City Information
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Airport
Jeddah airport – King Abdul Aziz International – is 20 km north
of the city. The airport is the largest in the world in terms of
area and has three terminals: Foreign Airlines (North), Saudia
(South) and Hajj – each of which operates like a separate airport.
All Saudi Arabian’s flights, domestic and international, operate
from the Saudia terminal – it is the only carrier internally.
Saudi Arabian does not serve alcohol and airlines that do will stop
serving once in Saudi airspace and all bottles will be locked away
to comply with Saudi regulations. It is highly inadvisable to step
off the aircraft and attempt immigration in an inebriated
state!
Passing through passport control and customs can be time-consuming
and travellers should be patient. Although things are improving and
the average process time is 30 mins, delays of 2 hrs or more can
occur, especially during the pilgrimage season when passenger
numbers are swelled by 1.5 million. If possible, have your sponsor
arrange a ‘meet and greet’ to aid in a swift transition through
passport control, either with their own ‘Mr Fixit’ or through
any travel agency. If you are in the habit of locking your luggage,
have your keys to hand as customs may want to open them, although
increasingly they are switching to the faster x-ray machines.
Expect to be besieged by porters on arrival. Official porters are
dressed in overalls and the airport authorities have recently set a
standard rate of SR5 for a porter and trolley and SR1 for trolleys
only. It has become customary in Saudi Arabia for anyone providing a
service to seek extra payment, as they are particularly poorly paid:
this is left to the traveller’s discretion, but SR5 a bag is
reasonable. Airport amenities include a hotel, basic self-service
restaurants, banks/bureaux de change, car rental, tourist
information points and plentiful duty-free shops.
Airport to City Centre
Taxi ranks are to be found immediately outside both terminals.
Ignore the offers you receive from drivers inside the arrivals hall
– their cab is probably parked a long way from the terminal and
they are unlikely to be official. Taxis that are white with a yellow
and black logo on their doors are new, clean and in theory regulated
– the yellow taxis are their predecessors and should be avoided. A
flat fee of SR70 is charged from the airport to any destination en
route to and including downtown Jeddah. When hailing a taxi
elsewhere in town, ensure the meter is working or negotiate a fee
before getting in. It is wise to carry smaller denominations of
Riyals – large notes reduce your bargaining power and drivers may
not have change. Complimentary hotel mini-buses and limousines
should be booked in advance of arrival. The journey takes 25-40 mins,
depending
on hotel location and time of day.
Orientation
Jeddah is the major commercial centre of the Western Province, a
vital port for trade, and the gateway for two million Muslim
pilgrims who travel to Mecca and Medina every year. Although never
the official capital, Jeddah enjoyed ‘first city’ status until
diplomats relocated to Riyadh in the 1980s. Many major companies
maintain their head offices here and the city still has a vibrant,
cosmopolitan atmosphere. Essentially a city within a city, the heart
of Jeddah is the old town, Balad. The port which emerged 1,500 years
ago as a major stop on land and sea trade routes is still bustling
today. Walled for 1,000 years, after 1947 the city expanded beyond
its square kilometre coral boundary to become today’s vast
metropolis of 560 km2. The population boomed from 25,000 to a
multi-national 1.5m people by 1990.
Jeddah’s Red Sea coastline runs for 110 km north to south. Most of
the commercial and residential areas lie to the north, between the
old city and the new airport. The southern and eastern districts are
largely industrial, with the bulk of the multi-national
conglomerates and international banks in a 200m-wide strip of land
running alongside the Red Sea between Baeshan St and Al Malek Abdul
Aziz St. The city’s main highway is Madinah Rd, which runs from
Maydan Al Bayal Sq in Balad to Madinah 450 km to the north, uniting
with the Makkah-Madinah Expressway just north of the airport. It
divides Jeddah in two: to the west side is the coast; to the east is
1,500 km of desert until it reaches Dammam, with Riyadh in the
middle. Along the coast, the Red Sea cuts into the shore creating a
series of lagoons, each of which is traversed by a road bridge. Part
of the Corniche glows at night in the lights from Blackpool Pier!
Unlike Riyadh, major road signs in Jeddah are in English and Arabic.
Excursions
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• Don’t miss the opportunity to snorkel or scuba dive. Despite
some damage due to construction and environment-related
deterioration, its relative inaccessibility means that this section
of the Red Sea still offers some of the most beautiful and
under-dived reefs in the world. Snorkellers are not at any
disadvantage as the reef is quite shallow in places. All the major
hotel resort beaches and private beaches rent equipment and can
arrange diving lessons and offer safety advice. Private beaches
charge an average of SR30-50 for a day pass (Sat-Weds) which
increases to SR50-75 on Thurs and Fri.
• Obhur Creek, 48 km north of central Jeddah, but close to the
airport, has excellent facilities for swimming, water-skiing,
fishing and sailing. A quality golf course can be visited at Durrat
Al Arrus, an ever-expanding luxury resort about 30 km north of
Jeddah.
