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✦ Overview
Why Visit Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia has only recently opened to international tourism, and the country is revealing itself to be one of the world\'s most extraordinary destinations. The ancient Nabataean city of Hegra (older than Petra), the coral city of Jeddah\'s Al-Balad quarter, the dramatic Edge of the World escarpment near Riyadh, the vast red dunes of the Empty Quarter — and a cuisine that is one of the Arab world\'s most generous and ancient, almost entirely unknown outside the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabian culture is rooted in the traditions of the Arabian Peninsula — Bedouin hospitality, Islamic scholarship, pearl diving heritage, and the complex social codes of a society that is changing faster than perhaps anywhere else on earth. Vision 2030 is reshaping the country profoundly, with new cultural institutions, entertainment venues and tourism infrastructure appearing rapidly.
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🍜 Food & Drink
What to Eat in Saudi Arabia
Saudi cuisine is one of the Arab world\'s most generous and ancient — built on the traditions of both the settled agricultural Hejaz region and the nomadic Bedouin interior. Rice, lamb, dates and flatbreads are the foundations; the flavours are of saffron, cardamom, dried lemon, cloves and rose water.
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Kabsa
The national dish — long-grain rice cooked in a broth of tomatoes, onions and spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, dried lemon) with slow-roasted lamb or chicken on top. Eaten communally from a large shared platter, it is the food of celebration and welcome.
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Dates & Arabic Coffee
The combination of lightly roasted qahwa (Arabic coffee), flavoured with cardamom and saffron, served alongside Medjool dates, is how every guest is welcomed in Saudi Arabia. It is one of the world's great hospitality rituals.
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Mutabbaq
The Saudi version of this stuffed pancake — filled with minced meat, eggs and spring onion, folded and fried until crispy — is one of Jeddah's great street foods, sold in the old quarter at almost any hour.
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Jareesh
A dish of crushed wheat cooked slowly with yoghurt and meat — ancient Bedouin food that has survived into modern Saudi cooking. Rich, filling and deeply satisfying, it is the dish that Saudi grandmothers are proudest of.
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Jeddah Seafood
Jeddah's position on the Red Sea means extraordinary seafood — hammour (grouper), shrimp, lobster and crab prepared in Arab and South Asian styles. The corniche restaurants and the Al-Balad fish market are where to find the best.
✦ Must-See
Highlights of Saudi Arabia
💡 Insider Tips
Travel Tips for Saudi Arabia
- ✦ Tourist visas are available on arrival or online for UK citizens — straightforward and inexpensive.
- ✦ Dress modestly in public — a modest, loose-fitting outfit is respectful and comfortable.
- ✦ Alcohol is not available in Saudi Arabia. Non-alcoholic alternatives are excellent.
- ✦ Ramadan is a profound and fascinating time to visit, but restaurant hours change significantly.
- ✦ Download Uber or Careem — ride-hailing is the easiest way to get around cities.
Saudi Arabia at a Glance
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Flight from UK
~6.5 hours from London
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Best time to visit
November–March (avoid summer heat)
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Currency
Saudi Riyal (SAR)
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Language
Arabic
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