Safety in Saudi Arabia

Crime: Saudi Arabia is one of the safest countries anywhere. You can walk at night with your phone out in any residential district without worrying about robbery or pickpockets.
Heat: The genuine danger to your health is the sun, especially June to September. Carry water everywhere, use high-factor sunscreen and stay off the streets in the middle of the day.
Dress code: Rules have relaxed, but overly revealing clothing can still draw a comment. Knees and shoulders covered applies to both sexes, and it is a matter of respect for local norms and law.
Traffic: Be extremely careful crossing the road, even at a marked crossing. Local drivers frequently ignore the rules and speed, so look twice and do not hurry.
Photography: Photographing military installations, government buildings and airports is strictly forbidden. Always ask before pointing a camera at a person.
Practicalities: Emergency services respond quickly and hospitals in the major cities are excellent, though treatment is paid, so travel insurance is worth having. Check your own government's travel advisory before you book.

Saudi Arabia opened to tourists only in 2019, and an industry of tourist deception has not yet formed. Street crime is very low.

Taxis. Uber and Careem operate in Riyadh and Jeddah; ordinary taxis have no meters, so agree the price. Fares are reasonable.

Hajj and umrah. The country's one large fraud industry, but it targets pilgrims rather than tourists: bogus agencies selling non-existent packages. Book only through officially accredited operators.

Car hire. Standard claims on return. Record the condition.

Souqs in Jeddah and Riyadh. Haggling is expected and opening prices are inflated. Deception over goods is uncommon.

Online. Telephone schemes impersonating banks are growing but barely touch tourists.

The main difficulty of a trip to Saudi Arabia is not fraudsters but logistics: the distances are enormous, intercity public transport is limited, and getting around without a car or domestic flights is hard.

Alcohol is banned completely. Not "only in hotels" but entirely: production, import, possession and consumption. Bringing in even one bottle is a serious offence. The same applies to pork.

Drugs. The death penalty for trafficking is applied, and foreigners have faced it. There are no exceptions.

Mecca and Medina. Mecca is entirely closed to non-Muslims, the approach roads divide, and signs mark it. In Medina the centre around the Prophet's Mosque is closed. Attempting to enter means deportation.

Dress. Since 2019 the abaya has not been compulsory for foreign women, but modesty is still required: covered shoulders and knees, loose cut. Men should not wear shorts in town. Mecca and Medina are stricter.

Photography. Photographing people without permission, women especially, is a serious offence that brings detention. Military sites, palaces and government buildings are off limits. Drones require a permit.

Religion. Preaching any non-Muslim religion, importing religious literature for distribution and public non-Muslim worship are prohibited. Personal items of faith are permitted.

Prayer times. Five times a day shops and restaurants close for 20 to 30 minutes. Factor this into your plans.

Public conduct. Displays of affection are not the custom. Same-sex relations are criminalised.

Vaccinations. None mandatory for tourists, but hajj and umrah pilgrims require the ACWY meningococcal vaccine — no certificate, no visa. A yellow fever certificate is required from arrivals out of endemic countries.

MERS. Middle East respiratory syndrome, associated with camels. Cases are rare but they occur. The practical conclusion: do not drink raw camel milk, do not touch animals on farms and at markets, and wash your hands after contact.

Heat is the defining factor. Summer in Riyadh and the east passes 45°C; Jeddah is slightly cooler but humid. This is a climate in which dehydration arrives within an hour. Plan trips for November to March.

Water. Desalinated and safe in the cities. In the desert and on highways, bottled.

The desert. Distances between filling stations are long and coverage is patchy. Do not go into the desert alone or without a water reserve.

Healthcare. High standards with modern hospitals. Emergency care is provided; further treatment for foreigners is paid. Medical insurance is included with the tourist visa, but cover is limited — your own policy will not hurt.

Emergency numbers: 997 ambulance, 999 police, 998 fire.

Street crime in Saudi Arabia is very low and the police are effective.

Religious police. The mutawa lost their powers of detention and fining in 2016. They are no longer the factor they were: a remark is possible, detention is not.

Ordinary police. Correct, though not all speak English. Foreigners are treated calmly.

Traffic police and Saher cameras. The system is total: speeding is recorded automatically and fines arrive instantly. The driving style in the country is aggressive and accident rates are high — a genuine risk of the trip.

If detained. You have the right to a consul; ask immediately. Do not sign anything in Arabic without a translation. Serious charges mean an exit ban for the duration of proceedings.

What actually matters. Saudi Arabia is physically safe and legally strict. Tourists' problems come from four things: alcohol, photographing people, trying to enter Mecca, and behaviour perceived as disrespect toward religion.

Emergency number is 911 in major cities and 999 nationwide.