Yes! If I’ve told you enough about my memories, I can move on to the part that really interests you, so before I go, I’ll go over the details you need to know about Saudi Arabia.. Due to the increasing commercial activities recently, there are many people who fall into this country, albeit unintentionally.. Therefore, I will try to briefly convey the details that I think may be useful for those who will come for the first time.. I have mentioned some of them in my previous articles, and in this article I have expanded the spectrum a little more.
There are some points I want to underline before I start.. First; what I wrote is based on cities such as Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh where there are many business centers and therefore foreigners.. Other than that, there may be issues that vary in places.. Latter; We are going through a period in the country where we witness a new ban being lifted every month.. I will try to keep the article updated as much as I can, but as time goes by, it may start to contain incorrect information (You can subscribe to my Youtube channel to follow the current situation.) Third; No tourist visa to Saudi Arabia. This means that you cannot arrange an arbitrary trip to this country.. I am preparing this article only for those who come for business or family visit, I do not go into the subject of Hajj or Umrah, so the environment and conditions in Mecca may be a little different.
Before You Go Things to Know About Saudi Arabia
Traffic and Transportation
* There is no public transportation concept that we are used to in city centers. Everyone has access to everywhere by car.. The roads are generally 5-6 lanes and it is very difficult to find pedestrian crossings.. The places you can go on foot are very limited.. It is almost impossible to move without a vehicle.. For those who do not have a car, an alternative solution to a taxi is Uber or Careem.
* A metro project with 6 lines (Attention! It’s not a stop, it’s a line.) in Riyadh. Work is ongoing and is about to be completed soon.. Likewise, there is a plan to build a metro in Jeddah.. We will say different things about this when they are completed.
* Our newly released and internationally valid chip driving licenses are not valid in Saudi Arabia. If you intend to drive here, you must have an international driver’s license. or you need to get a driver’s license from here. If you apply for a driver’s license after obtaining a residence permit, you can take the practical exam and get a driver’s license within 2 days.. It is not possible to rent a car with our driver’s license, but if you want to own a car and use it, and “Taking risks is my middle name.” If you say that, the penalty for being caught without a license is imprisonment, I wanted you to know.
“HOW TO GET AN INTERNATIONAL LICENSE?” CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE.
* The number of people who drive very badly in traffic is quite high. Most of the locals go to God. For this reason, they doubt your mind if you do not have accident insurance when you buy a vehicle.
* The penalty for running a red light is around 3000 Rials and 1 night in prison.. Since no one wants to take risks, you will see many vehicles that press the brakes immediately when they see the yellow light.
* Before the new year, the liter of gasoline was around 0.75 lira.. At the end of the hike that came with 2018, its liter became 1.25 lira. Still, it is one of the few countries where you can fill the tank for 50 liras.
* If you intend to drive here, you must learn Arabic numbers.. Although all of the traffic signs are prepared in both Arabic and English, most of the signs indicating the maximum speed limit are in Arabic.. You have to obey the speed limit everywhere as there is often radar on the road.
(0=٠, 1=١, 2=٢, 3=٣, 4=٤, 5=٥, 6=٦, 7=٧, 8=٨, 9=٩)
* Women’s driving ban lifted in June 2018. Until then, it is not possible to see a woman driving in traffic.. (Update: Women started to drive as of June 2019, although there are very few in number.)
Outfit
* As I mentioned in my previous articles about Saudi Arabia, foreign women can walk barefoot, but according to their place. you may want to turn it off. I covered my scarf at the points where all the women around me were wearing veils and I felt their eyes on me.. After all, this is a country where the Starbucks logo was changed two years ago on the grounds that “too many female bodies are on display”.. (Now, the normal logo is used, of course.) Wearing an abaya or a long tunic to cover casual clothes is mandatory for every woman.
(Update: As of 2020, foreign women’s obligation to wear abaya has also disappeared.)
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* Men are a little more relaxed. No restrictions other than sleeveless t-shirts and shorts. So called; they have to cover the arm up to the elbows and the leg up to the knee cap, but I saw many men in Dammam, in the heart of the city, leaving the gym and going to their hotel in those clothes.. Likewise, the situation on the beaches is no different.. If you’re a man, life is good for you here as well as everywhere else!
* The main problem with clothes, I think, ends at ambient temperature. If you think the weather is too hot and come with thin clothes and shirts, you are likely to get pneumonia in 2 days.. Air conditioning works indoors in summer and winter and none of them are at the optimum temperature.. There is an environment where you get cold inside with a jacket when it is 50 degrees outside.
Food Culture
* If you want to come here and eat something unique to the region, you can return with disappointment.. Yes, there are many varieties of Arabian dishes, but none of them are exclusive to Saudi Arabia; we usually see Lebanese and Afghan cuisine. That doesn’t mean you’re going to starve. Especially Lebanese restaurants can make you gain weight very well.. What I’m trying to say is that the Saudis are lacking in this.
* “Biryan” and similar types of rice are widely consumed, they have chicken or fish options.. Grilled fish seems to have taken its place among the local dishes, but there is a point you should not forget that they cook the fish until it burns.. The frequent consumption of shellfish was one of the things that surprised me the most.
