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| Saudi
Arabia |
Saudi
Arabia has a long and interesting history. The
Kingdom, has interesting places to see and
experience. A visit to the Kingdom involves
visa, regulations & paper work. The most
famous place is Mecca (Makkah) the birth place
of Prophet Mohammad & the destination of
Moslem pilgrims every year. Medina (Al-Madinah)
where the Prophet lived and was buried. These
two cities are off limits to non moslems. Riyad
the capital of Saudi Arabia & the center of
government. Jeddah the commercial center and
city port and gateway to Mecca-walk through
Jeddah old city. Taif is a summer resort cooler
than Jeddah. Archeologically the city of Madain
Salah with its tombs carved 100 BC, part of the
Nabataean empire, along the ancient caravan
route of "frankincense" trade. Abha a
popular resort in Asir province and Asir
national park, a scenic region and a camping
site. Najran near the Yemeni border, the place
to shop for Bedouin silver jewelry, in addition
to the souk of Khamis. There are many museums
and ruins throughout the Kingdom that are
interesting to see.
Internet: available in the country.
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| Language: |
Official
Arabic, English understood. |
| Visa: |
Hajj
& Umrah, Visitor or Business, Transit,
Residence. |
| Climate: |
Hot
in the summer, sunny, cooler in Abha and
Taif and desert regions at night & the
winter. |
| Best
time to visit: |
October
to April, as the weather is milder. Mid
April till October Temperature can rise
above 40C. In December & January it
can drop to the single digits in the
desert. |
| Archeological
Sites: |
Madain
Salah 300 km north of Medina, carved 100
BC. during the Nabataeans rule, need site
permits to see archeological sites. |
| Museums: |
Many
museums throughout the Kingdom. |
| Entertainment: |
Sport
events, soccer games, camel races |
| Resort
cities: |
Abha
and Taif. Brochures: tourist
brochures available. |
| Health: |
Medical
Insurance: needed, check the details of
the coverage and get Travel Insurance |
| Hospitals: |
See
Hospitals
page on our site, Doctors
speak English, good number trained in the
West. Food choose cooked. Water use
bottled, avoid ice. |
| Women: |
Women
& men are segregated in Saudi society.
Wear conservative loose clothes and long
sleeves. Women travel accompanied. |
| Equipment
& Clothing: |
Sunglasses
and a hat in the summer and warmer clothes
in the winter in Asir and desert regions. |
| Laundry: |
In
hotels and small outlets. |
| Financial: |
Credit
Cards, ATMs & Money Exchange at
banks or money exchangers, check rates. |
| More
Information: |
Contact
Ziyara.com |
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| Kuwait |
| Kuwait
city at its present location was settled 300
years ago, the island at the bay: Failaka was
called Ikaros by the Greeks during Alexander the
Great reign and is a site of Greek ruins. Kuwait
became independent in 1961. |
| Internet: |
Available
in the country. |
| Language: |
Official
Arabic, English understood. |
| Climate: |
Hot
in the summer, sunny, cooler at night
& the winter. |
| Best
time to visit: |
October
to March. |
| Archeological
Sites: |
Failaka
island, Greek ruins |
| Museums: |
Sadu
House, Tareq Rajab, National Museum. |
| Entertainment: |
Movie
theaters, private clubs, going to the
beach, boating. |
| Health: |
Medical
Insurance: needed, check the details of
the coverage and get Travel Insurance |
| Hospitals: |
See
Hospitals page on our
site. Doctors: speak English. Food: choose
cooked, wash fruits and vegetables. Water
use bottled, avoid ice. |
| Women: |
Loose
clothes and long sleeves outside major
centers. |
| Children
& Babies: |
Diapers,
foods and tools available. |
| Equipment
& Clothing: |
Sunglasses
and a hat in the summer and warmer clothes
in the winter. |
| Laundry: |
In
hotels and small outlets. |
| Financial: |
Credit
Cards, ATMs & Money Exchange at
banks or money exchangers, check rates. |
| More
Information: |
Contact
Ziyara.com |
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United Arab Emirates |
The
area compromising the Emirates came under
various influences during its history that goes
back to the 3rd century BC, among the later were
the Greek, Persian, Portuguese and the British.
