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Saudi Arabia?

  • 13-08-2014 2:18pm
    #1
    Irishguy16
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 76 ✭✭


    I was seriously considering going to Saudi Arabia on a holiday next year, but I have heard that it's one of the most difficult countries to visit. There doesn't seem to be a free 30 day tourist visa on arrival, and instead I have been told that I must travel in a group of 4. Is this true?

    How do I go about sorting out a visa and is there a Saudi embassy in Dublin?

    All of the online links have guided me to mislead information

    Has anyone ever been to Saudi Arabia before?
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    smurfjed
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,425 ✭✭✭✭smurfjed


    Saudi Arabia generally doesnt give tourist visas, this has been slightly relaxed in the last few years but you must be a part of a tour group, for example you can visit to go scuba diving, but it is more expensive that the other side of the red sea. There is an Embassy in Merrion square.
    What exactly are you expecting to see in Saudi?

    http://www.diving-world.com/saudi.htm


  • #3
    coylemj
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,620 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Irishguy16 wrote: »
    I was seriously considering going to Saudi Arabia on a holiday next year, but I have heard that it's one of the most difficult countries to visit.

    I've been to Saudi Arabia (Jeddah) on business. What are you expecting to do if/when you get there?


  • #4
    SaveOurLyric
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,138 ✭✭✭SaveOurLyric


    Saudi Arabia has sand and shopping malls. If you like either, then well worth a trip. If you dont, run a mile. There is NOTHING else there.


  • #5
    smurfjed
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,425 ✭✭✭✭smurfjed


    There is NOTHING else there
    This isn't actually true and i would guess that i have seen more of that country than anyone here posting here. Have you visited Madain Saleh? or what about one possible location of Mount Sinai, or the Wahbah crater, or the mountains of the Asir, or the Nafud desert. I have to admit that there aren't too many man made wonders to be seen, but the country itself is amazing.


  • #6
    Irishguy16
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 76 ✭✭Irishguy16


    coylemj wrote: »
    I've been to Saudi Arabia (Jeddah) on business. What are you expecting to do if/when you get there?

    I'm going to Doha in Qatar early next year and I want to cross the border seeing as I am gonna be so close. I would even welcome a day trip if possible


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  • #7
    killbillvol2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭killbillvol2


    Irishguy16 wrote: »
    I'm going to Doha in Qatar early next year and I want to cross the border seeing as I am gonna be so close. I would even welcome a day trip if possible

    Do you have any concept of the size of Saudi Arabia? Crossing the border for a day trip isn't going to get you very far.


  • #8
    keithclancy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    smurfjed wrote: »
    This isn't actually true and i would guess that i have seen more of that country than anyone here posting here. Have you visited Madain Saleh? or what about one possible location of Mount Sinai, or the Wahbah crater, or the mountains of the Asir, or the Nafud desert. I have to admit that there aren't too many man made wonders to be seen, but the country itself is amazing.

    Sounds like The Holy Stone of Clonrichert

    But a hole in the ground and a desert doesn't really sound that interesting either.

    I guess if your scared of women drivers its a great place to visit :pac:


  • #9
    coylemj
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,620 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Irishguy16 wrote: »
    I'm going to Doha in Qatar early next year and I want to cross the border seeing as I am gonna be so close. I would even welcome a day trip if possible

    I don't think that's possible for a European, there's no mention of tourist visas on any of the local (London or Dublin) Saudi embassy websites.

    Smurfjed (poster above) is in the aviation business, I think he's a pilot so will have more up to date info. but I'd caution you on two things that you need to consider...

    1. Saudi drives (all male) have chronically bad driving habits and I strongly suspect that if you hire a car in Qatar, the hirer won't be allowed you to take it into Saudi Arabia.

    2. Unless she's living in an expat compound, a western woman in Saudi Arabia will find conditions intolerable in terms of personal freedom - what she can wear, can't drive a car, must be accompanied by an adult male when out and about etc. So if there is a woman in your party, I'd just forget about visiting Saudi Arabia, fly to Abu Dhabi or Dubai for a couple of days instead.


  • #10
    smurfjed
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,425 ✭✭✭✭smurfjed


    Irishguy16 wrote: »
    I'm going to Doha in Qatar early next year and I want to cross the border seeing as I am gonna be so close. I would even welcome a day trip if possible
    Aha, well that isn't going to happen, and even if it did, the area between Doha and Riyadh is desert, lots and lots and lots of SAND, truthfully not worth the effort.

    If want to visit somewhere interesting, try going to Shiraz and visiting
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persepolis


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