* It is possible to see all kinds of American fast-food chains.. There are also plenty of restaurants around Mexico, India, and Japan.. I can’t help but mention that we ate great sushi in an ordinary fish restaurant in the city of Katif.
* One of my favorite things here was “Saudi Champagne / Saudi Champagne”. It is a mixture of soda, apple juice and fruit particles and becomes non-alcoholic champagne.. A great taste, of course the homemade one. Ready-made ones are also sold in the market, even the bottle is just like champagne.
* All restaurants are divided into two as “family” and “single/single”, and often even the entrance doors are different. If you make a mistake and enter the wrong place, they warn you and redirect you to the other side, it’s not a big deal.. I think the single parts are much nicer, they have an open part, everyone sees each other and it’s more airy. Confidentiality is higher in the family sections.. You eat in a completely closed area, usually in sections separated into rooms, without seeing anyone.
(Update: As of 2020, the number of restaurants where this rule is not applied has increased a lot.. Especially in newly opened places, you can see that there is a mix of men and women.)
* Women are not allowed to enter restaurants and cafes that do not have a family section, but they allowed me to enter a restaurant in Katif.. You can see that the treatment you encounter changes depending on the place.
(Update: There are places that are starting to bend this rule.)
* Although the food prices are a little high in our opinion, the portions are equally large.. I suggest you start with the smallest of everything, otherwise a lot of food is wasted.
* Another thing that surprised me in this abundance was that there was no wifi anywhere.. Let’s kiss and hug Starbucks one more time.
* Remember that all restaurants and cafes are closed during prayer times. If you check in before the prayer time, you can stay inside and continue to eat.
Working Hours
* As many places in Saudi Arabia have different working hours than we are used to. became independent of each other. For example; exchange offices and car dealerships work 08:00-12:00 and 16:00-20:00. Some restaurants and shops keep them completely closed between evening and night prayers to avoid opening and closing.
* The majority of shopping malls are open until 23:00 at night.. In summer, this time can be extended up to 00:00.. Some hypermarkets are open 24 hours a day.
* Some of the corporate companies work between 07:00 and 16:00. In other words, the working hours of each place are different and it is a little difficult to keep in mind.. The only guarantee is that you will not find anyone working between 12:00-14:00.
* Every place you can think of is closed on Fridays.. Even the stores in the mall may be closed.
Public Holidays
* Unlike other Gulf countries, there is only one holiday in Saudi Arabia, excluding Ramadan and Sacrifice Holidays; “National Day” on September 23. If this date falls on a Friday or Saturday, the following Sunday is also a holiday.
* The length of the Ramadan and Eid-al-Adha holidays in public depends entirely on the King.. The king can take a 1 month holiday if he wants to, as in 2017, they had a 20-day Ramadan Feast holiday.. But the private sector continues to work independently of this issue.. The exact dates of the holidays are not known until the last day; When the time comes, it is decided by looking at the moon’s condition.
Socialization
* One of the most important issues to remember about Saudi Arabia is that the Saudis attach great importance to family privacy.. This warning is for men: You ask a Saudi man, “So… how is your wife, how is your children?”
* Saudis can be a global brand in hospitality.. They make someone they host eat and drink for 3 days.. When you say it like that, don’t think of it as a guest they host in their home.. You are considered a guest at the same rate in a company you visit for business reasons and they do not allow you to put your hand in your pocket for 3 days.
* There is no problem for women, but there is a special warning for men: You should never look at a woman.. You can observe how disturbed they are by going to the beach in the evening or to a picnic area on the weekend.. Most of the families either set up tents or surround themselves with cloths to create a completely isolated area.
* Saudi men are extremely friendly and warm-blooded.. Even if they don’t speak English they try to talk and help. Before I left, I had a sense that they loved the Turks very much.. I haven’t seen anything different since I left.. Everyone who understands that we are Turkish begins to list the Turkish words they know.
* You should check the distinction between men and women at every step you take.. If you are not careful, you may accidentally get on the elevator reserved for women.. If you would like to know more about these issues, the “Open Arms Saudi Arabia” article is here.
Accommodation
* International hotel chains Besides, the aparthotel phenomenon is very common in Saudi Arabia.. Sometimes it may be cheaper than a normal hotel room to rent rooms arranged like a suite, where you may need items such as kitchen utensils, washing machine and iron.. Click here to review or make a reservation.
* The prices of these Villa Aparts, which you can find abundantly in Booking, change every second.. You can book most of them for free.. The interesting thing is that when you go to a hotel you have booked, they show you the room before giving the key.. If you don’t like it, you can cancel it.. (We saw this event for the first time in Rize.. When we went to the hotel we had booked in advance, we were very surprised when they asked us to look at the room first.. Black Sea may be a situation that emerged after the Arab raid.)
Security
My favorite topic to talk about Saudi Arabia is security.. This is one of the safest countries you will ever see.. It is almost impossible to come across any theft case in the city center.. For example, there are Saudis who do not lock their car after parking.. Frankly, “Oh, let me keep an eye on my stuff, so nothing happens to you.” This is the first time I’ve tasted the feeling of living without thinking, it’s good
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