Lonely Planet Oman, UAE & Arabian Peninsula

Oman, UAE & Arabian Peninsula

Contents

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to the Arabian Peninsula

Arabian Peninsula’s Top 15

Need to Know

What’s New

If You Like…

Month by Month

Itineraries

The Hajj

Expats

Activities

Family Travel

Countries at a Glance

ON THE ROAD

BAHRAIN

Manama

Muharraq Island

Around Bahrain Island

Bahrain Fort & Museum

A’Ali

Saar

Al Jasra

Riffa & Around

Bahrain International Circuit

Al Areen

Tree of Life

Oil Museum

Sitra & Al Dar Islands

Understand Bahrain

Bahrain Today

History

People & Society

Environment

Survival Guide

KUWAIT

Kuwait City

Around Kuwait

Failaka Island

Al Ahmadi

Mina Alzour & Al Khiran

Al Jahra

Mutla Ridge

Understand Kuwait

Kuwait Today

History

People

Religion

Environment

Survival Guide

OMAN

Muscat

Around Muscat

Seeb

Bandar Jissah

Jebel Seifa

Qurayat

Mazara

Eastern Coast

Tiwi

Sur

Ayjah

Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve

Ras Al Hadd

Al Ashkharah

Shana’a

Masirah Island

Jalan Bani Bu Ali

Selma Plateau

Al Kamil

Al Mintirib

Al Wasil

Ibra

Hajar Mountains

Nizwa

Birkat Al Mawz

Jebel Akhdar

Tanuf

Sharfat Al Alamayn

Al Hamra

Misfat Al Abriyyin

Jebel Shams

Bahla & Jabreen

Al Ayn

Ibri

Buraimi

Batinah Plain

Sohar

Nakhal

Wakan

Al Awabi

Rustaq

Mussanah

Barka

Al Sawadi

Musandam

Khasab

The Khors

Jebel Harim

Western Coast

Dhofar

Salalah

Eastern Salalah Plain

Jebel Samhan

Mirbat

Hasik

Western Salalah Plain

Shisr

Al Hashman

Al Wusta

Haima

Duqm

Understand Oman

Oman Today

History

People & Society

Religion

Arts

Environment

Food & Drink

Survival Guide

QATAR

Doha

Around Qatar

Al Wakrah & Al Wukair

Mesaieed

Khor Al Adaid

Al Khor

Al Zubarah

Bir Zekreet

Understand Qatar

Qatar Today

History

People

Arts

Environment

Survival Guide

SAUDI ARABIA

Riyadh

Hejaz

Jeddah

Taif

Mecca

Medina

Yanbu

Northern Saudi Arabia

Al Ula

Madain Saleh

Tabuk

Al Wajh

Central Najd

Buraydah

Eastern Province

Al Hofuf

Dammam

Southern Saudi Arabia

Abha

Jazan

Farasan Islands

Understand Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Today

History

People

Religion

Environment

Survival Guide

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Dubai

Around Dubai

Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve

Hatta

Northern Emirates

Sharjah

Ajman

Umm Al Quwain

Ras Al Khaimah

Abu Dhabi

Eastern Abu Dhabi Emirate

Al Ain

Al Dhafra

Madinat Zayed

Liwa Oasis

Jebel Dhanna

Sir Bani Yas Island

Fujairah & the Eastern Coast

Fujairah City

Khor Fakkan

Al Aqah

Dibba

Kalba

Understand the United Arab Emirates

UAE Today

History

Government & Politics

People & Society

Arts

Environment

Survival Guide

YEMEN

At a Glance

Best in Music

Country in Crisis

Further Reading

Understand Yemen

Yemen Today

History

UNDERSTAND

Arabian Peninsula Today

History

People & Society

Arts, Sports & Leisure

Islam in Arabia

Flavours of Arabia

The Natural Environment

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Safe Travel

Country by Country

Dangers & Annoyances

Women Travellers

Directory A–Z

Accessible Travel

Accommodation

Customs Regulations

Electricity

Embassies & Consulates

Insurance

Internet Access

Legal Matters

LGBT+ Travellers

Money

Photography

Post

Public Holidays

Solo Travellers

Taxes & Refunds

Toilets

Tourist Information

Visas

Women Travellers

Transport

Getting There & Away

Getting Around

Health

Before You Go

On the Arabian Peninsula

Language

Behind the Scenes

Our Writers

Welcome to Oman, UAE & Arabian Peninsula

The spectacular emptiness of the Arabian landscape provides a blank canvas upon which is projected a riot of cultural, religious, intellectual and trading wonders.

The Desert

In describing his travels with the Bedouin across the Empty Quarter, 20th-century desert explorer Wilfred Thesiger acknowledged the power of the desert to leave an imprint on the imagination. This austere allure has attracted travellers to Arabia for centuries: Ibn Battuta, Marco Polo and TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) are among many famous explorers beguiled by the beauty and challenge of the barren landscapes. Thankfully, modern desert-goers no longer need risk life and limb to venture into the wilderness, as roads and camps make encounters with this inspiring landscape possible for all.

Urban Landscapes

When asked what they most like about their land of sand dunes, the Bedouin near Al Hashman in Oman reply that they enjoy coming to town. Town! This is the Arabia of the 21st century, built on oil and banking – sophisticated communities looking to the future and creating empires out of sand, or at least on land reclaimed from the sea. For those looking for a dynamic urban experience, the Gulf cities are the place to find it. With high incomes per capita, elegant towers, opulent hotels and eccentric malls, these cities offer the ‘pleasure domes’ of the modern world.

Legendary Hospitality

The essence of the Arabian Peninsula lies in its people: good-naturedly haggling in souqs, cursing on long journeys, sharing sweet tea on the edges of wild places. Unifying all is Islam, a way of life, the call to prayer carried on an inland breeze, a gentle hospitality extended towards strangers. This is what many travellers most remember of their visit here – the ancient tradition of sharing ‘bread and salt’ and of ensuring safe passage, albeit in a modern context. Visitors can expect friendly exchange as equally in supermarkets as in remote desert villages.

Cultural Riches

It’s hard to think of Arabia without conjuring the Queen of Sheba and camel caravans bearing frankincense from Dhofar in Oman; dhows laden with pearls from Dilmun; the ruins of empire in Saudi Arabia’s Madain Saleh. The caravans and dhows may be plying different trades these days, but the lexicon of The Thousand and One Nights that brought Scheherazade’s exotic, vulnerable world to the West still helps define the Peninsula today. Visit a fort, barter in a souq or step into labyrinthine alleyways and you’ll immediately discover the perennial magic of Arabia.

