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Saudi Arabia Fast Facts
picture courtesy David Roe Saudi Arabia is not known for its tourism, mainly because the country isn't actively seeking tourists and to visit Saudi Arabia requires an extensive list of reasons and paperwork. You can, however, travel to Saudi Arabia for certain reasons without having to work there or go to Hajj. In order for a traveler to enter the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, you need to have a visitor's visa or you can get a stopover visa, if you have no choice but to stay in Saudi Arabia while you are traveling to another country. Visitor's visas can be acquired by a "host" - usually a Saudi national affiliated with a travel agency, hotel or company. You can also stay in Saudi Arabia on a transit visa, but only for 18 hours. Some people are also able to get visas if they are driving across Saudi Arabia, like from Bahrain to the UAE, but need to have clear proof of intent not to linger too long. There are several tours recently opened up and given by Kingdom sponsored companies. These are usually fairly expensive but the sponsoring companies will handle everything you need to visit. All potential travelers are strongly encouraged to visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's official US Embassy site (http://www.saudiembassy.net/) to learn more about getting a visa. Women traveling alone are not permitted in the Kingdom. Another way to travel to Saudi Arabia is if you are part of a hajj, aka umrah, tour. The hajj is a religious pilgrimage occurring once a year and is required of all Muslims at least once in their lives. Hajj tours are handled through specialized tour companies in your home country.
Weather & Climate When you think of the desert, think of Saudi Arabia. Most of the country is covered in beautiful rolling sand dunes of unimaginable color. The country is also unimaginably hot, especially in the summer months (June - August) when the temperature is usually over 100 degrees F. The best times to visit would be the Spring or Fall.
Religion Saudi Arabia is where Islam began and where Islam has the majority of its holy shrines. Saudi Arabia is the centerpiece of ISlam and contains the holy cities of Mecca (Makkah) and Medina, both integral cities to the foundation of Islam. In fact, all Muslims throughout the world pray five times a day while facing in the direction of Mecca and its holy shrine known as the Ka'aba, part of the Holy Mosque of the city. Saudi Arabian culture is very religious, and takes their religion extremely seriously as part of the daily lives of its people and its rulers. Saudi Arabia's form of Islam is very conservative and very male oriented. As such, the Kingdom has several rules that are very foreign to Westerners. These include the prohibition of all alcohol and pork products, and any materials that may be deemed pornographic. Any woman in the Kingdom cannot travel alone and must wear a hijab, or scarf, covering their hair. Women are not allowed to drive by themselves either. Public displays of affection between men and women should be kept to a minimum, actually none should occur at all, even with your spouse. Saudi Arabia also has a group of men known as the religious police who ensure that public cultural norms are met. While this may seem extreme to most Westerners, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has its roots in a tribal tradition dating back thousands of years. Contextually you have to judge things from another perspective if you are to criticize anyone's culture. However, for those people who believe in universal rights, you may have a hard time adjusting to some of the cultural conditions of the kingdom.
Language Arabic is the official language of Saudi Arabia. Many people speak English and there are many foreigners in the country who work there.
Clothing Dress conservatively, long pants and shirts. Women must cover their hair.
Visas Please see visa information in the introductory paragraph of this page. If you have any evidence of travel to Israel you will be denied entrance to Saudi Arabia.
Driving Driving is possible and there are several major rental car companies in operation in the Kingdom. The road conditions are generally well kept up, though the driving conditions are notoriously hazardous and include speeding and disobeying traffic laws, particularly outside the cities.
Drugs & Alcohol Alcohol is illegal in Saudi Arabia though there is a sizeable black market. Any alcohol in the Kingdom can result in jail time or expulsion from the country, or both. Many expats living in Saudi Arabia make their own beer and wine. A type of alcohol made from pure ethanol, cut with water, is commonly found. It is called "Siddiqui" (or "my friend" in Arabic). In Kuwait it is known as "Flash." Drugs are dealt with very severely. Saudi Arabia has strict punishments that can include lashings, physical beatings and even death.
Money The currency of Saudi Arabia is the Riyal. One Riyal is worth about .27 cents in the US and has been for some time. The Riyal is broken into 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 hallalahs. Banks and ATMS are common throughout the country and credit cards are accepted in most places.
Vaccinations There are no vaccinations required to enter Saudi Arabia unless traveling from Yellow Fever infected countries. Hajj pilgrims may need to get meningitis vaccinations and should check with their hajj tour company.
Gay & Lesbian Travel Homosexuality is a crime punishable by death in Saudi Arabia.
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