| Learn the local customs of Riyadh. Tips and photos posted by real travelers and Riyadh locals. Riyadh Map |
 | Riyadh Local Customs | Tips 51 - 60 of 80 |  |
For those who have never been before in Saudi Arabia, maybe the different noticeable thing that you’ll not find women driving, some consider this as a lack of freedom to see this while for the Saudi themselves is not, at least for the majority.
From the other hand, maybe Saudi Arabia is the country number one from families having private drivers, and for those who doesn’t know about KSA, that the average of the families here normally not less than 5 sons and daughters and mostly more than this, therefore a private driver would be good idea to be in the service of the house’s ladies at any time they want to go wherever they desire.
Accidents is a big issue here, mostly because young guys who driving in early age without realizing the risk that they can bring for themselves or for the others, the finical losses or been hold in a police station is not an issue here because every body driving in Saudi Arabia “must” have insurance cover, this by law But always the worryness should be on what’s more important ..the people’s life.
So enjoy driving the big clean roads in Saudi Arabia, but always pay attention around you, as everywhere you should do. Leave a Comment
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 Riyadh women's dress by Manyana
Also commonly seen in weddings and dance shows. Leave a Comment
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 old woman dress by Manyana
It's commonly seen in Saudi Folklore and Dance shows. Leave a Comment
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5 times a day, the speaker phones all over Riyadh sing out a tune. The volume's turned up full bore, but you get used to it. To be honest, I hardly notice it anymore.
During prayer time (at least in Riyadh), all the shops are required to close. Some of the larger shops allow you to continue shopping, but they lock you in. You cannot purchase your goods at the checkout until prayer time finishes.
The times vary throughout the year, but there's an early morning, lunch time, mid afternoon, early evening and evening prayer time. The time also varies over Riyadh (and the rest of Saudi). It's like a staggered start all over Riyadh, like a sound wave.
One thing's for sure, it always happens at the most inconvenient of times. Almost daily, I'm caught out (by prayer time). If you're thinking, I'm hungry or let's go shopping, is it prayer time, chances are it either is, or is about to be!!
If you're wondering 'is prayer time almost over', if you see cars starting to arrive outside a supermarket, you'll know it is.
Another thing. Once you get outside Riyadh, things are a little more relaxed and shops tend to stay open.
Also be careful where you sit in shopping malls during prayer time. Some areas are designated women's sitting areas and others men's sitting areas. Of course, these probably aren't marked, you're just expected to know. I got asked to move by the Mattawa during my first week here as I was sitting in the wrong spot. Leave a Comment
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Do not ignore Saudi customs regulations. The following items are strictly prohibited: alcohol, narcotics, pornography, pork products, firearms, natural pearls. Attempting to import them into Saudi Arabia carries severe penalties, ranging from confiscation & fines to imprisonment & deportation.
All international passengers will have their luggage inspected by customs officials. It pays to be helpful & patient: keep your passport handy & open all your cases & hand luggage for internal inspection. Magazines, videos & CDs may be retained for censorship & as this is time-consuming it is advisable not to carry such items unless absolutely necessary. Carrying chocolates can also cause delays whilst the ingredient list is inspected for added alcohol - do not attempt to bring liqueur chocolates into the country. Leave a Comment
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Dress code is very important over here, since its a muslim state and they have the rules over here according to which women should wear loose black cloaks called Abayas on top of their dress whenever they go out in the streets, and in that way I guess its easier to gel with the crowd otherwise ...... u know :)
As for the men, they should avoid wearing shorts in the public places ...... these rules are enforced by the Mutawwas and they used to be a very comman site specially in Riyadh but we dont see them so often nowadays. In this sense Jeddah and Khobar are more liberal then Riyadh. Leave a Comment
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Single men are not allowed to sit with women or families in public places. There is a seperate section for single's and families. Similarly, women are not allowed to sit with men in the single's section, even when they're married. The single's section is for men only.
In food courts, where both men and women frequent, there is normally a women's only queue and a men's only queue.
In a nutshell, women and men are segregated wherever possible. Leave a Comment
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greet the saudis by saying 'a'salam wa alaykum' which translates to 'peace be upon you' and you shall receive a response 'wa alaykum a salam' which translates as 'may peace be returned to you'. This is a good start to introduce yourself to people.
Tipping is usual everywhere in the country, usually a twenty riyal tip would do in restaurants, Hotels. Leave a Comment
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It is important to note that permits for visits to all archaeological sites and forts in the country, except for those located in the Eastern province, are obtained at the Riyadh Museum.
The exceptions to this rule are Dir'aiyah (the oasis town which is the ancestral home of the Al-Saud and which was restored in the early 1980s, some 30km from the capital's centre) and the Najran Fort.
Permits are issued at no charge upon production of your passport or residence permit. Leave a Comment
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Outside Riyadh, in the towns and villages of the Najd, westerners are not as common as they are in the east or in Jeddah and are therefore objects of interest.
In the Najd is the town of Buraidah which is the only place in Saudi Arabia where even foreign women are required to be veiled. Leave a Comment
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- Golden Tulip Andalusia Riyadh
Olaya Main Street, Riyadh - Marriott Riyadh
Al Ma'ather Street, Riyadh - Radisson Blu Hotel
King Abdul Aziz St. PO Box 18006, Riyadh - Al Khozama Hotel
Olaya Rd, Riyadh - Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre
Kingdom Centre PO Box 231000, Riyadh - Al Mutlaq Hotel
King Abdul Aziz Rd., Riyadh - Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers
King Fahad Road, Riyadh - Tulip Inn Olaya House
Olaya Road (formerly Olaya House), Riyadh - Al Faisaliah, A Rosewood Hotel
PO Box 4148, Olaya King Fahad Road, Riyadh - Holiday Inn Riyadh-Olaya
Olaya Street PO Box 69112, Riyadh - InterContinental Riyadh
Maazar St, Riyadh - Mercure Royal Riyadh
Prince Abdul Rahman Bin, Riyadh - Holiday Inn Riyadh Minhal
King Abdul Aziz Rd, Riyadh - Madareem Crown Hotel
PO Box 103308 (aka Al Fahd Crown) on highway road King Khaled International Airport, Riyadh
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