• If you have a spare couple of days and fancy something a bit
further afield, contact Golden Eagle Tours in Riyadh for a trip to
Medain Saleh – magnificent 2,000-year-old tombs carved into
sandstone cliffs by the creators of Petra. Though driveable, it is
preferable to take a 1-hr flight to Medina and then go by car (3
hrs).
Getting Around
White taxis wait outside the main hotels and tourist sights, and can
also be hailed on the street. Always insist on the meter being
turned on or negotiate a fee before accepting the ride. Limousines
are even more expensive, but a good deal more comfortable and safer,
and they can be hired for a day, a week or a month – enquiries
should be directed to your hotel reception. Generally, the best bet
is to ask your host or hotel to organise a car and driver for you.
What to see
The Old Town (Balad): Al Alawi St, a narrow lane,
pedestrianised except for the odd camel, winds eastwards up a gentle
hill to Bab (gate) Makkah and is a classic example of Old Jeddah.
Along either side stand tall old merchant’s houses, constructed of
coral with ornate wooden balconies, enclosed with mashrabiya windows
(intricate wooden latticework screens) – typical of Hejaz
architecture. The balconies were built to catch the breeze but also
to allow women to observe the streets below without being seen.
Serious preservation efforts are under way to save the 80-odd
remaining houses.
Nassif House (Beit Nassif): Built in the 1870s for the Nassif
family, one of Jeddah’s oldest and most respected merchant clans,
it was home to 100 members of the family and their staff. The
building has four storeys at the front and seven at the back, and
until the 1970s it was the tallest building in Jeddah. King Abdul
Aziz requisitioned the house in 1925 while his palace was being
constructed – hence the name of its location, King Abdul
Historical Square. The King and his army were welcomed here by the
people of Jeddah on 23 September 1924, celebrated every year since
as National Day. Note the tree in front of the house – until 1920
this was the only one in Jeddah. In 1964 the government bought the
house and converted it into a museum, now housing an interesting
cultural and heritage exhibition.
Ancient Water System: From Beit Nassif go east along Al Alawi
St and take the first left into Al Khayateen Lane – the
excavations are a few yards along on the right. Discovered in 1992
by the combination of legend and dowsing, it has been a complex but
rewarding task for the Historical Area Preservation Department (HAPD).
The water system is about 500 years old and was used to bring water
by gravity from a spring 17 km east of Jeddah, only ceasing to
function when the spring dried up 150 years ago. Gradually hidden
under sand, rubble and buildings, there is more of the system to be
revealed – in the meantime the site is floodlit at night and
provides good photograph opportunities.
Al Shafee Mosque: In the heart of the souk, featuring a
magnificent white, brown and green minaret. Note the balcony where
the muezzin stand and call worshippers to prayer. Enter through the
carved wooden gate on the right-hand side of the street. Near the
junction of Shaykh Lane and Souk Al Alawi. Other notable mosques
include the largest mosque in Jeddah, King Saud Mosque on the
northbound carriageway of Madinah Rd, just south of Palestine St,
and the simple but stunning ‘Mosque on Stilts’ on the North
Corniche.
Municipality Museum: Sole survivor of the British Legation in
WWI, it is often mistakenly referred to as Lawrence of Arabia’s
house (he spent only a short time here). Opposite the National
Commercial Bank.
Roadside monuments: Bizarre as it may seem, no visit to
Jeddah would be complete without a (guided) tour of the roundabouts
and roadside monuments. Nearly every roundabout has one –
sometimes artistic, sometimes garish and sometimes totally
incomprehensible. Must-sees include the Aeroplane Roundabout with an
original Dakota mounted on white clouds, the enormous Boat
Roundabout littered with boats decommissioned from the Saudi Navy
and the large block of concrete with Minis embedded in it – a
testament to Jeddah driving? Hire a car and follow the main streets
– Fri morning is the best time.
Shopping
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Shopping hours: 1000-1300 and 1700-2200. Most supermarkets are open
24 hrs, 7 days a week. However, on Fri most other shops are closed
all day until 1700. All shops close for prayer five times a day for
up to 20 mins, at dawn, midday, mid-afternoon, dusk and early
evening – check with your hotel or one of the two English-language
dailies, Arab News or Saudi Gazette, for the exact times throughout
the year. While Jeddah may not spring to mind as readily as Paris or
New York, it can be a shopper’s paradise. There are dozens of
large, traditional souks (markets), selling incense and incense
burners, hubbly bubblies (water pipes) and sweet smelling, fruit-flavoured
tobacco, jewellery, bronze and brassware, intricately carved daggers
and swords and wooden furniture and trunks, delicately inlaid with
brass. Haggling is still the norm but these days getting to the
seller’s ‘last price’ is quicker than it used to be. Modern
malls house familiar brands of clothing and electrical goods abound
– every leading name in high-fashion haute couture has an outlet
here. Parking is usually easy, though things can get congested after
2100.
Souks
Al Balad is home to the main traditional souks in Jeddah – Gabel
St leads east off the one way system and the treasures of the Gold
Souk can be found off to the left. Gold is sold by weight – check
the price daily in the newspaper for greater bargaining power! –
and a small charge is added for workmanship. A must-see, even if not
intending to buy.
