Practical Information for visiting Saudi Arabia

The currency is the Saudi riyal (SAR), pegged to the US dollar at 3.75, which makes mental conversion easy.

Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere — shops, restaurants, taxis, fuel and the railways — and Apple Pay is very widely used. Cash is worth carrying in souqs, in small towns and for tipping.

ATMs are plentiful. Exchange houses give better rates than hotels.

VAT is 15 per cent and is generally included in displayed prices.

Tipping is not obligatory but is normal and appreciated: round up for taxis, ten per cent or so in restaurants where no service charge appears, and a note for porters and guides.

Note that much of the service workforce is migrant and low-paid, which makes tipping directly worthwhile.

Coverage for mobile networks is excellent, with 5G across the cities and strong 4G along the highways and at the heritage sites, from STC, Mobily and Zain. The deep Empty Quarter has nothing — do not go there relying on a phone.

Tourist SIMs are sold at the airports and by every operator; a passport is required to register, and data is cheap and generous.

Wi-Fi is standard in hotels, malls, cafes and on the high-speed trains.

Internet access is filtered, and some VoIP services have historically been restricted, though most messaging and calling apps work normally now. Content deemed contrary to public morals or religion is blocked.

Crime against visitors is very low and the country is safe to travel in. The serious considerations are legal, environmental and regional.

• Check your government’s advice before booking. The area within about 80 kilometres of the Yemeni border is subject to advisories against travel, and there has been cross-border missile and drone activity affecting the south.
• Mecca and Medina are closed to non-Muslims. Entering is a serious offence; the restricted areas are signposted and checkpointed.
• Drugs carry the death penalty for trafficking and severe penalties for possession. Some prescription medicines are controlled — check and carry a doctor’s letter.
• Alcohol is illegal entirely, including bringing it in.
• Heat and flash floods are the physical dangers. Never enter or camp in a wadi when rain is forecast anywhere upstream.
• Desert driving: camels on unlit roads at night cause fatal accidents regularly.
• Photographing people without permission can cause serious trouble.

Healthcare is modern and good, with excellent private hospitals in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Visitors pay privately and costs are high, so insurance is essential; health insurance is a condition of the tourist visa.

Vaccinations: routine cover plus hepatitis A and typhoid. Meningococcal vaccination is required for pilgrims and advisable more broadly. Yellow fever proof is required if arriving from an endemic country. There is a small malaria risk in the far south-west near the Yemeni border, and dengue occurs in Jeddah and the Tihama coast.

Heat is the most likely problem by far. Between May and September the combination of temperature and dry air dehydrates you faster than thirst signals; drink continuously and stay indoors in the middle of the day.

MERS is present at a low level and is associated with camels; avoid contact with camels, and do not drink unpasteurised camel milk.

Tap water is desalinated and generally safe in cities, though most people drink bottled.

Dress modestly. Women no longer need an abaya but must cover shoulders and knees with loose clothing; a scarf is useful for mosques and conservative areas. Men should avoid shorts and sleeveless tops in public.

Prayer times. Five times a day; some shops and restaurants still close for twenty minutes or so. Plan around it rather than being caught out.

Ramadan: no eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight, including for visitors.

Right hand for eating, giving and receiving. Remove shoes entering a home or a mosque.

Greetings are extended. Men do not offer a hand to a woman unless she offers first; the same applies in reverse.

Public affection is unacceptable. Homosexuality is criminalised with severe penalties.

Photography: never photograph people, especially women, without clear permission, and avoid military, government and industrial sites entirely.

Alcohol and pork are prohibited and unavailable.

Emergency numbers: 911 in Riyadh, Mecca and the Eastern Province and increasingly nationwide; 997 for ambulance, 999 for police and 998 for fire elsewhere. English-speaking operators are usually available.

Medical. Private hospitals — King Faisal Specialist, Dr Soliman Fakeeh, Saudi German — are the best option and expect payment or an insurance guarantee upfront.

Road incidents must be reported; do not move the vehicles until the traffic police attend, and the Najm service handles insurance claims at the scene.

In the desert: travel with a second vehicle or a satellite messenger, carry far more water than you plan to need, and tell someone your route. Recovery from soft sand without help is not realistic.

Flash floods: if water starts moving in a wadi, get to high ground immediately rather than trying to drive out.

Embassies are in Riyadh, with consulates in Jeddah and Dhahran.