Prophet’s Mosque, Medina | SILVER WINGS SS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Why I Love the Arabian Peninsula

By Jenny Walker, Writer

Mention ‘Arabia’ and a host of familiar, media-weary images probably appear. I’ve spent half my life studying these images – of wilderness, wealth and war – in various academic pursuits. But there’s so much more to the sophisticated culture of modern Arabia than is conjured by these stereotypes. I love the Peninsula because each day I encounter the complexity of Arabia in the dynamic, warm-hearted people who lie at the core of the region’s enduring appeal. And of course the desert, with its life against the odds, has inevitably crept into my soul.

For more, see Our Writers

Arabian Peninsula’s Top 15

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

In Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, faith is a living, breathing reality inextricably entwined in the daily lives of Peninsula inhabitants. Travellers will encounter it in the ubiquitous call to prayer, the warmth of welcome enshrined in the Muslim code of conduct and, for Muslim visitors, quintessentially in pilgrimage to the holy cities of Saudi Arabia. Visit magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and see how faith is also expressed in masterpieces of architecture, carpet and landscape design.

MIKE FUCHSLOCHER/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Museum of Islamic Art

Vying with the Louvre Abu Dhabi as the best museum in the Middle East, Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art narrowly wins with its priceless collection of hand-loomed carpets, ceramics and manuscripts, all of which help establish a broader cultural context for a visit to the region. Visitors may be surprised at the number of animal-themed items in the collection, dispelling the myth that Islamic art is only geometric in style and abstract in content. IM Pei’s exciting contemporary building, in which the collection is housed, further dispels myths about Arabia’s traditionalism.

ZRIBIS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Burj Khalifa

Competitively slicing the sky, the audacious tower blocks that rise from the cities of the Gulf are a potent symbol of the region’s ambitions. At 828m, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa held the title of tallest building in the world for over a decade. Dine on top of this futuristic totem of steel and glass and escape the hurly-burly of the streets below: at this altitude, and lifted far above the ordinary cares of a routine day, you can quite literally have your head in the clouds.

ESHEREZ/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Hajar Mountains

In contrast to its vast interior desert plains, the Peninsula also boasts some of the highest mountains and deepest wadis (dry riverbeds) in the Middle East. Camp near the summit of Oman’s Hajar Mountains in winter for the exciting spectacle of hail thundering into the wadis below. Rain breaks on these mountains sporadically all year: watch how the precious water is channelled through ancient irrigation systems (known as aflaj) to bring life to plantations and a network of the nearby high-altitude villages.

Bilad Sayt, Hajar Mountains | ALEXEY STIOP/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Madain Saleh – Saudi Arabia’s Petra

They rise out of the gravel plains like lost camels, or sit crumbling to dust on mountain ridges, speaking of past greatness, prophets, kings and long-forgotten dynasties. Among the best preserved of these ruins of empire are the superb Nabataean ruins at Madain Saleh. Smaller in number than similar rock-carved tombs in Jordan’s Petra, the tombs here are just as impressive in terms of size and location. Sitting among these ruins on remote plains, it’s easy to contemplate human frailty.

CPAULFELL/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Sharjah

It may not generate the headlines of neighbouring Dubai or the sophisticated capital, Abu Dhabi, but Sharjah has quietly grown into the cultural hub of Arabia. In a celebration of local and indigenous heritage, Sharjah boasts the largest cluster of museums in the region with gems such as the Sharjah Heritage Museum among them. With the historic old quarter and chaotic alleyways undergoing major renovation in a project called ‘Heart of Sharjah’, the city offers a sense of ancient Arabia in the midst of the modern.

SCORPION KING/500PX ©

Top Experiences

Asir National Park

Many villages in Arabia survive on the spring water issuing from mountain wadis, often transported for many kilometres through irrigation channels. Plantation life along these channels offers the off-roader or hiker a fascinating glimpse into an ancient way of life. Asir National Park of Saudi Arabia, with its aged tower houses and green terraces, is one of the best places on the Peninsula to witness this traditional village life. The region is also one of Arabia’s most spectacular, with an escarpment that tumbles thousands of feet to the Red Sea.

H. MARK WEIDMAN PHOTOGRAPHY / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©

Top Experiences

Mutrah Souq

They may not match the stock exchanges of New York, London or Tokyo in terms of dollars traded, but Arabia’s souqs claim a far more ancient lineage. Get lost in Muscat’s labyrinthine Mutrah Souq, and participate in the brisk trade in frankincense or haggle-to-the-death of cloth merchants. The souq’s covered alleyways cover commodities of monetary value (such as gold, diamonds and rubies), small-change items of sentimental value (such as baskets and beads) and memorable chats with shopkeepers.

embroidered items for sale in Mutrah Souq | EQROY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Souq Waqif

Many of Arabia’s old town quarters have been restored in a bid to attract tourists. Crumbling mud-brick houses and old derelict bazaars have been brought back to life through new heritage guesthouses and local-cuisine restaurants. One of the best of these restoration projects is Souq Waqif, in Doha, where you can buy anything from a shisha water pipe to a falcon. Teeming with life, particularly at night, the souq has become a popular social space with museums, art spaces and coffeehouses.

Qatari man with hunting falcon at Souq Waqif | EQROY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve

Protecting an internationally important nesting site for the endangered green turtle, the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve offers visitors a rare opportunity to watch these magnificent giants up close. Returning to lay eggs on the beach of their birth, green turtles are a common sight in the waters aròund Oman. The chance to see these extraordinary creatures and a number of playful cetaceans makes boats trips from any point along the shore of the eastern Arabian Peninsula a rewarding experience.

green turtle at Ras Al Jinz | NICOLA MESSANA PHOTOS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Bahrain Fort & Museum

Cresting a hilltop, guarding a coastline, walling a village or securing a dried-out riverbed, there is barely a town in Arabia without some kind of crumbling battlement. Oman has some of the best preserved of the Peninsula’s forts in Bahla, Nizwa, Nakhal and Rustaq, but for a whole day out, Bahrain’s fort with its museum, coffeehouse and night-time illuminations, is hard to beat. Learn to tell your forts (military only) from your castles (fortified residences) before exploring some of these mighty and magnificent buildings.

PREJU SURESH/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Red Sea Diving

Flanking the shores of Saudi Arabia, the crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea are home to epic dramas. In some of the world’s finest diving sites, clown fish play the comedians in coral gardens fit for a Zeffirelli stage set, while sharks wait in the wings for heroic small fry. You don’t need to dive for a balcony view: don a mask, snorkel and flippers and swim anywhere off the coast at Jeddah, and you can’t help but applaud the spectacle.

