Majority of the people online do not know anything, but will act like they know the most. Especially when it comes to taboo things such a traveling to Saudi Arabia.
When I landed in Jeddah, I noticed every passport agent was a female. But wait, people online say that’s not possible!
When I walked through the arrivals, not one person harassed me about a taxi (like countless other countries). That was actually very bizarre to me, something I havn’t seen much.
In my Uber, the driver had 0% English but made sure he pointed out every landmark or something I should go visit on my stay. He was very happy that I was seeing his country with my own eyes, and not through the media.
Arriving at the hotel, there were obnoxious kids running around everywhere and their mother yelling at them…just like anywhere else.
I went outside to the Jeddah Corniche in my shorts. Yes…Shorts!! There was no issue wearing shorts, similar to other muslim countries I have visited. Of course visiting a mosque, or something of that nature, would be a different story. Everybody was nice and gave a smile.
It was 1 million degrees, so I visited one of the many malls. There was a Wing Stop, Baskin Robbins, and Victoria’s Secret within 5 minutes of walking. But wait! A Victoria’s Secret. Reddit said….
Ya, they will just spread a narrative for some reason….
The girl working at the cologne stand tried spraying me and getting me to buy a fragrance…just like any other country. Laughing and speaking English. Yes, she was fully covered, but many were not. They LIKE their religion, it is not for anybody else to decide.
If you’re a westerner and intimidated by other cuisines, you will have no issue with the food in Saudi Arabia. Chains galore. There is basically anything you can imagine, including Dunkin Donuts. The local Middle Eastern spots were fantastic as well.
Al Baik is a MUST TRY, check my review here.
There was not 1% of me that felt in danger while being in Jeddah.
When you agree to the rules on your Visa application, you will notice they are strict. You literally agree to getting the death penalty if you bring in drugs. Locals have mentioned it is not that severe, but the lore of it being “scary” is protecting it, in my opinion.
Everybody was nice, there were no drug addicts on the streets, and there were no safety concerns. A great country to visit.
Oh ya, the construction was rampant. In 5-10 years you will see Saudi Arabia following Dubai’s footsteps in tourism. Go before it’s too late.
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