Saudi Arabia Travel Tips 2024: Making the Most of Your Journey

For a desert country like Saudi Arabia, a great time to visit is during the winter, when temperatures become mild and cool. Because everything seems to heat up all day long in the summer, there are activities that are ideal for such hot, dry weather. And everything has its own rules, which is natural when you are a foreigner who first sets foot in a country with a special culture like Saudi Arabia.

In this article, Saudi Arabia Immigration Services will provide travel tips to Saudi Arabia in 2024 for travelers so that you can have the best travel luggage, including mentally when researching travel tips for different situations throughout the trip.

Travel tips to Saudi Arabia-Make the most of your journey

Travel tips for handling a lot of situations actively during a Saudi Arabia trip

Is Saudi Arabia safe for tourists?

While the country has invested in infrastructure and safety measures, the risk of terrorist attacks, whether by drones or missiles, may happen in Saudi Arabia at any time. In addition to terrorism, visitors should also be aware of the possibility of various crimes in the country. Despite these concerns, Saudi Arabia generally has a lower crime rate than other Middle Eastern countries. However, visitors should still exercise caution in busy areas, where pickpocketing and petty theft may occur. Research and preparation before traveling to Saudi Arabia, including following local customs and laws, is essential.

Observable restrictions for non-Muslim tourists

Mecca and Medina, two Muslim sacred cities, are only accessible to Muslims. Tourists' observations, however, indicate that Mecca is the only place where non-Muslims are completely prohibited. For violating this rule, a fine and possibly deportation are imposed. Non-Muslims are not permitted in Medina to enter the Prophet's Mosque (al-Masjid al-Nabawi) or the plaza where it is situated. As with the rest of the city, the police are generally understanding of the presence of visitors as long as they behave in accordance with local customs.

Restriction for women

What should a lady know before visiting Saudi Arabia? First off, the strictest laws governing women do not have to be followed religiously or according to societal conventions. The second is that foreign ladies are exempt from a lot of it. Particularly, there are no specific limits for female applicants for visas listed on the Saudi Tourism Authority's official website. Foreign couples who are not married are permitted to travel together and stay at the same hotel.

Muslim women traveling to the nation to do Umrah are subject to a unique regulation. Women under 45 must be accompanied by a mahram at all times (male guardian). Female pilgrims who are over 45 are exempt from this travel ban. If they are part of a women's group run by a specific organization and have notarized paperwork attesting that their mahram has no objections, they are permitted to conduct umrah on their own.

Read more:

• Saudi Arabian Women's Clothing
• How to perform Umrah for ladies

Dress code

After 2017, Saudi Arabia's regulations governing women's attire significantly loosened. Even residents are no longer forced to leave the house wearing a black abaya, a headscarf over their hair, and a niqab over their faces. Tourists just need to cover their arms above the elbows and their legs above the knees in loose, non-transparent clothes without necklines. You can wear tight jeans or pants as long as you cover them with a long tunic or dress.

Even in the heat, foreign males should refrain from donning tight pants, shorts, or tank tops, and should keep their shirts buttoned up.

Read more: Saudi Arabia's traditional dress

Saudi Arabia's regulations governing women's attire significantly loosened

Public behavior

Checking the Saudi Arabia Tourism Authority website and reading the whole list of all prohibitions in public areas before the trip is a crucial piece of travel advice. Men and women must be reminded that it is totally against the law to have physical contact with one another in public, even if they are married and foreign visitors. Hugging, holding hands, and other seemingly harmless public expressions of affection are viewed as "acts of a sexual character" and are penalized by steep fines.

With the locals, you shouldn't broach topics like politics, religion, or private affairs. It is not allowed to yell, insult, use vulgar language, or make crude gestures.

Alcohol Drinking

Saudi Arabia has a strict ban on alcohol. No alcoholic beverages or beverages containing alcohol may be made, imported, consumed, or sold. These restrictions are applicable to both inhabitants and visitors, unlike in several other Muslim countries.

Visit: Saudi alcohol rules for tourism

Cash

What currency does Saudi Arabia use today?

Nowadays, Saudi Arabia is using Saudi Riyal (SAR) as its national currency, which is subdivided into 100 halala (coins).

