Saudi Arabia - Travel tips
Food
Similar to other cuisines in the Middle East Saudi Arabian food featuring breads like khobz eaten with pastes like hummus, made with chickpea and garlic and fuul made with fava beans and garlic. With other popular foods including shwarma, spiced and barbecued lamb, felafel, chickpea balls that gets deep-fried and kebabs, chucks of barbecued meat and vegetables served on a skewer ending with fruit, tea or coffee. Islamic law forbids alcohol and eating pig.
Photography
Photography is probably the easiest way for a visitor to inadvertently get into trouble. Do not take pictures of any government-related building (ministries, airports, military facilities etc) or any building that could possibly be one, or you risk being hauled off to jail for espionage. As strict Wahhabi belief prohibits making images of any living creature and Saudis place a high value on privacy, do not photograph any Saudi men without permission and do not even point your camera in the general direction of women, period. Even government publications avoid pictures of people and often resort to mosaicing out faces if they have to use one!
What to buy
Few local products are of interest to tourists. Locally grown dates are of high quality, and religious paraphernalia is widely available, but almost exclusively imported. Copies of the Qur'an are produced in a wide range of editions and sold at very low prices. Zam zam water is available throughout the Western Region and at all airports.
Carpets are a favorite purchase, most of these coming from nearby Iran. Jeddah in particular has lots of carpets, many brought by pilgrims who sell them there to help finance their trip to Mecca.
Large gold and jewelry markets are prominent in all major cities. Bargaining is a norm in most small to medium sized stores. Mecca and Medina offer a lot of variety in terms of luggage, clothing, jewelry, knick-knacks, souvenirs, toys, food, perfume, incense, and religious literature, audio, and paraphernalia.
Large, well maintained air-conditioned malls and grocery stores (i.e. Safeway, Geant, Carrefour) are scattered throughout the kingdom. Note that all shops, even those selling women's clothing and lingerie, are staffed exclusively by men and have no dressing rooms.
WARNING
Do NOT even think of committing a crime, especially in Saudi Arabia! Saudi Arabia is known for very strict laws and extremely harsh punishments. The punishments can range from amputation of the limbs for stealing, to death by beheading or stoning for murder, rape, drug trafficking, and apostasy.
Entertainment in Saudi Arabia is very family-oriented. There are few activities for just couples or singles. Single men are not allowed in family areas: family beaches are partitioned from the bachelor beaches, for example. Women are expected to be accompanied by a male relative in public, although single women may be admitted into family areas.
Best Time to Visit
The best time of the year to visit Saudi Arabia is between November and February. During summer in the month of July, the temperature ranges from 81° - 109° F (27° to 43° C) in the Saudi Arabian cities of Riyadh. While in the city of Jeddah, the weather temperature averages from 80° - 100° F (27°-38° C).
Top 10 Cities in Saudi Arabia
- Riyadh
- Mecca
- Jeddah
- Madinah
- Abha
- Dhahran
- Dammam
- Hofuf
- Al Munawara
- Taif
I would like to spend my whole life traveling, if I could borrow another life to spend at home.....
Saudi Arabia
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