Clownfish in the Red Sea | IAN CRAMMAN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Sharqiya Sands

For centuries, Westerners have been attracted to the great desert wildernesses of Arabia, drawn by its limitlessness yet repelled by the void. Feel the desert’s magnetic pull in Oman’s Sharqiya Sands, with tented camps and camel trips providing access to the magical dunes. Avoid the off-road playgrounds at the desert fringe and choose more sensitive hiking forays into its quiet centre – the habitat of highly adapted flora and fauna. Beware: the summer sands don’t take prisoners, and the only stranger you’re likely to meet between the dunes is yourself.

MICHELEB/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Dhofar, the Land of Frankincense

Gifted by wise men to babes (according to the Bible) and queens to kings (Queen Sheba to King Solomon), and harvested from the bark of ugly trees in the mist-swirling magic of summertime in Oman, frankincense is responsible for the history of Arabian empires. Catch its tantalising aroma in the house of a newborn, buy the curdled beads of amber-coloured sap in the souq or, better still, visit the living trees in Dhofar during the region’s unique and remarkable July khareef (rainy season).

Frankincense | JURATEBUIVIENE/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Tareq Rajab Museum

Arabia’s riches can be counted by more than the latest car or designer handbag. Gold twine in a dress cuff, a bead of carnelian threaded for a loved one, a basket woven with camel leather, words of wisdom entwined in a silver amulet – these are the riches of the region’s ancient craft heritage. Find the most precious pieces collected under one roof in the enchanting underground Tareq Rajab Museum in Kuwait City. Musical instruments, jewellery and ancient manuscripts comprise a collection that mercifully escaped pillage during the Iraqi invasion.

PANTHER MEDIA GMBH/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO ©

Need to Know

For more information, see Survival Guide

Currency

Bahraini dinar (BD); Kuwaiti dinar (KD) Omani rial (OR); Qatari riyal (QR); Saudi riyal (SR); UAE dirham (Dhs); Yemeni rial

Language

Arabic, English

Visas

Visas, required by all visitors in all Peninsula countries except Qatar, are available for many nationalities on arrival at airports and most land borders (except Saudi Arabia and Oman).

Money

ATMs widely available; credit cards accepted by most hotels and city restaurants.

Mobile Phones

Local SIM cards are widely available in all cities and most airports across the region.

Time

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar are three hours ahead of GMT/UTC. The United Arab Emirates and Oman are four hours ahead of GMT/UTC.

When to Go

High Season (Nov–Mar)

A Perfect weather at sea level with clear, sunny days and cool evenings.

A Shopping festivals and sporting events coincide with these cooler months.

A Booking accommodation is necessary; expect highest rates in December.

Shoulder Season (Jul–Oct)

A Good time to visit southern Arabia with light rains turning the desert hills green.

A The khareef (rainy season) festival in southern Oman attracts many Gulf visitors, leading to higher accommodation prices.

Low Season (Apr–Jun)

A Extreme heat and high humidity make this a season to avoid in most parts of Arabia.

A Big discounts often available for accommodation.

A Best time to visit mountain areas.

A June is harvest time for fresh dates.

Useful Websites

Al Bab (www.al-bab.com) Links to dozens of news services, country profiles, travel sites and maps.

Al Jazeera (www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast) Popular news- and views-oriented website.

Arabnet (www.arabnet.me) Useful Saudi-run encyclopedia of the Arab world.

InterNations (www.internations.org) Information service with networking opportunities exclusively for expats.

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com) Destination information, hotel bookings, travel forum and photos.

Country Codes

Precede the following country codes with 00.

Exchange Rates

For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com

Daily Costs

Budget: Less than US$150

A Shared room in budget guesthouse: US$100

A Street fare or self-catering at local markets: US$15

A Public transport and occasional taxi: US$25

A Entry costs: US$10

Midrange: US$150–500

A Double room in a midrange hotel: US$200

A Local-style dining in restaurants: US$30

A Car hire: US$100

A Entry costs/unguided activities: US$50

Top end: More than US$500

A Double room in five-star hotel or resort: US$300

A International-style buffet lunch/dinner: from US$50

A 4WD vehicle hire: US$200

A Entry costs/guided activities: US$100

Opening Hours

Opening times vary widely across the region and are erratic at best, all the more so during Ramadan and holidays. The weekend is Friday and Saturday in all countries except Saudi Arabia. The Saudi weekend is Thursday and Friday.

Banks 8am–noon or 1pm (closed Fridays)

Restaurants noon–midnight

Cafes 9am–midnight

Shops 10am–10pm (reduced hours Fridays)

Souqs 10am–1pm & 4–9pm (closed Friday mornings)

Arriving in the Arabian Peninsula

The main international airports are listed here. Airport taxis and hotel shuttles are the main methods of transport from airport to city centre.

Bahrain Airport

Kuwait Airport

Muscat Airport, Oman

Hamad Airport, Doha, Qatar

King Khalid Airport; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abu Dhabi Airport, United Arab Emirates

Dubai International Airport, United Arab Emirates

Etiquette

People are generally tolerant of social faux pas but it’s best to be aware of some key aspects of etiquette:

Dress Dress modestly. See mosque etiquette.

Ramadan During Ramadan you must refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and chewing gum in public during daylight hours.

Left H\hand Avoid giving or touching with the left hand, which is reserved for personal hygiene.

Feet Don’t show the soles of your feet to others, or walk in a house or mosque in shoes.

Shaking hands Be guided by local women as to whether they choose to shake hands with you.

Coffee Try to accept at least one cup of coff ee if off ered – it’s considered impolite to refuse.

Manners Don’t lose your temper, swear at anyone or refer to them (even in jest) as an animal (eg ‘you old dog’).

For more information, see Getting Around

What’s New

Louvre Abu Dhabi

This fabulous new museum is famed not just for its world-class collection, but for its beautiful domed roof filtering a ‘rain of light’ inspired by palm trees.

Al Seef, Dubai

Stretching close to 2km along the Creek, Al Seef is a growing continuation of the historical Al Fahidi district, combining modern and heritage architecture.

Dubai Design District

This hub for creatives is luring visitors with its edgy architecture, contemporary restaurants, public art, galleries, and calendar of cultural events.

Misfat Al Abriyyin, Oman

An entire village has just discovered the value of tourism, helping to keep traditions alive in a region impacted by migration to town.

Al Baleed Resort, Salalah, Oman

This superb new luxury resort and spa, wedged between lagoon and oceanfront, is an example of understated refinement.

Mwasalat Bus Service, Oman

Formerly only accessible through taxi or car hire, key sights in Muscat are now connected to all cities by reliable public buses.

