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Those not enamoured by governmental affairs can take a day
trip to Failaka Island or get invited to a Diwaniya.
Diwaniyas are informal gatherings at someone's home, where
Kuwaitis sit and chat about everything from soccer scores
to the day's debate in the parliament. They prove to be good
places to get to know the people and find out about their
day-to-day life. If you are interested in art, then The National
Museum and the Tareq Rajab Museum in the suburbs is
a must visit.
Accommodation in Kuwait is almost never cheap, so come prepared
to pay at least US $50 for a single room. However, hotels
are plentiful and the quality again is often world class.
Recommended accommodation:
Kuwait
Crowne Plaza
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates is unlike the other Arab states.
If you can visit only one country in the Gulf, United Arab
Emirates is probably your best choice for its most relaxed
entry regulations and some of the prettiest sights. The UAE
is a union of 7 sovereign sheikhdoms, formed in 1971, and
despite their small size, each emirate has its own distinct
feature.
The capital Abu Dhabi is one of the most modern cities
on earth. Almost nothing here is more than 25 years old and
everything appears to be sleek and shiny. Places to see in
Abu Dhabi are numerous but the Al-Husn Palace remains
a main attraction. The Old Fort or the White Fort,
with its long white painted walls are very eye-catching amid
today's skyscrapers. In Abu Dhabi, travellers can stay at
the Liwa Hotel, which sits near the Liwa Oasis and
is a perfect stopover point after a long day of dune bashing
in the desert.
Recommended Accommodation:
Liwa Hotel: email
Liwa Hotel
Dubai
Sheraton Jumeirah Beach
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Dubai is unquestionably the most vibrant city in the
Gulf. With some of the best cityscapes in the region there
is no place quite like Dubai in the entire Gulf. It is surprising
to know that most of Dubai's wealth was founded on trade and
not on oil. It still remains one of the most popular stop
off points on the trade route and it annually hosts a Shopping
Festival, unrivalled in its vastness anywhere else in
the Middle East. Its an ideal place for a traveller who can
either spend a few days just wandering through souks and huge
shopping malls, or along the waterfront to take in the city
atmosphere. Quite aptly, there is nothing of originality in
Dubai, but then again the Gulf is a place where this hardly
seems to matter.
Sharjah is the third largest of the seven emirates.
For a long time it has been the place that too many visitors
to the UAE either miss or pass through quickly. Sharjah has
some of the most interesting architecture in the country and
its souks offers shopping to rival that of Dubai.
Another must visit place is the East Coast of UAE.
Fujairah, the only emirate without any territory on
the Gulf, dominates the East Coast. Visit The Old Town,
with its 300 year old fort, overlooking the ruins of old Fujairah.
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Shop til you drop in Dubai (Megan McCormick)
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For a traveller there are loads of sites to see. The Bahrain
National Museum in Manama is very comprehensive
and worth visiting more than once. Bahrain is an easy and
hassle-free country, which actually proves to be a good place
to start, for anyone making his or her first trip to the Arab
Gulf section of the world. The Beit-al-Quran in Manama
provides a good introduction to Islam. Apart from all of this
Bahrain has several forts like the Riffa Fort.
Qatar
The thumb shaped Qatar peninsula is not exactly one the world's
major tourist destinations. Though the country has opened
its doors to tourists as late as 1989, its remoteness and
the continuing ban on alcohol have all served to keep it off
the agendas of even the more intrepid travellers. However
it's worth a visit for just a few days. The Corniche is one
of the nicest is the world and is particularly delightful
in the evenings. A boat trip to the Palm Tree Island
is a pleasant diversion from the crowded city. The Camel races
at Al-Shahhainiya can add some fun and excitement.
Yemen
Yemen is a country better knows by its historical epithets
than by its present name. Arabia Felix and the Land of the
Queen of Sheeba, this place can astonish any visitor with
the 3000 years of history that it holds. All in all, Yemen
is a fast paced developing country, which not only boasts
of rich cultural heritage but also picturesque natural beauty.
Ta'izz is the most populous governorate of Yemen. A
large part of it is covered with mountains and thus most towns
and villages are at an altitude of 3000ft to 7000ft. This
region enjoys a cosmopolitan status due to the proximity of
the country's 2 main ports. The main attractions here could
be bargaining in the souqs or worshipping in the mosques of
Yifrus and Al-Janad.