As it stands today, the country was established
in 1971, a result of the union of seven
Sheikhdoms following the British withdrawal
from the area. Before the discovery of oil in
1958, the area's economy depended on fishing,
pearl diving and Bedouin activity and trade.
Today the country is working on becoming a world
trade & business center, and is focusing on
preserving its environment , protecting &
breeding its endangered species of gazelle and
birds.
Internet: Available in the country &
Internet Cafés. |
| Language: |
Official
Arabic, English understood. |
| Climate: |
Hot
May to October, pleasant in the winter. |
| Visa: |
Needed,
obtained from an embassy or through hotel
or tour company. |
| Health: |
Standards
are good. Medical insurance: needed, check
the policy for the details of coverage,
and evacuation coverage if needed.
Hospitals; see our Hospitals page.
Doctors: speak English. Medications:
available. Toilets: available in hotels,
shopping centers, museums and restaurants. |
| Equipment: |
Sunglasses
and hat in the summer. |
| Activities: |
Desert
trips, camel racing, horse racing, zoo in
Al-Ain. |
| Entertainment: |
Usually
in connection with hotels. |
| Museums: |
Various
museums and craft centers in Abu Dhabi,
Dubai, Sharjah. |
| Shopping: |
For
gold jewelry in Dubai, carpets in Sharjah. |
| Laundry: |
Available
through the hotel or shops in the city. |
| Financial: |
Credit
Cards & Money Exchange, available
through certain banks and money changers. |
| More
Information: |
Contact
Ziyara.com |
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| Oman |
| Oman:
on the eastern tip of the Arabian peninsula with
a topographically long coast line and
interesting mountains and terrain. At the height
of its prosperity in the 19th century, Oman
controlled a region extending from areas in
south eastern India, down the African coast to
Zanzibar. Historically, it was an outward
looking state, however, in the early part of the
twentieth century it underwent a period of self
isolation, followed by an opening to the world
since the mid seventies. Oman presently is on a
development path, followed on different
fronts including economic and cultural. |
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| Internet |
Available
in the country in hotels and cafés |
| Language |
Official
Arabic, English understood. |
| Climate |
Hot
and humid March to October, pleasant from
October to March. Monsoon in the west from
June to September. |
| Visa |
Needed,
obtained from an embassy or through hotel
or tour company. |
| Health |
There
is attention to health and cleanliness in
the country. |
| Travel
Insurance: |
Needed,
check the policy for the details of
coverage, and evacuation coverage if
needed. |
| Hospitals |
See
our Hospitals
page. Doctors speak English.
Medications: available. |
| Toilets |
Available
in shopping centers, museums and
restaurants. |
| Equipment |
Sunglasses
and hat in the summer. Warmer clothes in
the winter and in elevations. |
| Activities |
Desert
trips, possible hiking, camel riding,
watching camel racing. Visit the National
Aquarium. Wander through the Souq of
Mutrah. Beach: at hotels or public. |
| Museums
in different cities: |
Oman
Museum & Natural History Museum, Bait
al-Zubair, Omani French Museum, National
Museum. Many Forts and Fortresses through
out the Sultanate that are interesting to
see. Ras Al-Jinz, where thousands of sea
turtles come to nest each year, is a
government protected area and a permit is
needed to visit. |
| Shopping |
For
silver jewelry, curved decorated daggers (khanjar),
coffee pots, woven products. |
| Laundry |
Available
through the hotel or shops in the city. |
| Financial |
Credit
Cards, ATMs & Money Exchange,
available through certain banks and money
changers |
| More
Information: |
Contact
Ziyara.com |
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