Qatar Blockade

Since June 2017, a Saudi-led coalition has isolated Qatar for alleged support for terrorism resulting in travel restrictions.

King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, Dhahran

The stunning new ‘Ithra’ building looks like a space station on a foreign planet. Hosts opera, theatre and Saudi Arabia’s only cinemas.

Al Shaheed Park

Kuwait’s latest (and largest) urban park has jogging and walking paths covering more than 2km, botanical gardens, a lake, restaurants and two museums.

Jebel Jais

Thrill-seekers head to Ras Al Khaimah for the world’s longest zip line and a via ferrata – found at the newly extended Jebel Jais.

Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum

Offering the rare chance to cross the threshold of a rich sheikh’s property; the personal belongings in this recently opened private museum include dhows and a whole Syrian house!

Third-Wave Coffee

Hip independent cafes with artisanal coffee are now to be found all over Kuwait City; try Mukha, a minimalist coffeehouse with many manual brews.

Mleiha Archaeological Site

This archaeological site, newly opened to the public, offers a day out among the remains of our ancestors, some of whom were touchingly buried with their horses and camels.

For more recommendations and reviews, see lonelyplanet.com/Middle-East

If You Like…

Desert Landscapes

If you thought ‘desert’ meant sand, think again. The Peninsula (in particular Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) is full of diverse and spectacular landscapes that redefine the term.

Sharqiya Sands A fraction of the size of the Empty Quarter, these Omani dunes are just as beautiful and much more accessible.

Khor Al Adaid Qatar’s inland sea, netted by high dunes, sparkling with shoals of silver sardines.

Wadi Darbat Camels and cows share abundant herbage in southern Oman’s seasonal mists.

Jebel Shams Vertiginous glimpses into the Grand Canyon of Arabia from atop Oman’s highest mountain.

Al Ula Saudi Arabia’s magnificent wind-blown pillars of sandstone turn copper-coloured at sunset.

Liwa Oasis Date plantations punctuate the edge of the UAE’s share of the Empty Quarter.

Mughsail Blowholes fling fish, seaweed and unsuspecting crabs into the air beneath Dhofar’s dramatic undercliff.

Musandam Deeply incised Omani fjords with leaping dolphins and hidden villages.

Jebel Hafeet Drive to the top of this rocky spine to peer across to the Empty Quarter.

Empty Quarter Covering an area the size of France, the dunes of the Rub Al Khali conjure up your inner Bedouin.

Adventure

Travellers have been attracted to the Arabian Peninsula for centuries in search of adventure. Follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo, Richard Burton and Wilfred Thesiger in some of the region’s best outdoor pursuits.

Yanbu The Red Sea offers one of the world’s great underwater spectacles, accessible from this Saudi port.

Sharfat Al Alamayn Drive at high altitude through the Hajar Mountains and discover gears you didn’t know you had.

Abha Go paragliding from Al Souda or rock climbing at Habalah in Saudi Arabia’s dramatic Asir region.

Snake Gorge Plunge from pool to pool in one of Oman’s most famous canyon adventures.

Masirah Island You won’t wait long for a windy day off the western coast of Oman – perfect for kite-surfing.

Skydive Qatar Travel to earth (to the desert hinterland in Qatar specifically) at a speed of 200km per hour from a height of 4000m for the thrill of a lifetime.

Hatta Mountain Bike Trail One of only a few in the region, this trail offers more than 50km of rugged routes in the UAE.

Jebel Jais Flight Zip Line The longest zip line in the world takes thrill-seekers up to speeds of 150km per hour.

Museums

Museum of Islamic Art Doha’s world-class museum is housed in an iconic IM Pei building.

Louvre Abu Dhabi This major collection includes pieces from the Paris Louvre, housed in a modern masterpiece of architecture.

Tareq Rajab Museum Stunning collection of regional crafts mercifully saved from the Gulf War devastation of Kuwait’s National Museum.

Bahrain National Museum This excellent ethnographic museum in Manama proves there was indeed life before oil.

National Museum A full-scale reconstruction of a Nabataean tomb crowns Riyadh’s world-class museum.

Bait Al Zubair Housed in a Muscat residence, this eclectic collection has become Oman’s contemporary art hub.

Museum of the Frankincense Land Explores the supposed southern Arabian haunts of the legendary Queen of Sheba in Salalah.

Beit Al Quran Possibly the finest, most comprehensive collection of Islam’s holiest book, the Quran, in the world.

Sharjah Heritage Area Museums, restored houses and souqs capture the tiny emirate’s heyday.

Forts & Castles

While every country on the Arabian Peninsula has its own set of crenellations, the best forts and castles are found in eastern Arabia, keeping back trouble from the sea.

Jabreen Castle Unique painted ceilings distinguish this perfectly formed Omani castle.

Bahrain Fort Spectacular by night, Manama’s fort looms over the sea.

Nakhal Fort Guarding what was once the regional capital, this fort appears to evolve from the rock.

Al Jahili Fort This Al Ain fort honours British desert veteran Wilfred Thesiger.

Fujairah Fort Part of a village reconstruction demonstrating the UAE has a history and not just a future.

Bahla Fort This Unesco World Heritage Site dominates Oman’s village of magic, potters and ancient walls.

Rustaq Fort Guarding the passes between desert plain and mountain interior.

Masmak Fortress Saudi Arabia’s Ibn Saud made his daring raid here in 1902, marking the birth of a nation.

Architecture

Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha are putting the Arabian Peninsula on the map for innovative architecture. A few ancient wonders in Saudi Arabia and Oman show it has ever been thus.

Madain Saleh The Nabataean monuments of this ‘petite Petra’ lie in a wind-sculpted desert in Saudi Arabia.

Burj Khalifa At 828m, this downtown Dubai tower is officially ‘megatall’.

Beit Sheikh Isa Bin Ali Al Khalifa Bahrain’s best example of the air-conditioning wizardry of 18th- and 19th-century wind-tower architecture.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque World-class masterpiece of modern mosque design in Abu Dhabi.

Kuwait Towers These iconic towers have come to symbolise more than just water in the desert.

Yas Hotel The only hotel in the world to straddle a Formula One racetrack.

Mutrah Corniche A picture-perfect sweep of balconied houses, mosques and forts in the heart of Oman’s capital.

Al Balad Jeddah’s old quarter, built of Red Sea coral and wood, is the jewel in the crown of Arabia’s most famous pilgrim port.

Rija Alma Tower houses in this Saudi Arabian village cascade down the steep slopes of the Asir.

Yas Hotel, United Arab Emirates | HAINAULTPHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Wildlife

The Arabian Peninsula offers spectacular wildlife experiences. Watch turtles lay their eggs or track oryx across the plains, and you’ll quickly realise that desert does not mean deserted.