The ancient twin towns of Shibam and Kawkaban
are on most Yemeni tour itineraries. Some other Shibams in
the region are, Jabal Shibam near Manakha and the Shibam
in the Hadramawt Valley famous for its extraordinary
skyscrapers. Not forgetting Shihara, one of Yemen's
most famous fortified mountain villages. Situated on the top
of the 5000ft Shihara Mountains, a place to meet isolated
Yemenis tribes.
Ma'rib is the most famous archaeological site of Yemen.
It can be easily accessed from San'a and you can hurry through
the sights of Ma'rib and Baraqish in a single day.
Tarim is another important town of Yemen some 20 miles
to the east of Say'um. It's overshadowed by vast rock cliffs
on one side and surrounded by palm groves on the other.
Oman
Long known as the hermit of the Middle East, the Sultanate
of Oman is slowly emerging from its shell. In this land of
dramatic mountains and long unspoiled beaches, tourism is
still a new concept and it offers a great freshness of experiences
for the intrepid traveller. Oman still remains the most traditional
country of the Arab States.
Apart from the excursion to the museums and embassies of Medinat
Qaboos, you are likely to spend most of your time in the
capital in the Greater Muscat region. It is sometimes
referred to as the "three cities", which includes
the capital city of Muscat - with its renowned old
port and great sites like the Sultan's palace to see. Mutrah,
2 miles Northwest of Muscat has one of the most beautiful
corniches in Arabia and its souk is one of the best for endless
hours of bargaining. A few miles inland from Muscat and Mutrah
lies Ruwi. A generation ago this was an underdeveloped
valley but today it is the capital's modern commercial district.
Immediately south of Muscat lie small villages of Sidab
and Al-Bustan and further south is the huge and highly
luxurious resort style Al-Bustan
Palace Hotel, voted the best hotel in the Middle East
in 2001. However, affordable accommodation can also be found
right along the Muttrah Corniche in Oman, which is a stone's
throw away from one of the best shopping souks in the region.
Another place worth a visiting is the fortress, which is
on the outskirts of the town of Sur on the road from Muscat
and Ibra. The highlight of the town itself is the dhow builder's
yard on the coast just beyond town. A nearby ferry will carry
you across the narrow sound to Ayega, a small village where
many of the dhow builders live.
The popular second city of Salalah can be reached via
road or air, the latter being more popular.
Oman Air has domestic flights from Muscat to Salalah
that are inexpensive and popular with tourists who want to
avoid the seven-hour journey by road. Here you can enjoy the
cooling effects of the Indian Monsoon in June to September,
in the surroundings of beautiful mountains and white beaches
and uncover the Monotheistic religious site of Job's Tomb.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has intrigued travellers for centuries. Vast
and mostly arid, it's the cradle of the Islamic religion,
the Arab race and the Arabic language. A place considered
holy by the Muslims, Saudi Arabia retains that mystery, in
part because it is so incredibly difficult to visit.
Mecca or Almukarramah as the Muslims call it, is Islam's
holiest city. All devout Muslims attempt a hajj (pilgrimage)
to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Situated in the
Sirat Mountains, the city centres around the Grand
Mosque and the sacred Zamzam Well inside
it. The Kaaba, which all Muslims face when they pray,
is the mosque's central courtyard. According to the tradition
Abraham and his son Ishlamel as a replica of god's house in
heaven built the Kaaba. Non-Muslims cannot visit Mecca, however
the religious and scholarly literature on the holy sites is
simple and easily available throughout the kingdom. Medina
is Islam's second holy city. Like Mecca, even Medina is off
limits to non-Muslims though its haram, or forbidden area,
is much smaller than Mecca.
Other important Saudi towns include Jeddah and Riyadh.
Jeddah is a hot and humid modest port living mostly off the
pilgrim trade. Often called the 'Paris of Arabia', Jeddah
is a most interesting and friendly place among big cities.
The historical quarter of Jeddah, although dwarfed by the
modern metropolis, still thrives. Another prominent town Saudi
town is Riyadh, a high-tech oasis of glass, steel and concrete,
with freeways, offices, towers, housing which stretches beyond
the horizon. Myths that rich Saudi Billionaires abandon their
broken Rolls Royce in the desert may be overstated, but the
street of Saudi are truly paved with gold, yet the fundamentalism
of religious belief and government contrasts with its opulence
making Saudi a truly unique nation, although a little unappealing
to most travellers.
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