Saudi Arabia is officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the second biggest tourist destination in the Middle East, that’s attracted travelers for decades. More than millions of visitors visit there in a year. Saudi Arabia possesses wonderful springs and exciting mountaintops, resembling infinite sand dunes and running rivers, making it the best tourist destination, and that’s why it is also considered The Land On Sand.
In addition to its natural beauty, Saudi Arabia (is also rich in heritage and culture. Apart from that, in past years, tourist visas didn’t exist – Basically, nobody can explore the beauty of this mysterious nation. But in September 2019, it changed.
The Saudi Arabian government has introduced a new scheme of tourist e visas that makes it possible and easy to get a visa and independently visit the Kingdom. Here in this article, we have provided you the best Saudi Arabia travel advisory that helps you to describe the brief about Saudi Arabia.
Before you visit Saudi Arabia
These are the things you need to keep in your mind before you visit Saudi Arabia.
Why prefer Saudi Arabia?
Most people dreamed of visiting Saudi Arabia because of its beauty like bedouin camps, mountain villages, and sandy beaches. Saudis are very friendly and are always excited to show their culture, food, and nature to visitors.
Saudi Arabia is very geographically diverse. If you want to explore nature’s beauty, then Saudi Arabia is the best place to see green mountains, stunning beaches, countless mountains, and red sand dunes.
Is Saudi Arabia safe?
Absolutely Saudi Arabia is safe for tourists. It would be best to be respectful of local rules and cultures, be alert to your surroundings. However, Small theft isn’t much of an issue because recently tourists start visiting these places so you will not find any pick-pocketer in popular areas.
Travel Insurance for Saudi Arabia
Travel insurance is just before going to any place. Even though this country is safe, circumstances can still happen.
Communication in Saudi Arabia
Like other Arab countries, Arabic is the general language spoken in Saudi Arabia. As this country has a large number of workers from various countries like Pakistan, India, and the Philippines, So, you will get to hear Hindi, Tagalog and Urdu spoken in specific areas.
Fortunately, most of the people of Saudi Arabia know how to speak English – mainly people from India or the Philippines. Moreover, In some big cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, you will usually discover that English is spoken by plenty of people.
Money in Saudi Arabia
The standard currency of Saudi Arabia is the Saudi Arabian Riyal (SAR).
It’s easy to get cash in Saudi Arabia, As there are ATMs everywhere, and almost all accept Visa or MasterCard internationally. Using an ATM, I had zero problems withdrawing money.
Credit cards in Saudi Arabia are also commonly accepted, especially in more urban areas. Contactless service is offered on all terminals, so you can easily touch or use Google Pay.
Visa Requirements for Saudi Arabia
If you’re from one of the 49 lucky countries, then you’re eligible to apply for an e-visa to visit Saudi Arabia.
These are the countries that are currently eligible for the e-visa are the following:
- North America – Canada, United States
- Europe – Switzerland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Monaco, Andorra, Russia, Malta, Montenegro, San Marino, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Portugal, Poland, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Greece, Slovenia, Netherlands, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia
- Asia – Brunei, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Kazakhstan, China (including Hong Kong, Macao), Taiwan
- Oceania – Australia, New Zealand
If you’re in these listed countries, you can easily apply from an e-visa on the official website.
Flying into Saudi Arabia
If you’re traveling into Saudi Arabia, Most definitely, you would end up traveling to either Riyadh or Jeddah. They have the most important airports and the most international ties. Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier is known as Saudi, with direct flights to New York City, Washington DC, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, Istanbul, Guangzhou, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and a host of other destinations from Riyadh.
Overland into Saudi Arabia
Along with Los Angeles and Johannesburg, there are also direct flights from Jeddah to the above destinations. With the latest tourist e-visa, it is possible to reach Saudi Arabia overland. I was notified that the following e-Visa border crossings are available for entry:
- Port of King Fahad Land (This is the border crossing between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain)
- Port of Batha Land (This is the border crossing between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates)
Overland access from Jordan, Kuwait, or Oman might also be possible. Moreover, At the moment, border crossing with Qatar is surely not open for tourists because of the governmental situation between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Read More : Top travel Tourist Destinations in Kuala lumpur
Where to visit in Saudi Arabia
Here we have listed some best places to visit in Saudi Arabia. No matter whatever purpose you have for going to Saudi Arabia, these places are always best.
Conclusion
Saudi Arabia is the second biggest tourist destination in the Middle East. Many people dreamed of doing Saudi Arabia international travel to explore the Country’s beauty, as it has various beautiful places where you will get to know the real meaning of nature’s beauty. However, these travel advisories will help you to know more about Saudi Arabs and you will not feel confused while on vacation.