RooFlyer
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Having just visited Saudi for the first time since 1994, some observations and tips for others contemplating going. Maybe @jase05 , @Mattg and @Scarlett can add their own.
Visa: eVisa dead easy (1 year, multiple entry). Visas to Visit Saudi Arabia | Tourist Visa Requirements | Visit Saudi
If you are going to take psycotropics like Temazepam or opiods like codeine or tramadol, best get a permit: Home Page - نظام الأدوية المقيدة
Airports/immigration: Modern and efficient.
Status of women: I saw lots of western (and some apparently Gulf) women in western dress (pants, not skirts) and without headscarves, especially within hotels and on bus and site tours. In the train station at Madinah, at the airport at Jeddah. I also saw a number of western ladies with a scarf around their neck, for 'in case'. Both western and bourka-ed women walking around, doing everyday things. A far cry from the 1990s.
People: Very friendly, but can also be reserved - I suspect corresponding with their ability to speak English. I had no apparent negative reactions to my photography. All I encountered in the tourist world spoke OK to good English. Jeddah is a relaxed place - very used to visitors because its long been the main arrival place for pilgrims from all over the world.
Smoking: Surprisingly not obtrusive. I was hardly aware of any in my time here.
Individual safety: I felt perfectly safe, at all times, except for -
Driving. Crazy. Look out for anything; roundabouts in the cities especially fraught; cars will cross in front of 2 moving lanes to turn off, without warning and without indicating. On a 1 lane each way highway out in the sticks, I was overtaken by someone travelling very fast while I was overtaking a truck. Outside the cities, highways can be 4 lanes each direction with virtually no traffic. I was asked for my Intl driving licence and a copy of my eVisa when renting from Enterprise.
Speed signs are a mix of Arabic numbers, Latin numbers or both. Steet signs easy to follow - place names and directions usually in both languages.
Saudi road planners don't like intersections much. Often if you want to turn left, say, (LH drive, so driving on the right), you'll be forced to turn right at a T junction and drive X kms until a gap in the road divider allows a U turn, or a traffic light at a major intersection allows it. Google maps I found to be very bad in handling these - didn't recognise the U turn thing and would send me in a long block to change direction.
Petrol: Stations work pretty normally; both I used had bowser attendants with credit card machines at the ready. May be closed for 20 mins or so at prayer time.
Careems/Uber - operate pretty normally, and moderately cheap - maybe half the cost of a similar journey in Australia?? Mostly my Careems took 15+ mins to arrive, and several times I cancelled and kept walking when no-one accepted. Not sure if they could see my (western) name and some declined.
Prayers. The call to prayer is all pervasive in the open and usually loud. Times vary with sunrise and sunset; today they are
Not everything stops for prayers, but many shops will.
Costs: Generally moderate, but the best hotels very expensive; but as I found, some pretty mediocre ones also expensive. If you aren't in a tourist area/shop, its pretty cheap. All the western fast-food and 'luxury' brands are here.
Credit cards - everywhere, but ATMs also common. I took cash from a FX place on arrival and didn't need to spend it anywhere, but I did in some out-of-the- way shops.
Photography - I found no restrictions, but be discrete if photographing people close-ish. I found group scenes no issue. When I visited in the 1990s, you couldn't photograph bridges, government offices, close people or palaces!
Great place to visit.
Visa: eVisa dead easy (1 year, multiple entry). Visas to Visit Saudi Arabia | Tourist Visa Requirements | Visit Saudi
If you are going to take psycotropics like Temazepam or opiods like codeine or tramadol, best get a permit: Home Page - نظام الأدوية المقيدة
Airports/immigration: Modern and efficient.
Status of women: I saw lots of western (and some apparently Gulf) women in western dress (pants, not skirts) and without headscarves, especially within hotels and on bus and site tours. In the train station at Madinah, at the airport at Jeddah. I also saw a number of western ladies with a scarf around their neck, for 'in case'. Both western and bourka-ed women walking around, doing everyday things. A far cry from the 1990s.
People: Very friendly, but can also be reserved - I suspect corresponding with their ability to speak English. I had no apparent negative reactions to my photography. All I encountered in the tourist world spoke OK to good English. Jeddah is a relaxed place - very used to visitors because its long been the main arrival place for pilgrims from all over the world.
Smoking: Surprisingly not obtrusive. I was hardly aware of any in my time here.
Individual safety: I felt perfectly safe, at all times, except for -
Driving. Crazy. Look out for anything; roundabouts in the cities especially fraught; cars will cross in front of 2 moving lanes to turn off, without warning and without indicating. On a 1 lane each way highway out in the sticks, I was overtaken by someone travelling very fast while I was overtaking a truck. Outside the cities, highways can be 4 lanes each direction with virtually no traffic. I was asked for my Intl driving licence and a copy of my eVisa when renting from Enterprise.
Speed signs are a mix of Arabic numbers, Latin numbers or both. Steet signs easy to follow - place names and directions usually in both languages.
Saudi road planners don't like intersections much. Often if you want to turn left, say, (LH drive, so driving on the right), you'll be forced to turn right at a T junction and drive X kms until a gap in the road divider allows a U turn, or a traffic light at a major intersection allows it. Google maps I found to be very bad in handling these - didn't recognise the U turn thing and would send me in a long block to change direction.
Petrol: Stations work pretty normally; both I used had bowser attendants with credit card machines at the ready. May be closed for 20 mins or so at prayer time.
Careems/Uber - operate pretty normally, and moderately cheap - maybe half the cost of a similar journey in Australia?? Mostly my Careems took 15+ mins to arrive, and several times I cancelled and kept walking when no-one accepted. Not sure if they could see my (western) name and some declined.
Prayers. The call to prayer is all pervasive in the open and usually loud. Times vary with sunrise and sunset; today they are
Not everything stops for prayers, but many shops will.
Costs: Generally moderate, but the best hotels very expensive; but as I found, some pretty mediocre ones also expensive. If you aren't in a tourist area/shop, its pretty cheap. All the western fast-food and 'luxury' brands are here.
Credit cards - everywhere, but ATMs also common. I took cash from a FX place on arrival and didn't need to spend it anywhere, but I did in some out-of-the- way shops.
Photography - I found no restrictions, but be discrete if photographing people close-ish. I found group scenes no issue. When I visited in the 1990s, you couldn't photograph bridges, government offices, close people or palaces!
Great place to visit.
