Saudi Arabia Travel and Tourism: Guide to Saudi Arabia with Many Tips

Saudi Arabia Holidays - Travel and Tourism

The Islamic religion is governed by a set of laws that can be found in the Sharia. Travel to a country that follows this religion involves giving out this document to avoid any legal problems or even security. It is true that not all Islamic countries are completely attached to religious rules that is why in this series "Tips for traveling to Islamic countries" discussed in each post from a different country.



Today is the turn of Saudi Arabia, which is a conservative and strict about the social and religious behaviors country. To access the country a visa is only granted for business, study, work or family visits is needed.
Therefore tourism is scarce and it is for the visitors to follow some guidelines agreed not necessarily in law, that in order to improve relationships with the Arabic community and avoid dangerous situations:

WOMEN

1. Women must cover their hair and neck, clothing should be modest, and no cleavage, nothing fitted and preferably dark colors like black.
2. Not allowed to take pictures of women, government buildings or airports.
3. The tourists can only visit private beaches for sunbathing or swimming, swimwear should be as modest as possible. Public beaches are prohibited for women.

Social behavior

• Alcohol is strictly prohibited, and is not available for purchase. It is a felony.
• No kiss greetings are allowed, unlike Western culture must always greeting hand.
• The distance between one person and another in Saudi to start a conversation is shorter than in the West.

Religious behavior

1. Homosexuality is banned in the country, couples should book the emotional behaviors and even sleep in separate rooms. The attacks and criticisms are very strong in this area.

Health

• Before traveling it is advisable to be vaccinated against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, rabies and typhoid.
• Hospitals and health care is very expensive, so it is advisable to purchase health insurance.

If you have the possibility to travel to Saudi Arabia for work or professional scholarships, do not stop visiting major cities like Makkah, Riyadh, Jeddah, Hofuf and Tarut Island, that have great architectural and natural beauty. In the next post in the series will talk about Iran, another Muslim country where it is vital to know the customs to have a safe and enjoyable trip.