Ras Al Jinz Watch record numbers of turtles return to the Omani beach of their birth.

Marina Bandar Al Rowdha Sail by dhow from Muscat to enjoy the company of acrobatic dolphins.

Damaniyat Islands Look out for whale sharks, the gentle giants of the Indian Ocean, in October.

Al Areen Wildlife Park & Reserve Watch the endangered ‘unicorn of Arabia’ at close quarters in Bahrain.

Wadi Darbat Meet the unlikely relative of the elephant when the desert turns green in summertime southern Oman.

Sir Bani Yas Island Spot gazelles among other indigenous inhabitants of Arabia in UAE’s unique wildlife project.

Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital Come eye to eye with hawks, which have worked with people for centuries.

Hawar Islands Sooty falcons, dugongs and the world’s largest Socotra cormorant colony live around Bahrain’s archipelago of desert islands.

Shopping

Browse the old, covered alleyways known as souqs for traditional crafts. Malls (their modern, air-conditioned equivalents) are mostly found in cities and offer entertainment for kids and shelter from the heat.

Souq Waqif Doha’s tasteful reinvention of its Bedouin roots includes traditional coffeehouses.

Mutrah Souq Indian Ocean trade remains unchanged in Muscat’s aged souq.

Dubai Mall This Emirates pleasure dome includes a walk-under aquarium.

Yas Mall Giving access to Ferrari World, this Abu Dhabi mall delivers burgers via roller coaster.

Nizwa Souq Famed for Omani silver daggers but also brisk trading in goats.

Jeddah Souq Saudi’s gold souqs sell 22-carat jewellery by weight, not craftsmanship.

Souq Al Jamal You’re welcome to browse rather than buy at this ancient camel market.

Bab Al Bahrain Pearls are still found in this gritty warren of shops.

Souq Marbarakia Heaped-high olives and dates, headdresses and perfumes in the heart of Kuwait City.

Boy with goat at Nizwa Souq, Oman | KYLIE NICHOLSON/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Month by Month

TOP EVENTS

Muscat Festival, January

Dubai Shopping Festival, February

Janadriyah National Festival, February

Salalah Tourism Festival, August

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, November

January

Bitterly cold in the mountains and at night on the desert plains, but gloriously warm and sunny everywhere else, this is the peak season for visiting the Arabian Peninsula. Expect the odd rain shower though!

z Muscat Festival

The Omani capital comes alive with top-class acrobatic acts, international craft shopping and Omani heritage displays in venues across the city for a month around January and February.

2 Dubai Marathon

The Dubai Marathon (www.dubaimarathon.org) attracts thousands of runners with some of the highest prize money in international long-distance-running events.

3 Qatar Open

This international tennis event (www.qatartennis.org) kick starts the Qatar sporting year and attracts the world’s best players.

3 Hail International Rally

This car rally (www.hailrally.com.sa) in the middle of Saudi Arabia draws crowds of spectators to watch international competitors in cars and trucks, and on motorbikes and quad bikes.

February

Still cool at night and warm in the day, but without the rush of New Year visitors, February is one of the best months to enjoy the bustle of the high season in the Gulf.

7 Shopping Festivals

Straddling January and February, the month-long Dubai Shopping Festival and the Hala Festival in Kuwait City offer big discounts in shops, as well as firework displays.

z Janadriyah National Festival

Saudi Arabia’s largest cultural event embraces the King’s Cup camel race, falconry and traditional crafts.

Performers at the jenadriyah Natioanl Festival | MOATASSEM/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

z Sharjah Light Festival

Celebrating arts and culture projected in lights, colours and music, this internationally acclaimed festival has been around for about a decade.

March

A flush of lime green clads the desert as spring brings an intense and brief flourish of flowers and butterflies before the onslaught of summer scares them away – along with the last of the tourists.

3 Dubai World Cup

The horse race is worth US$10 million in prize money and is a major event on the UAE’s social calendar.

3 Emir’s Sword Race

The Emir’s Sword Race, held in Qatar, is one of the biggest international racing events of Arabian horses in the year. and visitors must take care to avoid eating or drinking in public. Ramadan evenings, however, are marked by socialising and seasonal delicacies.

0 Eid Al Fitr

Marking the end of the month of fasting, Eid Al Fitr (in May from 2020) is generally celebrated at home with the family, with increased traffic on the roads and higher prices for airfares.

June

With miserable heat and humidity, the only good thing to be said for June is that hotels offer discounts. Camping and ‘glamping’ in the mountains of Oman offer a respite from the heat.

July

Excessively hot in the desert, this is the season of the khareef (rainy period) in southern Oman. Regional visitors pour into the area to enjoy the relative cool. A good time to visit Saudi Arabia’s Asir region, too.

1 Turtle Nesting

Throughout the year, turtles return to the beaches of their birth to lay their eggs, but July is the peak season in Oman, when 100 green turtles lumber up the beach at Ras Al Jinz each night.

August

High season in the misty, green, bug-laden haven of southern Arabia, while the rest of the region pants in desiccating temperatures. A challenging, hot month for hajj (in July from 2021).

0 Eid Al Adha

Families gather to eat the fatted calf and celebrate the return of pilgrims from Mecca and Medina.

z Salalah Tourism Festival

Regional visitors flock to the festival ground in Salalah to picnic in the drizzle and enjoy a program of international entertainment and Omani cultural shows.

5 Buraydah Dates Festival

The world’s largest date festival takes place at the world’s largest date market, in Saudi Arabia, with lots of opportunities for sampling.

September

The cultural calendar in the region begins this month with opera houses reopening after the long, hot summer.

3 Classical Music

The season opens with the Royal Opera House Muscat staging concerts, opera, ballet and jazz from internationally renowned companies.

Royal Opera House Muscat, Oman | EQROY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

October

A slight cooling in temperature at sea level, combined with a return to school and college locally, make this low season ideal for mountain visits before it gets too cold.

November

As the summer heat subsides, occasional rains help the wadis flow. Visitors begin to return to enjoy the reawakening of the Peninsula.

2 Oman Desert Marathon

International runners are faced with a tough challenge in the dunes of Oman’s Sharqiya Sands as they head across the wilderness to the Indian Ocean.

3 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Showcasing one of the most glamorous circuits in the world, the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is now a highlight of the racing year.

December

The end of the year marks the peak tourist season for good reason – the sea is still warm, the air is crisp and clear, and evenings are warm enough for dining al fresco.

z Dubai International Film Festival

Abu Dhabi and Doha host film festivals, but the Dubai International Film Festival (www.dubaifilmfest.com) is the star of the show. Running since 2004, it showcases cinematic excellence and casts a spotlight on Arab film.

