Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sexual Harassment
Hollywood movies and hardcore porn channels (now widely available in the Kingdom)
have greatly coloured the Saudi perception of Western women. Stares, leers and obscene
comments are sometimes reported by Western women travellers.
It's rarely more than this, however, and the social disgrace that comes from having
touched a woman in public is one of your most effective weapons. If your harasser per-
sists, report him to the police or security men that can be found on most streets and malls
in the Kingdom.
Remember also - the more conservatively you dress, the more conservatively you will
be treated, particularly with regards to wearing a headscarf.
Terrorism
Since the attacks on Western targets in 2003 and 2004, security has been dramatically
tightened around residential compounds and embassies.
Nevertheless, security incidents still occur in the Kingdom, including an attempted sui-
cide bombing of a government minister in Jeddah in August 2009. The biggest current se-
curity concern remains Islamist acts of terror against government installations and public
gatherings. While there may be little cause for undue alarm, it pays to remain vigilant at
all times.
In recent years, fighting along the Yemeni border has had the potential to escalate and
travel in southern Asir, Narjan and the Empty Quarter is sometimes restricted by the Saudi
authorities. Expect lots of security checkpoints in these regions. While in Saudi Arabia,
you should also register with your embassy, and keep a close eye on warnings issued by
them in the form of emails or text messages.
TELEPHONE
The mobile-phone network run by STC operates on the GSM system.
At the time of writing mobile networks were offering myriad rapidly changing deals,
usually to attract migrant workers wanting to call home. The major networks included:
STC (
www.stc.com.sa
)
Zain (
www.zain.com
)
Mobily (
www.mobily.com.sa
)
For directory assistance, call 905 (domestic) or 900 (international).
VISAS
Saudi bureaucracy is at its most opaque when applying for a visa but one thing is clear: in-
dependent travel to Saudi Arabia does not currently exist.