Alawi Souk: Through the underpass at the top of Gabel St is a
less touristy area and traditional wares can be found here. Be
adventurous – turn right and head south from the Alawi Souk
through winding alleyways (mind what you step in), which bring you
to Bab Sherif with its many carpet shops, then east up the hill to
Bab Makkah souk area with its spices and silks. Bab Sherif and Bab
Makkah are the old gates of the city, which have been fully
restored.
Old Airport Souk: A collection of antique/junk shops opposite
the city’s first airport, now derelict but interesting for its
1930s architecture and a couple of hangars still housing aircraft
that apparently forgot to leave before the runway was turned into a
road! If there is one place you visit for a souvenir of Jeddah then
this must be it. Tell your taxi driver the old airport on King
Khaled St.
Modern Malls
Tahlia St and its surrounds aspire to please everybody – all the
major designer labels such as Joseph, DKNY, Calvin Klein, Armani,
Versace, Dior are available at the western end in Jeddah Mall, the
Al Khayyat Centre and Al Bassatteen. More reasonably priced chain
store brands are centrally located along with all the well-known
fast food chains.
Hera’a International Mall: One of the most popular malls in
Jeddah has benefited from large-scale expansion works. Well-known
international brands and good quality local names mix in a modern
upscale 112,000 m2 mall with family entertainment areas, McDonalds,
Fuddruckers and coffee shops. Parking for 1,500 cars but it can get
congested around the main entrances at peak times. Located at the
intersection of Hera’a St and Madinah Rd, close to Sheraton,
Westin, Hilton and Al Bilad hotels.
Jamjoom Centre: An impressive but forbidding sight, it looms
over its neighbours in the shape of an immense black battleship.
Worth a visit for the internet café and the clothing, luggage and
electrical goods stores but not the smaller shops. Within walking
distance of the Inter-Continental and Crowne Plaza.
Jeddah International Market: The first proper shopping mall
in Jeddah is now showing its age a bit but is still friendly and
renowned for its electrical goods shops and jewellery outlets. The
place for a good deal with some good stand-alone fast food stalls.
Always busy – a good sign – but it still has plenty of parking
space. Junction of Madinah Rd and Tahlia St, behind Le Meridien
Hotel.
Jarir Bookstores: Good range of computer software and
hardware, stationery supplies and a wide selection of international
books and newspapers. One at Palestine St just east of the Marriott,
and Sari St near the junction with Prince Sultan. The Marriott and
the Hyatt also have good bookshops on site.
Where to walk
Most of the old city walls have succumbed to the march of progress.
However, much of the old town within them still stands proud, as do
gateways and other sites along its course. Originally the walls ran
along Al Malek Abdul Aziz St, Makkah Al Mukaramah Rd and Ba’najah
St. Entry was via a series of strategically placed gates. Bab Makkah
Gate is now the entrance to the souk on the east side, Bab Sherif
gives onto a car park near a hospital in the south. To the north,
Bab Al Medina (North City Gate) gives access to Maydan Al Bayal Sq.
This is a great place to explore on foot. Surprises lurk round every
corner and it is hard to imagine a more authentic Arabic
setting.
From a starting point at the North City Gate head east to Sharbatly
House, a fine example of Islamic architecture and now fully
restored. Continue south to the souk and Bab Makkah. The streets
here have survived relatively untouched; in some lanes paraffin
lanterns still light the way, hanging from wooden gibbets. Opposite
Bab Sherif, near the Cairo Hotel, a short section of original wall
can be glimpsed. To reach the heart of the Old Town, take a right
onto Al Dahab (Zahab) St and walk past the mass of cheaper hotels,
coffee houses and shops which line the way. This is the Mahallet Al
Yemen, a thriving neighbourhood of shops and restaurants. Just after
the Atlas Hotel on the right a footbridge passes overhead. Walk
beneath it and veer right into the maze of streets around Bab Al
Madinah. At the northern end, between the souk and Maydan Al Bayal
Sq,
is the Bab Al Medina – the North City Gate.
The Corniche is 8-9 km from the city centre and split into two. At
the bottom of Palestine St the beach is wide, dotted with
children’s swings. During the day it is quiet but at night it
comes alive with gaily lit horse-drawn carriages and nocturnal
picnickers – although the romance is obliterated by the roar of
rented quad bikes driven manically up and down the beach. The North
Corniche is beyond the desalination plant and starts at the western
end of Tahlia St – an enjoyable promenade along the Red Sea, lined
by coffee shops, restaurants, the Jeddah Museum of Science and
Technology and amusement parks. Evening is the most agreeable time
to walk around the city.
Weather and Climate
Warm all year round, with occasional rain in Nov and Dec. The
hottest months are July-Sept when temperatures regularly reach 35°C
(and can be 45°C) with humidity often exceeding 90%, particularly
in Sept. Average temperatures are 23°C in Jan and 32°C in Jul.
Bring mosquito repellent during cooler months as they love the
weather.