3 New Year

Although the Arab New Year falls on a different day each year, the region is never one to resist a party. Dubai offers some of the finest fireworks shows in the world to celebrate 31 December.

2 Mubadala World Tennis Championship

The most prestigious tennis tournament in the region is hosted in Abu Dhabi and attracts the world’s best players.

Itineraries

Arabian Peninsula Highlights in a Hurry

2 WEEKS

Weaving between the sites of modern and ancient Arabia, this itinerary highlights the best Peninsula experiences feasible in the least amount of time. If focuses on three Gulf cities, then offers a relaxing contrast to the urban pace in the wilds of Oman.

Begin with two days in friendly Manama, with its pearl-trading souq and interesting museums. Visit Bahrain Fort to better understand how the whole Gulf region was intent on repelling attack from the sea.

Fly to Dubai, a city obsessed with the newest, biggest and best, for a two-day stop, including that totem of superlatives, Burj Khalifa. Spend a day in Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s cultured capital, visiting Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – proof there’s more to the Emirates than shopping.

For a complete contrast, fly from Abu Dhabi to Muscat. See how 40 years of ‘renaissance’ has created a modern nation underpinned by respect for heritage – evident during a four-day tour of Nizwa and Bahla. Allow three further days to forget history by hiking at Jebel Shams, camel riding across Sharqiya Sands and watching turtles return to the beach of their birth at Ras Al Jinz before returning to Muscat.

Itineraries

The Gulf’s Capital Cities

3 WEEKS

Many people visit one of the Gulf capitals as a stopover en route to somewhere else. There are more than enough diversions and experiences on offer, however, to make it worthwhile to combine these city-states as destinations in their own right.

Spend four days in each of four main Gulf cities, flying between each. Begin in dry, traditional Kuwait City. Learn here the sensory vocabulary of Arabia – the haggling in Souq Marbarakia, wafts of shisha from outdoor coffeehouses and strolls along the Corniche. Add to the Arabian lexicon by tracing similarities between Peninsula cultures at Tareq Rajab Museum and leave time to explore the urban landscape of high-rise towers – the quintessential symbols of Gulf modernity.

Oil is responsible for Arabia’s rapid propulsion into the 21st century: see how in nearby Bahrain, home to the Oil Museum. Enjoy the glamour associated with black gold at the Formula One racing circuit. Pearls gave the Gulf its former livelihood: dive for a pearl off the Hawar Islands or buy a string at Gold City in Manama and see how the sea has retreated as land has been reclaimed.

Abu Dhabi, the cultural and political capital of United Arab Emirates, is another city reliant on reclaimed land – as becomes obvious on a walk along the beautiful Corniche. Punctuate your high-voltage city tour with an escape to Liwa Oasis, where life moves at the pace of a camel’s stride.

If you miss the dynamism of the urban experience, then the best has been kept until last. Spend four days in and around Dubai, discovering what makes it the region’s most internationally famous city. Cook with chefs, shop with sharks, view the city from the world’s tallest tower and dine underwater in the Gulf’s most can-do city.

Itineraries

Top to Toe: Pan Peninsula in Four Weeks

4 WEEKS

They may share the same Peninsula (and a similar name), but arid urban Doha in the north and subtropical, rural Dhofar in the south are so different in character that they may as well belong to different continents.

In week one, fly into Doha, renowned for its commitment to hosting international sports, for a three-day visit to this energetic city with its spectacular modern skyline. Visit Souq Waqif and the magnificent Museum of Islamic Art for full cultural immersion and then leave human civilisation behind in a camping trip to timeless Khor Al Adaid in southern Qatar. Camp along the edge of the country’s famous inland sea before returning to the city for a very different type of sundowner at a luxurious city bar.

Since a blockade was imposed on Qatar by some other Gulf states, a new route has opened up between Doha and Sohar in Oman. In week two, be one of the first to try the route out and begin a tour of the land of 1000 towers and fortifications at newly renovated Sohar Fort. Continue the fort theme by travelling to Muscat via Rustaq and Nakhal, boasting their own enormous forts, and end week two by spending a few days in Oman’s hospitable capital.

Begin week three travelling to Dhofar, crossing the edge of the Empty Quarter on the flat and utterly featureless highway to Thumrait. The descent into Oman’s southern capital Salalah, after 10 hours of stony-plain monotony, is sublime, especially during the rainy season when the desert turns green. End week four among frankincense trees near Mughsail and see where the precious resin was traded at Al Baleed and the ancient harbour of Khor Rori.

In week four, take another little-known air route between Salalah and Dubai to re-emphasise the contrast between top and toe of the Peninsula. A visit to the historic neighbourhood of Al Fahidi and the souqs of Deira will demonstrate that the connections between Arabian countries are greater than the elements that distinguish them.

Itineraries

Easy Escape from Dubai

5 days

If the intensity of Dubai begins to take its toll, a trip into the neighbouring emirates and Oman provides an enjoyable antidote. Oman’s Musandam Peninsula makes a good weekend break, but with an extra day or two, a mini-tour of northern Oman is possible.

From Dubai, head north to Sharjah, a hub of heritage and Islamic arts. On day two, wind through the northern emirates to the Shams–Tibat border and enter Oman’s fabled Musandam Peninsula. Enjoy the spectacular drive along the cliff-hugging road to Khasab and time your arrival for a dhow cruise in Musandam’s celebrated khors (creeks).

Spend day three in a 4WD, exploring Jebel Harim and Rawdah Bowl with its ‘House of Locks’. Return to Khasab and on day four take the ferry and bus to Muscat. Visit Mutrah Souq and Muscat’s old quarter and on day five meander west to historic Nizwa and ascend Jebel Shams, the Peninsula’s highest mountain. Return to UAE via the typical towns of Ibri and Buraimi on the UAE border.

Itineraries

Easy Escape from Kuwait

1 WEEKS

Kuwait is a fascinating country to explore, but as a conservative, flat, dry state, hemmed in by travel-restricted neighbours, it doesn’t offer many opportunities to let your hair down. For the complete antithesis of life in Kuwait City, take the following trip to Oman, UAE and Bahrain.

Fly to Muscat and enjoy the tolerant, cosmopolitan nature of the city. Spend a day at a beachside hotel and enjoy the novelty of a sea with waves, followed by sundowners and dancing in a nightclub. On day three be reminded of what mountains and orchards look like by hiking in clear fresh air, blissfully devoid of humidity, on Jebel Akhdar.

