Saudi Arabia

Understand

Saudi Arabia is officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlakah al-ʿArabīyah as-Suʿūdīyah). The country takes its name from the House of Saud, the ruling royal family that has dominated the country's political landscape for more than three centuries. One of the world's few remaining absolute monarchs, the King of Saudi Arabia wields enormous political power: they are the head of the House of Saud, the head of the government, the supreme commander-in-chief of the Saudi military and choose their own successor.

Get around

thumb|Camels at the [[Riyadh|Janadriyah festival — no longer a viable means of long-distance transport]]

Internal travel permits are a thing of the past, so once you've gotten into Saudi Arabia, most of the country is your oyster. There are, however, some exceptions: The area around Mecca is off limits to non-Muslims; the exclusion zone is well signposted The city center of Medina used to be off-limits to non-Muslims, but the rules were relaxed in 2021; outside of Hajj season, non-Muslims may now enter the city center of Medina up to the perimeter fence around the Prophet's Mosque and take photos from the outside, though entry into the mosque compound is still forbidden. Those on Hajj visas are prohibited from leaving the area around Mecca and Medina (and transit points like Jeddah). Some remote areas, notably around the Iraqi and Yemeni borders, are restricted military zones. You're exceedingly unlikely to stumble into them by accident.

See

There is an abundance of things to see and explore in Saudi Arabia, from ancient ruins to stunning natural landscapes.

Do

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.

Eat

Like in other Middle Eastern countries, food is traditionally eaten by hand in Saudi Arabia. The most important thing to remember is to use only your right hand (see Home etiquette below).

Unlike other businesses that kick out their customers at prayer time, most restaurants let diners hang around and eat behind closed doors through the prayer period. New customers are generally not allowed to enter until after prayer is over.

Drink

With alcohol, nightclubs, playing music in public and mingling with unrelated people of the opposite sex all banned, it's fair to say that nobody comes to Saudi Arabia for the nightlife.

Sleep

thumb|Desert resort, [[Red Sea Project]]

Hotels of all types are available throughout the Kingdom. Most tourist cities (i.e. Makkah, Madinah, Ta'if, Al Abha) will also have very affordable and spacious shigka-maafroosha (short-term furnished rental apartments). Shigka-maafroosha owners generally loiter in hotel lobbies. Often, they will approach civilized-looking people (generally families) and make an offer. Prices for shigka-mafrooshas and small hotels are always negotiable to a great degree. Smaller hotels will only accept cash, normally in advance.

Larger, more expensive hotels are abundant in all major cities. You can expect to pay north of US$200 for a weekday night at a good hotel in any of the big Saudi cities. In exchange, you usually get excellent service and the ability to work around some restrictions (e.g. restaurants that stay open through prayer hours and daytime room service during Ramadan).

Saudi Arabia's tourism megaprojects Neom, the Red Sea Project, and Al-Ula are rapidly sprouting up ultraluxury resorts, with price tags to match. If you can bear the heat, you can get good discounts in the summer low season.

Stay safe

Saudi Arabia is a safe country crime-wise; the country has one of the lowest crime rates in the world and you are unlikely to encounter problems.

At first, being in a fundamentalist Muslim country with very strict laws may feel scary and intimidating. As a tourist, you're not expected to know every law and rule in Saudi Arabia. So long as you respect local customs, you should be able to cope.

Although first-time visitors may be regaled with tales of beheadings and amputations, the full harshness of Saudi law is usually reserved for those actually seeking trouble.

For rules on clothing and mingling between sexes, see Respect below. Indecent clothing and mingling between unrelated men and women are criminal offences.

Saudi Arabia may be affected during times of heightened tensions in the Middle East (Israel, Iran, Lebanon), and there is often a heightened risk when travelling to or being within Saudi Arabia, during times of crisis. It is important to keep up to date with the latest news and updates from local authorities. Take shelter or remain indoors when told to.

Terrorist attacks have been considered very likely on Saudi Arabia by many countries.

Stay healthy

There are no major health risks for traveling in Saudi Arabia: water is generally drinkable, and food is usually, but not always, hygienic. No vaccinations are required for general travel to the Kingdom, but for pilgrims joining the Hajj and its extraordinary concentrations of pilgrims from all corners of the globe, a comprehensive series of vaccinations is required as a condition for entry. See the Hajj article for details.

Smoking is the one sin that clerics haven't got around to banning yet, and consequently everybody smokes everywhere: hotel lobbies, airport lounges, shopping mall food courts, drivers in their taxis, etc. If this is a problem, be sure to request non-smoking rooms in hotels.

The Kingdom has a wide-reaching national health-care system, but the services provided by this program are quite basic. Private hospitals are often run with the participation of foreign partners. These facilities range from fairly rudimentary to very advanced and very expensive. Pharmacies are widely available, and prescriptions are not required for most medications. Psychoactive medications are tightly controlled and available only through government pharmacies.

Respect

thumb|Please, think before you act.

Saudis, North Africans, and other Middle Eastern Arabs share a common culture; therefore, what is considered good manners in the Arab world is applicable to Saudi Arabia.

The best way to stay out of trouble is to respect local conventions. Should you accidentally cause offense, don't panic, because you are not expected to know every cultural nuance. With a modicum of common sense and respect, you will be fine. If you don't know about something, just ask. People will be more than happy to explain.

As aforementioned, if you're not prepared to accept strict limitations on your behaviour and movement, you should not travel to Saudi Arabia.