Saudi Arabia has opened up to international tourists. I was so thrilled flying to Riyadh with no idea of what to expect after landing.. as there was very little travel information available online. In this ultimate travel guide to Saudi Arabia, you’ll find full information on where to stay and how to get around, along with preparation advice that will make your stay easier and more comfortable.
Complete travel guide to Saudi Arabia.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia covers most of the Arabian Peninsula – it is the biggest country in the Middle Easy and 5th biggest in Asia. Waters of the Arabian Gulf (Persian Gulf) lie between Arabian Peninsula, Irag and Iran. Arabian Gulf has 68% of world’s oil reserves!
- In Saudi people greet each other with Salam Alaykum, meaning “peace be upon you”.
- SAFETY: Saudi is a very safe country, crime rate is almost zero and when it happens it’s usually commited by foreign communities.
- Friday is a holy day and all Saudis gather to pray in mosques. So restaurants, coffee shops will close at 10am to reopen around 2pm.
- The present King is Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Saudi Arabia is a treasure trove of natural wonders – freestyle travelers will definitely enjoy desert activities and the famous cliff – the Edge of the World, located an hour drive from Riyadh.
Riyadh – the capital city is extremely modern. The country’s diverse topography ranges from vast deserts to towering mountains and stunning coastlines. The Rub’ al Khali, or Empty Quarter, is one of the largest sand deserts in the world. Adventurous travelers can experience thrilling activities such as dune bashing, sandboarding, and camel rides. Those who prefer cooler climates should hit the Asir Mountains for hiking trails and rock climbing.
Arabian Peninsula.
ALL 7 COUNTRIES TO BE FOUND IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA:
- Kuwait,
- Qatar,
- Bahrain,
- United Arab Emirates (UAE),
- Yemen,
- Oman,
- Saudi Arabia at the center taking 80% of the peninsula suface.
What to know before traveling to Saudi Arabia?
I admit it would be slightly easier to know a bit more before traveling to Saudi Arabia. I didn’t get to find any travel guide to Saudi Arabia and just focused on a single piece of information I found online.
Exploring this incredible country requires some preparation and understanding of local customs, regulations, and attractions.
I don’t think anyone doubts that Saudi Arabia is steeped in tradition and Islamic practices and deeply rooted in its culture. For an adventurous traveler like me, it’s vital to respect local customs. But women visitors are not required to wear an abaya (a loose-fitting black cloak) in public. Men are usually expected to dress modestly.
Flights to Saudi Arabia.
There are many direct flights to Saudi Arabia with over 10 direct flights from Dubai daily. Skyscanner.com gives you an opportunity to find the best deals.
Can I travel to Saudi Arabia?
The country only dropped the heavy entry restrictions in 2019 when the first tourist visa was issued. Before that, the country was strictly closed for visitors. Islam is the official religion and the constituted in the Quran and Sunna. All practices and traditions fall under the Quran. The country went through a massive reform and is willing to host visitors.
Only 6 years ago women weren’t allowed to drive or attend sports arenas. Now there is even women’s football team! The government introduced an official plan – 2030 Vision, intending to carry out a massive social and economic transformation to open up to the world. It has also set numerous goals for the brightest future programs for talent development supported by the Ministry of Education.
Visa for Saudi Arabia.
You will need visa to travel to Saudi Arabia. You can apply online for your eVisa through the official portal: https://visa.visitsaudi.com/. It’s a fast and convenient way of obtaining tourist Visa for Saudi Arabia, you need to fill in the documents and pay visa fee to receive your eVisa. It is valid for 1 year for multiple entries up to 90 days.
Travel tips and advice for Saudi.
Here you’ll find most practical information for Saudi Arabia. The country is travel friendly. ATM’s are available in bank branches and shopping malls. Any information is easily accesible from hotel reception or any English speaker.
What is the best time to visit Saudi Arabia?
Best time to visit Saudi Arabia is winter, which falls between October till February. This is also time for Riyadh Season (check the official Festival website: www.riyadhseason.sa – where all major events, exhibitions, Virtual reality shows are brought to visitors from all parts of the world. This makes is highly attractive time to visit Riyadh.
Things to do in Saudi Arabia.
As my travel guide to Saudi Arabia defines, the best things to do in Saudi Arabia are: Kingdom Centre Tower (the Sky Bridge), Historic sites and safaris. Check my detailed post on top things to see in Riyadh.
Kingdom Tower in Riyadh.
The Kingdom Tower is a unique experience for best views over the city.
There’s a luxury shopping center along with a supermarket, where you can get some local food.
Single entrance cost 69 SAR.
An elevator takes you up to the 77th floor from where another elevator will bring you to 99th floor for a Sky Bridge walk!
Where to stay in Saudi Arabia?
You may be a little dissapointed with accommodation high prices and low standard in Saudi Arabia. There are few top hotels in Riyadh offering very good standard but the price oscillates around $500/per night.
I stayed in DoubleTree by Hilton – Al Muroj Business Gate, pleasant but quite old fashioned. The standard is way below 4* hotel, however the food was delicious and the staff was extremely friendly. Booking.com offers variety of accommodation options – search for best deals online here.
