main course inlcudes: Soup, sambusa, baked macaroni and rice with chicken or meat. Sweets or desserts are usually served as well like dumplings or creme caramel.


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Oud (Incense / Oil)
  • Tip Rating:
  • Another gesture of Saudi hospitality is the burning of incense (oud) to welcome guests. It has a very distinct Arab smell. Oud came from a bark of a 100year old tree either from Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia. A gram or kilo of this will make a hole in your pocket. From 100USD up per kilo.


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Simplest Expression Of Hospitality - COFFEE
  • Tip Rating:
  • Arab traditions also play an important role in Saudi life. These age-old traditions have evolved over the past years and are highly regarded. They include generosity and hospitality, which every Saudi family offers to strangers, friends, and family. The simplest expression of hospitality is coffee – its preparation alone is an intricate cultural tradition, and it is often served in small cups along with dates and sweets. Arabic Coffee or Gahwa is a special mixture of Arabic Coffee and Cardamom. Cardamon is always added to Saudi coffee, either crushed or whole pods, giving it a distinctive flavour, and aiding digestion. A pinch of saffron may be added on special occasions, or by the wealthy. The coffee is poured from a long-spouted pot called a dallah. The greeny-yellow coffee is drunk without milk or sugar from small handleless cups, which are only half filled. Guests should accept no more than three cups unless with close friends. It is courteous to accept one cup, although not essential to drink it. Always hold the cup in your right hand. To signal that no more coffee is required, wobble the cup from side to side (or in some areas cover it with the palm of the hand).


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Ladies Role in the Society
  • Tip Rating:
  • As the time evolves, little by little Saudi women are actively being part of manly dominated country.Dont get me wrong, manly dominated - doesnt mean women are second class citizens but moreso their typical idea of a woman is someone who takes care of the house, her husband and family. Like i said, slowly they take part in the society.They have Saudi bank employees (exclusive for ladies) while majority of them are teachers. Most of the women who are working here in Riyadh either white collar jobs or blue collar jobs are from the Philippines, India, Africa,Lebanon and South Africa.


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Segregation of Sexes
  • Tip Rating:
  • It is part of the Saudi culture that men and women are not seated together during functions unless they are related to each other (brother and sister, nephew and nieces, mother and children ) So if ever you are invited to a Saudi family expect that women will go to the women sitting room while men go to the male sitting room. It is a tradition being carried for many years and still being practice upto this time.


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    Muslim men on having 4 wives
  • Tip Rating:
  • Its is stated in the Holy Quran (the Holy Book Of Muslims)that men are allowed to marry upto 4 times at the same time provided that they give just and fair treatment to their wives. Today, life has changed alot in terms of marrying more than 1 wife. Men having 4 wives rarely exist nowadays. Though fixed marriage still exists..the value of family and family ties still hold a very important role in the society.


    Add to Your Trip Planner  Post a Question  Write a Tip on
    Rate      Not Helpful  1   2   3   4   5  Very Helpful
    More Riyadh Tips
    Overview
     
    General Tips
    Tips: 36 - Photos: 32
    Restaurants
    Tips: 113 - Photos: 89
    Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 48 - Photos: 26
    Things To Do
    Tips: 135 - Photos: 125
    Nightlife
    Tips: 16 - Photos: 11
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 20 - Photos: 18
    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 9 - Photos: 2
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 32 - Photos: 18
    Transportation
    Tips: 44 - Photos: 18
    Local Customs
    Tips: 79 - Photos: 46
    Packing Lists
    Tips: 20 - Photos: 9
    Shopping
    Tips: 64 - Photos: 55
    Sports Travel
    Tips: 12 - Photos: 7
    Flights
    Tips: 12 - Photos: 6

    More Sponsored Links for Riyadh





    Find:        Matching:  Advanced