On day four, swap the desert wilderness for the urban wild side by flying to Dubai for extreme shopping, dining and partying. On day five, bring the temperature down a notch by flying to Manama for a fun but slightly less high-octane experience (unless of course the Grand Prix is in town), before buttoning up the collar for the journey back to Kuwait City.

Plan Your Trip

The Hajj

An experience of profound spiritual significance, the hajj – the pilgrimage to Mecca – is a lifetime’s ambition for many Muslims. All able-bodied Muslims of sufficient means are expected to undertake the hajj at least once in their lives, as it is seen to be fulfilling one of the five key pillars of mainstream Islam. The hajj is an extraordinary spectacle, where millions of people from all over the world, rich and poor, able-bodied and otherwise, are unified by their state of ihram, which creates a sea of white as men donning two simple white cotton sheets, alongside women dressed equally simply, perform ancient rites over the course of five days, following in the footsteps of the prophets of the past.

What to Bring

A Label everything and attach a coloured ribbon to your belongings to help identify them.

Clothing

A Two to three ihram outfits (for men, two cotton sheets; for women, a modest outfit), towels, indoor scarf (for women) and non-stitched

Sleeping, Toiletries & Medical

A Pyjamas, pillow, toiletries (non-perfumed), hand sanitiser, sunscreen

A Medications, plasters, surgical/face mask (when in crowds)

Practical

A Travel belt, water-bottle carrier, umbrella, shoulder bag, camp stool

Spiritual

A Quran, pocket notebook and pen to record thoughts

The Hajj Experience

Before the Pilgrimage

Most pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia by air, landing at the hajj terminal of Jeddah’s King Abdul Aziz International Airport. Come prepared for the fact that more than two million pilgrims flood through this terminal – waiting times for buses to Mecca can last up to 12 long, hot and humid hours. Drinking water is provided, but bring snacks. You can buy food at the airport but inevitably queues will be long.

Before arriving in Mecca, local pilgrims stop at miqats (areas designated by the Prophet) to shower and change into their ihram outfit, which is the distinct two-piece, unstitched white cotton garment for men. International pilgrims landing at Jeddah airport will have already crossed this area and therefore be in a state of ihram already. Women are not permitted to wear the niqab or burka during the hajj. There is no gender segregation during rituals, as a sign that all pilgrims are equal.

An invocation in Arabic is performed – aloud, under one’s breath or privately in one’s head – at certain points on the way to Mecca, depending on which direction pilgrims are coming from. This invocation is given as pilgrims reach the miqat near Mecca:

Here I am, oh God, at Your command! Here I am at Your command! You are without associate! Here I am at Your command! To You are all praise, grace and dominion! You are without associate!

Worshippers at Al Masjid al Haram | ORHAN DURGUT/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

The First Day

Arriving at Mecca’s Grand Mosque, worshippers perform the Tawaf Al Qudum (tawaf of arrival). Tawaf is the act of circling counter-clockwise seven times around the Kaaba. Then comes the saee, which involves walking between the hills of Safa and Marwah (which are within the Grand Mosque grounds) seven times to simulate the desperate search for water by Hajar, the wife of the Prophet Ibrahim.

The next stop is the ‘tent city’ of Mina, a short distance from Mecca. It’s a time for rest, reflection, reading the Quran and praying. Depending on the tour package, worshippers sleep in tents that accommodate up to 12 people each.

The Holy Kaaba | HARRIS HAMDAN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

The Second Day

This is the most significant day of the hajj. The ‘Day of Arafat’ begins after sunrise, as worshippers leave Mina to travel to the Plain of Arafat. The time here is spent standing or sitting at the Mount of Mercy, asking God for forgiveness and making supplications. Some pilgrims rest in their tents. After sunset, everyone moves on to the Muzdalifah Plain to spend the whole night praying and collecting pebbles for the stoning ritual the next day.

The Third to Fifth Days

The third day begins shortly before sunrise in Mina, where worshippers once threw their pebbles at three jamrah (pillars) that represented the devil. In 2004, because of the many injuries caused by the fervour of the stone throwing, Saudi authorities replaced the pillars with long walls and stone basins designed to catch ricocheting rocks. The stoning can continue for three days and represents a rejection of Satan and an affirmation of Ibrahim’s faith in God.

The stoning ritual is perhaps when pilgrims are most vulnerable to danger as worshippers crowd the Jamarat pedestrian bridge on their way to the pillars. Deadly stampedes have occurred here in the past, so it’s important to pay close attention to instructions from guides and security personnel and to follow the multilingual signs along the route with care.

This is the first day of the three-day Eid Al Adha (feast of sacrifice), and pilgrims spend the remaining days carrying out these three rites after their first round of stoning. A sheep, cow or camel is sacrificed to show God a willingness to offer up something precious, and the meat is distributed to the poor. Men shave their heads, or trim their hair evenly, and women cut off a lock of their hair to bring them out of ihram. The final formal rite of hajj is the Tawaf Al Ifadah/Ziyarah, when pilgrims return to Mecca to circle the Kaaba again, pray at the Station of Ibrahim and perform another saee.

UMRAH: THE LITTLE HAJJ

Umrah is a shortened version of hajj in which rituals can be carried out within the vicinity of the Grand Mosque at any time of year (except during hajj itself), and at any time of day and night. Many pilgrims say umrah is a quiet, peaceful and contemplative experience.

The visa process is similar to applying for a hajj visa. Like the hajj visa, umrah visas are free, but they are only valid for 15 days; overstaying can have serious legal consequences. Applicants must make their booking through a Saudi-approved tour operator and provide the same required documentation as they would for hajj.

The Final Day

While the formal part of hajj is now over, many pilgrims choose to spend another day in Mina until sunset, to undertake more stoning and reflection; others return to Mecca. Before leaving Mecca and starting on their journeys back home, all pilgrims perform the ‘farewell’ Tawaf Al Wada.

Hajj Practicalities

With so many hajj pilgrims attending each year – some estimates put the number at 2.5 million or more – Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj has streamlined the process to obtain a visa and perform the rituals. It’s still complicated, but Muslims cannot be denied the right to perform the fifth pillar of Islam, regardless of whether they are Sunni or Shiite and regardless of their personal history.

Hajj Eligibility

The first step is to determine whether you are eligible to perform hajj. Muslims who have performed the ritual are not allowed to perform it again until five years have passed. An exception will be made for those acting as a mahram (guardian) to accompany a wife or family member who plans to go. All women under the age of 45 must be accompanied by a mahram, who must be a close male relative.

Visas & Tour Operators

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj website (www.haj.gov.sa) lists its requirements, which should be followed to the letter. The Ministry requires that all pilgrims go through one of the approved, licensed travel agencies (listed on the website) that operate tours for the hajj and umrah (the shorter pilgrimage outside of hajj season).