What to wear in Saudi Arabia for a woman?
Whatever you have heard this travel guide to Saudi Arabia will verify your information. My local experience was surprisingly friendly. Generally, Muslims should not see women’s bodies, that’s why all women wear an Abaya – a black dress covering the whole body. Most women in Saudi wear a face cover, whether it’s:
Niqab – for the whole face or Burqa with eyes exception. You are not obliged to wear a hair cover as a tourist.
In Riyadh – the capital of Saudi Arabia, you are not obliged to wear an Abaya as a tourist, but you should dress respectively. Try to avoid tight clothes, and cover your body fully, especially your shoulders, arms and legs. There’s no need to cover your hair if you don’t feel like it. More importantly, I didn’t feel any pressure from the locals for being dressed casually.
However – outside of Riyadh you may still face the old Arabia and you should be wearing an Abaya to cover your body. People in smaller cities remain more traditional and they may attack you for not wearing proper body cover. If you buy one abaya it should be more than enough for the whole stay. Abaya is worn over your clothes, it washes easily and doesn’t cost much (you should be able to get one for $20).
Men outfit in Arabia.
Not only women in Arabia are obliged to cover their bodies, but men should be covered from their wrists up to their knees. Traditional men’s outfit in Arabia is long loose Thawb. Men do not wear shorts outside of their house. The kaffiyeh is a headdress worn by men in the Middle East, however nowadays it goes with a business outfit.
Weather in Saudi Arabia.
Traveling to Saudi in the summer is not recommended. It is not uncommon for temperatures in summer to reach 45-50 degrees. While in winter months they nowadays drop even to 16-18 degrees.
In January 2023 Saudis told me it is the coldest winter ever! Before 2023 there was 1 RAINY DAY IN THE WHOLE YEAR! In January 2023 it rained 7 days in total – it’s the first time in Saudi’s history for plants and trees to grow outside in an open air. Some trees even grew across desert areas. I saw it in Wahiba Sands in Oman a few years ago, an unusual phenomenon.
Desert temperatures are very different, it gets really hot during the day, but the temperature drops dramatically during nighttime. So if you are camping on the red sands of the desert, have warm clothes with you.
Traveling to Mecca.
Any travel guide to Saudi Arabia will tell you non-Muslims are forbidden to travel to Mecca, as well as Medina territory, which are considered sacred. I was possible to watch Mecca on TV, there was a 24-hour non-stop transmission on one of the TV channels.
Getting Around – local transport in Riyadh.
UBER is the most convenient way of getting around. Once you have your local sim card and Uber application – YOU ARE SORTED! It’s cheap and very well organized, you’ll have a cab in 3 minutes from any spot within Riyadh.
Riyadh METRO – local transport is highly modern but there is a single tube line. In 2014 Saudi Arabia decided to invest in the public transport with starting the $23billion project aiming to build the world’s largest single-phase metro system.
SAPTCO are local buses in Riyadh, offering high level of travel comfort. They run between 5.30am to 11.30pm on weekdays with high frequency but the network is still not covering many of Riyadh parts.
Bus no 7 will take you near the Grand Mosque. To reach King Abdullah Financial District you would need to catch bus no 8. For spectacular Kingdom Tower take bus no 9.
TAXIS (marked green cabs) are very convenient way of getting around. First km $2, onward $0.5/per km.
One of the best cuisines in the world.
Arabic food is one of my top favorite cuisines, even in my home town I go to a local Arabic shop for halva, falafel, stuffed grape leaves with rice, olives and 3 most popular side dips: Labneh (yogurt cheese), Mutabal (baked eggplant with oil), Hommus (chickpeas with tahini)– which taste nowhere better but in Arabic countries. Lime and cardamom are symbolic flavors of Arabia.
Having visited a number of Middle East countries I can say the only right way to explore this interesting part of the world is sinking into a local atmosphere, by visiting places attended by residents. Shisha bars, and local restaurants, are the places to experience real Arabia. In this travel guide to Saudi Arabia I’m dropping below few top places to eat in Riyadh.
Riyadh the capital city.
Riyadh is developing extremely fast. Mukaab – located in Riyadh’s new downtown district, will be the world’s largest building!
The cube-shaped building along with many other giant developments is being created ahead of the Expo Riyadh Expo 2030.
Where to eat in Riyadh?
- Najd Village – visit a traditional Saudi restaurant for a taste of Riyadh. This incredible restaurant is arranged in Najdi style, reflecting the old Saudi settlements. The food is mind blowing, freshly cooked, aromatic with majority of meat dishes but also vegetarian and even vegan (that’s for me please!). Dates – a symbol of Saudi Arabia will be served as a starter with cardamom Arabic coffee.
- THE ZONE – fancy shopping, restaurant and cafe place. An outdoor place with an extraordinary dancing fontain and Korean Cafe arranged in 2D design – Greem Cafe.
It’s funny but number of foreigh cuisines are very popular in Riyadh – American, Italian or Indian. Also a huge popularity gain take away food brands and the market is growing massively each year.
Discover best things to do in Saudi Arabia – offerings you may not find anywhere else.
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