Denominations of Saudi Riyals:

- 1
- 5
- 10
- 25
- 50
- 1100
- 200
- 500

Denominations of halala (coins):

- 1
- 2
- 5
- 10
- 25
- 50

Where can I exchange money in Saudi Arabia?

In Saudi Arabia, transactions and currency conversion are simple. You shouldn't worry even if you don't yet understand the distinction between a riyal and a halala: Credit cards and contactless payments are widely accepted by Saudi Arabian companies.

Reading our blog to deeply understand the question " What currency does Saudi Arabia use? "

Saudi Arabia is one of the most popular destinations for travelers

Food

If you enjoy eating, you should prepare to gain weight when visiting Saudi Arabia. Since traders first arrived in Saudi Arabia on horses and camels, the kingdom has long served as a crossroads for many civilizations. Mecca and Medina have always been popular destinations for Muslim pilgrims. As a result, many different influences may be seen in Saudi cuisine, and some of the regular dishes served there have foreign roots. You might anticipate finding kitchen cupboards stocked with all the comfort foods you can eat.

In Saudi Arabia, some typical Saudi Arabia foods include:

• Dates: You may find some of the best dates in the world in Saudi Arabia. They come in a variety of types and tastes. The Qassim area of the nation is regarded as the greatest location for finding dates.
• Kabsa: This is a ubiquitous dish that consists of roasted chicken and rice.
• Jareesh: It is a flavorful onion and dried lime porridge made of crushed wheat.
• Tharid: The dish includes bread and is a hot lamb stew.
• It is a filled pancake or murtabak.
• Laban: This yogurt beverage is creamy.
• Arabic coffee: This is really different from regular coffee. It tastes like cardamom and is bitter and yellow.
• Mamuul: These are cookies with dates inside.

Certainly, you need to set aside a considerable amount for the trip to Saudi Arabia to explore its list of interesting cuisines.

Trying Authentic Food in Saudi Arabia 

What useful things do travelers need to pack in their packages?

The preferences and habits of each person when traveling are different. However, if there are more useful tips for what to prepare when traveling to Saudi Arabia, your preparation will be much more thoughtful.

Saudi Arabia requires visas for tourists entering the country. Therefore, travelers need to check the entry requirements to ensure legal entry into Saudi Arabia. Currently, Saudi Arabia has implemented e-visas for visitors from over 50 countries, allowing easy registration for stays of up to 90 days. Applying for a Saudi e-visa is the most popular for visitors from the list of Saudi-eligible e-visa countries.

And, a checklist of useful things to pack in your luggage. Catch up now!

1. Modest attir

This is a given considering that Saudi Arabia is an Islamic nation, but both men and women should make an attempt to cover up. It is better for you to prepare an Abaya in your first step on Saudi Arabia’s land.

2. Portable adaptor

Saudi Arabia uses the same G-type plugs (three rectangular holes) as the UK. You will want a travel adaptor for Saudi Arabia if you are traveling from the US or Europe.

3. Recycled water bottles

Saudi Arabia has a serious problem with plastic trash, and the population enjoys purchasing excruciatingly small plastic water bottles. Bring your own water bottle and do your part for the environment. Water filters are typical in urban areas, and tap water is often safe to drink.

4. Reusable coffee, tea, or cold beverage cup

Applying the same environmental rationale. They come in really handy if you're traveling by car in Saudi Arabia because you'll be getting a lot of tea and coffee from rest areas along the motorways. These insulated travel mugs work excellently for protecting both hot and cold beverages.

5. Decent sunscreen

The harsh sun in Saudi Arabia, together with the dry heat, may be quite damaging to your skin. You'll also develop some bizarre tan lines from all your modest attire. Let's take a look at the weather in Saudi Arabia before your trip.

6. Phrasebook in Arabic

English is not widely spoken, particularly outside of cities. We frequently used Google Translate, but no one could understand me, and the translation of the Arabic spoken in Saudi Arabia was appalling.

When coming to Saudi Arabia, you might consult the list of typical Arabic sentence constructions that we have introduced to use for basic communication scenarios.

Visit here: Common Phrases In Arabic

The above article will provide travelers with many useful tips and travel advice for Saudi Arabia for typical cases that frequently occur during the trip in order to have a smooth trip.

Besides, you also have a reliable Saudi Arabia Immigration Services that is always ready to provide support for the fastest e-Visa service. Contact us immediately to be consulted by a professional and dedicated customer care team.