Language Trip

Travel Essentials › Saudi Arabia

Travel Essentials

Saudi Arabia: What To Know Before You Go

Plugs: Type G (UK-style three-pin), 230 V. Emergency: One number for everything 911, Police 999, Ambulance 997, Fire 998. Tipping: Not obligatory, but 10-15% in restaurants and small tips for drivers, porters and delivery riders are common. Tap water: Drink bottled or treated water..

Open The Saudi Arabia Trip Kit

Plugs And Power

Type G (UK-style three-pin), 230 V

Emergency Numbers

One number for everything911
Police999
Ambulance997
Fire998

Checked 13 Oct 2026 against the official page: travel.gc.ca

Tipping

Not obligatory, but 10-15% in restaurants and small tips for drivers, porters and delivery riders are common.

Water And Health

Tap water
Drink bottled or treated water.
Vaccines
Routine vaccines, hepatitis A, typhoid; hepatitis B for unvaccinated travelers under 60; meningococcal vaccine for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims
Malaria
Risk in the Asir and Jazan regions near the Yemen border; none in Jeddah, Mecca, Medina, Riyadh or Ta'if

Checked 13 Oct 2026 against the official page: wwwnc.cdc.gov

Apps To Download Before You Go

Customs And Etiquette

Greetings. Handshakes are common between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand first, or use a nod/hand-on-heart instead.

Dress modestly. Loose, modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is expected for both men and women; women are no longer required to wear an abaya but modest dress is still the norm.

Prayer times. Shops and restaurants may pause briefly five times a day for prayer; plan around short closures.

Ramadan etiquette. If visiting during Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking, or smoking in public during daylight hours.

Photography. Ask permission before photographing people, especially women, and avoid photographing government or military buildings.

Safety And Scams

Saudi Arabia is generally safe for tourists with low rates of violent crime, though strict laws (including on alcohol, drugs, and public behavior) apply to everyone, including visitors.

Taxi overcharging. Drivers may claim the meter is broken or demand inflated flat rates; use ride-hailing apps like Uber or Careem and agree on price beforehand.

Fake tour guides / inflated tourist pricing. Unofficial guides in busy tourist areas may overcharge; book tours through official platforms or your hotel.

Women travelers. Women travel more easily than in the past and can visit markets, restaurants, and attractions unaccompanied, but should dress modestly and expect occasional stares or unwanted attention, particularly outside major cities.

LGBTQ+ Travelers

Death penalty

Same-sex sexual activity is illegal and can be punished by flogging, imprisonment, or death; these laws apply to foreign nationals as well, and there is no safe way to be openly LGBTQ+ in Saudi Arabia.

What Things Cost

Coffee (café)SAR 18$4.80
Local bus or metro rideSAR 4$1.10
Mid-range restaurant mealSAR 70$18.70
Hostel bed / budget room (night)SAR 150$40
Mid-range hotel (night)SAR 400$107
Daily budget, mid-range travelerSAR 600$160

2026-09

Best Time To Visit

October through March is the official tourist season, with November-February the most comfortable (cooler, dry, good for desert trips); summer is brutally hot except in the cooler Abha highlands.

Do You Need A Visa?

Saudi Arabia visa requirements by nationality

Phrases

Basic Arabic phrases · Basic Arabic (Najdi) phrases · Basic Arabic (Hejazi) phrases

العربية · Azərbaycan · বাংলা · Deutsch · English · Español · Français · हिन्दी · Indonesia · 日本語 · ខ្មែរ · 한국어 · मराठी · Português · Русский · Türkçe · اردو · O‘zbek · Tiếng Việt · 中文 · 繁體中文