Introduction
Sure, there's the undulating sand, but there's archeology and technology too. Arabia has intrigued travellers for centuries. Its vast swathes of desert were the swaddling clothes of infant Islam, the Arab race and of Arabic, a language considered holy by Muslims. It's also home to Islam's two holiest cities and a host of modern, thriving, oil-rich metropolises.
Destination facts
Capital: Riyadh (pop 3 million)
King: Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz
Government: monarchy
Time zone: GMT +3
Area: 2000000
Population: 24200000
Languages: Islam
Currency: Saudi Riyal (SRIs)
Country Dialing Code: 966
Getting There
The ideal time to visit Saudi Arabia is between November and February when the summer heat is over. Mid-April until October will see you sweltering with high humidity in the coastal regions. It''s appreciably milder in the mountains and around Taif year-round, which makes these places popular summer retreats. The Asir mountains are at their best a bit earlier and a bit later than the rest of the country - during winter they are often locked in fog. The Kingdom's Islamic holidays are another important factor in deciding when to go. Unless you've no choice, Ramadan is to be avoided at all costs: getting a daytime meal can be difficult, opening hours are kept to a minimum and officials can be decidedly (if understandably) surly. During the haj pilgrimage, most forms of transport and some accommodation are busier than normal and prices increase, although usually only in the Hejaz region.
Getting there and away
Flying to Saudi Arabia is an expensive proposition from the USA, and not much cheaper from Europe. There are buses between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Turkey. Such are the distances involved, however, that very few Westerners travel to surrounding countries by bus. There is also a car ferry that links Jeddah to Suez, as well as passenger-only services from Jeddah to Port Sudan and Musawwa (in Eritrea). There is no departure tax. As a rule the food on these boats is dreadful, the trip interminable, humidity fierce and schedules erratic - you'd be better off flying.
Getting around
All domestic air services are run by Saudi, which is quite reliable and reasonably priced. The most frequent and efficient service runs Jeddah-Riyadh-Dhahran. If you're not pressed for time and you don't have a car, the bus is a pretty good option. The bus company, SAPTCO, has comfortable, air-conditioned buses, but you can buy tickets only one day in advance or on the day of travel. Service taxis go to most of the same destinations as buses for around the same price, but don't run to a timetable. Saudi Arabia has the only stretch of railway track in the entire Arabian peninsula - one line from Riyadh to Dammam, via Hofuf and Abqaiq. Trains run three times a day except Thursday. If you plan to drive, a western driving license is acceptable and you must be a man. Rental rates are government controlled and comparable to rates in the West. Theoretically Saudis drive on the right; car insurance, sensibly, is compulsory.
Visa:
There is no such thing as a tourist visa for Saudi Arabia. You can enter the country with a visitor's transit or (if you're Muslim) hajj or umrah visa. To get a visitor's visa you will have to be sponsored by a Saudi individual or company. Another option is a 24- or 48-hour transit visa - to get one you have to prove that you had no choice other than to stopover in Saudi Arabia en route to your final destination. You can now also visit the country as a non-Muslim if you join an approved (and expensive - 5000.00 plus) organised tour.
Weather
From May to September, expect daytime temperatures of 45 ° C (113 ° F) or higher throughout the country with slightly cooler coastal temperatures. In the dead of winter (December to January) temperatures in the main cities (except Jeddah), will drop into the teens during the day and even hit zero in some places overnight (particularly in the central deserts). During winter the mountains can also be shrouded in fog. In the southern coastal areas it rains quite regularly (it's about the only place that does) with high humidity in the summer, but there's very little rainfall in the capital Riyadh and the northern parts of the Red Sea coast, making the cooler winter days a pleasure.
Sure, there's the undulating sand, but there's archeology and technology too. Arabia has intrigued travellers for centuries. Its vast swathes of desert were the swaddling clothes of infant Islam, the Arab race and of Arabic, a language considered holy by Muslims. It's also home to Islam's two holiest cities and a host of modern, thriving, oil-rich metropolises.
Destination facts
Capital: Riyadh (pop 3 million)
King: Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz
Government: monarchy
Time zone: GMT +3
Area: 2000000
Population: 24200000
Languages: Islam
Currency: Saudi Riyal (SRIs)
Country Dialing Code: 966
Getting There
The ideal time to visit Saudi Arabia is between November and February when the summer heat is over. Mid-April until October will see you sweltering with high humidity in the coastal regions. It''s appreciably milder in the mountains and around Taif year-round, which makes these places popular summer retreats. The Asir mountains are at their best a bit earlier and a bit later than the rest of the country - during winter they are often locked in fog. The Kingdom's Islamic holidays are another important factor in deciding when to go. Unless you've no choice, Ramadan is to be avoided at all costs: getting a daytime meal can be difficult, opening hours are kept to a minimum and officials can be decidedly (if understandably) surly. During the haj pilgrimage, most forms of transport and some accommodation are busier than normal and prices increase, although usually only in the Hejaz region.
Getting there and away
Flying to Saudi Arabia is an expensive proposition from the USA, and not much cheaper from Europe. There are buses between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Turkey. Such are the distances involved, however, that very few Westerners travel to surrounding countries by bus. There is also a car ferry that links Jeddah to Suez, as well as passenger-only services from Jeddah to Port Sudan and Musawwa (in Eritrea). There is no departure tax. As a rule the food on these boats is dreadful, the trip interminable, humidity fierce and schedules erratic - you'd be better off flying.
Getting around
All domestic air services are run by Saudi, which is quite reliable and reasonably priced. The most frequent and efficient service runs Jeddah-Riyadh-Dhahran. If you're not pressed for time and you don't have a car, the bus is a pretty good option. The bus company, SAPTCO, has comfortable, air-conditioned buses, but you can buy tickets only one day in advance or on the day of travel. Service taxis go to most of the same destinations as buses for around the same price, but don't run to a timetable. Saudi Arabia has the only stretch of railway track in the entire Arabian peninsula - one line from Riyadh to Dammam, via Hofuf and Abqaiq. Trains run three times a day except Thursday. If you plan to drive, a western driving license is acceptable and you must be a man. Rental rates are government controlled and comparable to rates in the West. Theoretically Saudis drive on the right; car insurance, sensibly, is compulsory.
Visa:
There is no such thing as a tourist visa for Saudi Arabia. You can enter the country with a visitor's transit or (if you're Muslim) hajj or umrah visa. To get a visitor's visa you will have to be sponsored by a Saudi individual or company. Another option is a 24- or 48-hour transit visa - to get one you have to prove that you had no choice other than to stopover in Saudi Arabia en route to your final destination. You can now also visit the country as a non-Muslim if you join an approved (and expensive - 5000.00 plus) organised tour.
Weather
From May to September, expect daytime temperatures of 45 ° C (113 ° F) or higher throughout the country with slightly cooler coastal temperatures. In the dead of winter (December to January) temperatures in the main cities (except Jeddah), will drop into the teens during the day and even hit zero in some places overnight (particularly in the central deserts). During winter the mountains can also be shrouded in fog. In the southern coastal areas it rains quite regularly (it's about the only place that does) with high humidity in the summer, but there's very little rainfall in the capital Riyadh and the northern parts of the Red Sea coast, making the cooler winter days a pleasure.
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