Travel-agency prices can be as low as SR6500 per person but can run as high as SR30,000 or more depending on the amenities offered. All tour companies offer meals, air-conditioned buses, transportation to Medina and side tours to significant religious sites. It is essential that you stick to the approved list of travel agencies.

These agencies handle everything, including obtaining a hajj visa (free and valid for 30 days) and permits, processing immunisation records (meningitis and hepatitis A and B are required jabs), and arranging accommodation and transportation. If the applicant is a convert to Islam, a letter from the applicant’s mosque stating that he or she performed the shahada (statement of faith) must be produced.

Tour companies keep strict tabs on their clients once they arrive in Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims give up their passport for the duration of their stay and are issued with an identity card and wristband. It is important that pilgrims keep a copy of their passport (including all pages and visas), and travel documents with them at all times. Once in the Kingdom, travel for pilgrims is strictly limited to visiting Mecca and Medina and the cities and villages between the two cities.

Hajj Health & Safety

Hajj rituals can be difficult to perform for the very young and the very old. Depending on the time of year, temperatures can reach more than 40°C, and the crowds can be stifling.

Common sense and caution are the foundation of a safe trip. Eat and sleep when you can, drink plenty of fluids, wear a surgical/face mask – to protect against the small risk of MERS (coronavirus) – and sanitise your hands often.

Make sure you have the requisite immunisations, although heat exhaustion is the most common enemy of the pilgrim. If you feel sweating chills, nausea or dizziness, find shade and seek medical attention from one of the hundreds of emergency personnel stations throughout the pilgrimage route.

One of the greatest risks to pilgrims comes from the massive crowds and the danger of stampede. Always pay close attention to your surroundings and follow the instructions of officials; it’s wise to keep to the outer limits of moving crowds wherever possible.

HAJJ CALENDAR

Plan Your Trip

Expats

The days of being paid well for doing little are over, while the realities of extreme temperatures and different social norms remain. So why consider an expat life? Whether you’re motivated by the ancient culture or the thrill of rapid change, you’ll find it pays to anticipate the challenges before leaving home.

Key Differences

All Countries

Extreme summer heat. Weekend is built around Friday, the region’s common day of prayer.

Bahrain

Extreme humidity in summer. Tiny land mass offers limited opportunities for free-time excursions. Pockets of political unrest. Tolerant of foreign customs and manners.

Kuwait

A dry state. Alcohol cannot be bought or consumed. Very little greenery. Tolerant of non-Muslim religious expression. Little to explore outside Kuwait City.

Oman

Slow pace of decision making. Tolerant of foreign customs and manners. Lives up to its moniker ‘Beauty has an address’.

Qatar

Extreme humidity in summer. Quite conservative.

Saudi Arabia

A dry state. Highly conservative. Restricted movement outside city of residence. Non-Muslim religious expression restricted. Much to explore.

United Arab Emirates

Liberal exterior hides a conservative core

Everyday Life

Not So Different From Home

For many new arrivals in the region, the first few days on the Arabian Peninsula often come as a culture shock. The audible call to prayer five times a day, the extreme heat, the homogeneous clothing, the undisciplined driving and the ubiquitous aroma of shisha (water pipe used to smoke tobacco) combine to create an overwhelming sense of difference. This difference is further emphasised for many by the relatively barren desert landscape.

Give it a week, however, and the similarities start appearing and day-to-day life in Arabia appears not as ‘foreign’ as one had imagined. International-style clothing is worn in familiar-looking malls (albeit under an abaya, a full-length robe worn by women); favourite foods from many cultures, including the likes of Marmite, soy sauce and turmeric, are widely available in corner shops; schools cater expertly for the children of different expat communities; provision is made for non-Muslim worship; drinking water is safe; health centres are well funded; and most people speak English as a common language. The drinking of alcohol is tolerated in all countries except Kuwait and Saudi Arabia (and parts of the UAE), and you can even buy pork in some supermarkets.

Many expats enjoy the fact that living in any of the Peninsula countries means it is safe to leave houses and cars unlocked, for children to play in the streets and talk to strangers, and that neighbours always have time for a chat. Times are changing in the big cities, but on the whole the friendly, safe and tolerant environment of all these countries is a major contributor to the quality of life. Even in Saudi Arabia, where public life is controlled by strict codes of conduct, expats generally enjoy a safe, relaxed and crime-free experience within their own compounds.

Boys play in a park with views to central Doha, Qatar | ANDRZEJ KUBIK/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

A Multicultural Experience

Expatriate populations outnumber national populations in all Gulf states. As such, the Arabian Peninsula is one of the most multicultural places on the planet. This is both a trial and a fantastic opportunity. The trial comes in learning to cope with another layer of cultural expectation. The opportunity comes in gaining an insight into richly different ways of life, expressed most noticeably through food, festivities and workplace practices.

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of the region’s multicultural experience is learning from the resident Iraqis, Afghans and Palestinians that there are other perspectives on the politics of the region that are not often aired in the international media.

Gulf countries are finding their own ways of helping communities displaced as a result of war. This help has translated into cash handouts to the Syrian government, for example, but it also takes the uniquely local form of absorbing economic migration.

Regional asylum seekers are welcomed either as ‘guests’ or as professional or skilled employees on short-term contracts. In the absence of any formal recognition of the definition of refugee status, the emphasis is on providing temporary opportunities rather than embracing asylum seekers as fellow nationals. In other words, the expectation remains that one day these migrants will return home.

Bloomingdales in Dubai Mall, United Arab Emirates | ATLANTIDE PHOTOTRAVEL/GETTY IMAGES ©

Climate

Without doubt, one of the biggest challenges of living on the Peninsula is learning to cope with the weather. If you’re from a cold, wet and windy place, it is hard to imagine you would ever get bored of the endless blue skies. But in summer, the sky isn’t blue; it’s white with heat, and the extreme temperatures from April to October (which hover, on average, around 40°C and frequently rise above 45°C in the shade) require a complete life adjustment. Learning to live in the air-conditioned indoors for those months, to live life more slowly and find ways of exercising that don’t involve going outside, is as difficult as coming to terms with winter in frozen climes. The upside is six months of benign winter warmth that bid friends and relatives to visit. Here are some key ways to beat the heat:

Embrace local timing Working hours across the region tend to favour mornings and late afternoons, either with a 7am-to-2pm regime, or a two-shift day from 7am to 7pm with a break between noon and 5pm.

Take a siesta If the job allows, follow local practice by eating your main meal at lunchtime and taking