Yay, you’re going to the Kingdom! You have bought the tickets and even opened your suitcase. But what to put inside from your clothes? Let’s explore different options depending on your role and the length of your trip.
For men it’s simple 🙂 The logic is the same as for ladies, but everything is less strict (dear ladies, sorry!).
Option 1. Beach time (you are going to a hotel with a private beach on the coast to do some diving or snorkeling).
For this option you don’t have many particularities:
- Shorts, swimsuit (many places do not welcome bikinis, so ladies should bring a one piece swimsuit as well)
- A hat (hope I don’t need to remind you about the sunscreen 🙂 ).
- Something warm that’s easy to put on and take off — some buildings keep air conditioning at low temperature, so are might be freezing in some common spaces.
Option 2: Tourism with excursions.
For this option, you will need more clothes. Please remember that Saudi Arabia is a conservative country, and if you plan to go out, you should dress accordingly. As a rule, clothes (both for men and women) that cover the knees and shoulders are considered acceptable. Therefore, shorts and miniskirts are not suitable for excursions. Also please keep in mind that some restaurants have a dress code.
- For men: pants/jeans, T-shirts, and at least one long-sleeved shirt (for restaurants and indoor tours)
- For ladies: pants/jeans, T-shirts, blouses or skirts/dresses well below the knee (preferably at least to the middle of the calf).
- For the tour inside the mosque, women will be asked to wear an abaya and cover their heads (usually large mosques that are used to having tourists will offer you an abaya if you don’t have your own).
- Warm clothes (tour buses, taxis, and buildings are likely to be chilly because of air conditioning). Have something you can quickly put on and take off when you go outside.
- A hat, if you plan to spend some time outdoors — the sun gets your head hot
- Comfortable shoes, because some paved streets are not made for high heels. Also, part of your route may have some sand (which you will have to shake out of your shoes later).
Option 3. Business-related trip:
- Ask your employer what the dress code is in the office (especially for ladies!). Some companies expect women to wear abayas, some do not. Also, some require a strict business style, while others are comfortable with a casual style. In either case, it will be conservative clothing (below the knee and at least covering your shoulders).
- If you are planning to attend business dinners, take a business suit. Ladies are better to buy an elegant embroidered abaya for this occasion — it will be more expensive than usual, but local colleagues will surely appreciate it that you respect local traditions.
- Be sure to take warm clothes. Offices are likely to be cold, both in summer and winter. For example, in 2022 I even had to buy a heater for the office because I was constantly freezing.
There’s also a good chance that your house will be cold during winter. - Pack some more open and festive clothes for parties. Soon you’ll make friends among the expats, and you’ll have to figure out what to wear to, say, a birthday or salsa party (just shhhh!). Don’t dare wear it anywhere else 😀
- [if you live in a compound — an enclosed area where your neighbors are expats] take regular, comfortable clothes. Shorts, T-shirts, short (but not provocative) dresses. You can wear them comfortably in the compound. You can even open your knees and shoulders 🙂 But only inside the compound.
- Sport clothes, if you are an outdoor enthusiast and are coming for a long time. You will have plenty of opportunities to go hiking, participate in cycling races… Also, some compounds can host dance/tennis lessons, and teams can gather for frisbee, basketball, etc.
- Just in case, buy an abaya — even if you don’t need it in the office. You may need it for a number of occasions. A little more information about the abaya is below.
- Also pack some clothes from the lists for tourists that I made above :). You will definitely need it. For example, if you live in a compound, there might be a swimming pool, so a swimsuit will be handy.
Let’s talk about the abaya, a long cape worn by women in the Kingdom. Now wearing the abaya is not compulsory, but the vast majority of local women continue to do so. It is up to you, but keep in mind that you will be treated with more respect if you follow the traditions of the country at least in places crowded with locals.
You can go to the store in conservative clothes (pants / long dress), but for a visit to some government-related institutions it might be a good idea to wear an abaya.
Also, keep in mind that if you show up without an abaya, you’ll get a lot of attention from both local men and women. It’s up to you to decide whether you are OK with it 🙂
My Saudi Arabia 
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