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Jeddah

From Wikitravel

Asia : Middle East : Saudi Arabia : Jeddah Jump to: navigation, search

[+] Understand
- Orientation
[+] Get in
- By plane
- By car
- By bus
- By boat
Get around
[+] See
- Al-Balad (Old Town)
- Other
[+] Do
- Scuba diving
- Parks
Learn
Work
Buy
[+] Eat
- Budget
- Mid-range
- Splurge
Drink
Sleep
Contact
Stay safe
Cope
Get out

Traditional coral houses off Souq al-Alawi in al-Balad

Jeddah (جدّة, also spelled Jiddah) is the main city of the Red Sea side of Saudi Arabia and the major commercial center of the country.

[edit] Understand

Jeddah has been a port and trading city for centuries, which is reflected in its cosmopolitan mix of inhabitants. Today, it is the major commercial center of Saudi Arabia. It also has many government offices. Jeddah is known in the kingdom for its shopping districts, restaurants and cafes. It also hosts the largest Corniche or waterfront in the Kingdom with a great bunch of hotels, beaches and resorts clustered around it.

It is also the main entry point, either by air or sea, for pilgrims making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, the two sacred cities of Islam. Both are a few hours inland from Jeddah.

[edit] Orientation

Jeddah is a huge city that sprawls along the coast of the Red Sea, connected together by the Corniche, a seaside avenue full of bizarre sculptures and nearly 30 km long. The old city or al-Balad, on the southern side of modern Jeddah, is a crumbling but fascinating warren of multi-story houses made from coral. The main thoroughfare Medina Rd starts from the northern side of al-Balad and runs all the way to the city in question.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Jeddah is served by King Abdulaziz International Airport (IATA: JED) is the largest airport in the Kingdom and is well served by airlines around the world. Alas, despite its importance and the Kingdom's wealth, the airport is in miserable shape with dust, flies and poor to nonexistent signage, although as of 2008 it is undergoing a much-needed renovation.

There are two regular terminals, with the South Terminal, used by domestic Saudi airlines and all Saudia flights, and the North Terminal, used by all other international flights. Located on opposite sites of the massive apron, the two are nearly 8 km apart and the only way to connect is by taxi. A taxi to the city from either will cost around SR 50; agree on the fare before you set off.

There are also two special terminals, used exclusively for Hajj pilgrims heading directly to Mecca, which are basically enormous tents of fiberglass fabric on reinforced concrete poles and steel cables. Driving to the normal non-Hajj terminal, you pass between the two. In season, this lets you admire rows of 747s parked alongside the Hajj terminals.

[edit] By car

[edit] By bus

[edit] By boat

[edit] Get around

[edit] See

[edit] Al-Balad (Old Town)

Jeddah's top sight is al-Balad, or the old town. The city wall has long since been torn down, but gates still mark where it once stood. Within you'll find a warren of ancient buildings and traditional souks, including the teetering multistory coral houses that Jeddah is famous for. Alas, coral is not a very durable building material, and most of the buildings are in terrible condition.

[edit] Other

[edit] Do

[edit] Scuba diving

Scuba diving off Jeddah is a major draw for expats in the Kingdom, although the Saudis themselves seem oblivious to the treasures that await offshore. Being on the Red Sea, the flora and fauna are quite similar to what you'd see on Egypt's Red Sea Coast or Sinai, only minus all the tourists. Visibility can be spectacular (30-40m is common), the corals are virtually untouched and there are plenty of interesting sites to explore, like the Chicken Wreck, a boat carrying tons of frozen chicken that hit the reef and sunk at a depth of 10-18m. Most of the better dive sites are around one hour out to sea by fast boat.

The Red Sea gets chilly in the winter, with water temperatures dropping to 22°C, so you'll want to use a 5mm wetsuit with hood. In summer, temperatures climb up to a much more balmy 29°C, and 3mm shorty or 1mm diveskin is plenty.

☎

[1]

[edit] Parks

[edit] Learn

[edit] Work

There are many places to find work in Jeddah and jobs are plentiful.

[edit] Buy

There are a number of shopping malls in Jeddah to shop.

[edit] Eat

Jeddah is full of restaurants with almost every cuisine imaginable. Eating out is part of Jeddonian culture. All the restaurants have separate sections for single men and for families. Dating is forbidden, but most restaurants will allow a couple into the family section without question. All businesses close for prayer for about half an hour at noon and at sunset. They close again an hour after sunset for about 45 minutes. If you like to eat early, you can often stay in a restaurant during prayer time. Saudis tend to eat late, well after the evening prayer.

[edit] Budget

The standard cheap meal is the shawarma - giant layers of beef or chicken turning on a vertical spit. Thin slices are cut off and served with vegetables, garlic and sauce in pita bread. You can also find a few falafel shops or eat at boofias (cornershops). Try the Filipino Souk near Saudi City. Ask for the Pakistani area Kababish. There's a group of shops and restaurants with very low prices. Most of the American fast food franchises can be found in Jeddah. Such as:

[edit] Mid-range

There are also several coffee shops or cafes where the youth like to hang out:

[edit] Splurge

[edit] Drink

In the whole of KSA, alcohol is forbidden as it is against the Islamic law and therefore against the country's law; if you try to bring, make, or buy alcoholic drinks you will probably end up in jail. Non-alcoholic beer is available everywhere; other juices, drinks, and/or cocktails are available in almost all restaurants.

[edit] Sleep

Outside Hajj season, hotels in Jeddah are generally cheaper than those in Riyadh.

☎

[2]

[edit] Contact

[edit] Stay safe

Wear a headscarf, and cover yourself. Headscarfs, however, are not required for non-Muslim or Western-looking women. (the abaaya is required by all women).

[edit] Cope

[edit] Get out

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!

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