Jeddah : Useful Info

Jeddah (جدّة, also spelled Jiddah) is the main city of the Red Sea side of Saudi Arabia and the major commercial center of the country. A short collection of tips on where to eat, what to drink and where to shop for that special souvenir from your business, leisure or religious trip to Saudi Arabia.

Understand

Jeddah has been a port and trading city for centuries, which is reflected in its cosmopolitan mix of inhabitants. Today, it is the major commercial center of Saudi Arabia. It also has many government offices. Jeddah is known in the kingdom for its shopping districts, restaurants and cafes. It also hosts the largest Corniche or waterfront in the Kingdom with a great bunch of hotels, beaches and resorts clustered around it.

It is also the main entry point, either by air or sea, for pilgrims making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, the two sacred cities of Islam. Both are a few hours inland from Jeddah.

Orientation

Jeddah is a huge city that sprawls along the coast of the Red Sea, connected together by the Corniche, a seaside avenue full of bizarre sculptures and nearly 30 km long. The old city or al-Balad, on the southern side of modern Jeddah, is a crumbling but fascinating warren of multi-story houses made from coral. The main thoroughfare Medina Rd starts from the northern side of al-Balad and runs all the way to the city in question.

Work

There are many places to find work in Jeddah and jobs are plentiful.

Buy

There are a number of shopping malls in Jeddah to shop. Tahlia Street holds the largest collection of malls, designer shops and international and local restaurants.

• Mahmood Saeed Alandalus mall is one of the biggest shopping malls in Jeddah.
• Red Sea Mall is the newest and largest mall in Jeddah

Eat

Jeddah is full of restaurants with almost every cuisine imaginable. Eating out is part of Jeddah culture. All the restaurants have separate sections for single men and for families. All businesses close for prayer for about half an hour at noon and at sunset. They close again an hour after sunset for about 45 minutes. If you like to eat early, you can often stay in a restaurant during prayer time. Saudis tend to eat late, well after the evening prayer.

Budget Eats

• Al Baik - Roasted Chicken, one of the most popular fast food chains of Saudi Arabia available in Jeddah, Makkah & Madina only. Al Baik has 25 branches in Jeddah.

The standard cheap meal is the shawarma - giant layers of beef or chicken turning on a vertical spit. Thin slices are cut off and served with vegetables, garlic and sauce in pita bread. You can also find a few falafel shops or eat at boofias (cornershops). Try the Filipino Souk near Saudi City. Ask for the Pakistani area Kababish. There's a group of shops and restaurants with very low prices. Most of the American fast food franchises can be found in Jeddah. Such as:

• McDonalds
• Burger King
• KFC
• Hardee's
• Pizza Hut

Mid-range and Franchise Restaurants

• Fudruckers
• Chillis
• TGI Fridays
• Applebees
• Ruby Tuesday
• Casper & Gambini
• Marhaba- Pakistani Cuisine
• Kandora-Seafood
• Yeldezlar-Lebanese Cuisine

There are also several coffee shops or cafes where the youth likes to hang out:

• Java Lounge
• Vertigo
• Starbucks
• Mugs & Beans
• Costa Coffee
• Second Cup

Drink

In the whole of KSA, alcohol is forbidden as it is against the Islamic law and therefore against the country's law; if you try to bring, make, or buy alcoholic drinks you will probably end up in jail. Non-alcoholic beer is available everywhere; other juices, drinks, and/or cocktails are available in almost all restaurants.