Red Sea port city and the main gateway for Muslim pilgrims heading to Makkah and Madinah for Umrah: UNESCO-listed Al-Balad old town, the 312 m King Fahd's Fountain, the Corniche and the 'floating' Al-Rahma Mosque, and snorkelling at Obhur and Bayadah Island. The Haramain high-speed train reaches Makkah in ~30 minutes and Madinah in ~2 hours. Only Muslims may enter Makkah (and Madinah's central Haram). Best November–March; summers are hot and humid. No direct flight from Ulaanbaatar — connect via Istanbul, Beijing or Doha. Mongolia is not on the e-visa list.
🛂 Visa: Visa required · 90 days✈ Flight: 17h☀ Best months: November, December, January, February
Orange — daytime average, blue — night, grey bars — rainfall, green — sea temperature. Best months: November, December, January, February, March.
Things to see (12)
🧸 for kids
Al-Balad — Historic Jeddah★ 4.6 (40,000)
CultureDistrict free; Nassif House freeStreets any time; Nassif House 9:00–17:00 (closed Fri); shops mostly from 14:00
A UNESCO site since 2014: more than 600 old coral-stone houses with carved wooden roshan balconies, narrow lanes and souks. King Abdulaziz stayed in the 19th-century Nassif House in 1925. Liveliest in the evening when lit up.
Like a well-travelled friend for a first-timer: before you go, landing, SIM, transport, money, food, safety, manners, apps, leaving — step by step.
🧳Before you goMongolia is not on Saudi Arabia's e-visa list, so sort the visa early — and check the regional situation.+
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Visa: which route
If you hold a valid US, UK or Schengen visa that you have used at least once, or are a resident of the US/EU/UK or a GCC country, apply for the e-visa at visa.visitsaudi.com: one-year multiple entry, 90 days in total, ≈SAR 535 including insurance. Otherwise fill in a tourist visa application on ksavisa.sa and submit it at the Saudi Embassy in Beijing, which covers Mongolia: fee $80 + $21 service + insurance.
Tip: Look-alike 'eVisa' sites charge 2–3 times more — use only visa.visitsaudi.com and ksavisa.sa.
The tourist visa allows Umrah outside the Hajj season. Umrah permits, entry slots for Masjid al-Haram and Rawdah slots in Madinah must be booked in the Nusuk app — a visa alone does not get you in. Only Muslims may enter Makkah and Madinah's central Haram. Hajj needs a separate Hajj visa.
Tip: If you head to Makkah in ihram from Jeddah, know your miqat (on the plane or in Jeddah) in advance.
The tourist visa includes health insurance but with a cap (e-visa: up to SAR 100,000), so add travel insurance. Since July 2026 the Houthis in Yemen have fired missiles and drones at cities including Riyadh and Jeddah, so check UK FCDO advice and your flight status before flying.
Tip: Your passport must be valid for more than 6 months from arrival.
🛬Arrival and getting into townKing Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) is north of the city; most international flights use Terminal 1, while Hajj and Umrah charters use the separate Hajj Terminal.+
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Haramain train — straight to Makkah
From the Haramain station linked to Terminal 1, trains run to Makkah in ~30–35 minutes (economy from SAR 55), to Jeddah's Sulaymaniyah station in ~20 minutes and to Madinah in ~2 hours. Buy tickets ahead at sar.hhr.sa or in the HHR app — they sell out in Ramadan and at weekends.
Uber and Careem pick up at the airport; to the centre or the Corniche expect ≈SAR 45–65 by day, up to SAR 80 at night or at Umrah peaks (airport fee extra). Refuse unlicensed drivers touting in the hall.
All three operators have counters in arrivals; register with your passport, fingerprints may be taken. STC Visitor: 2 weeks 5 GB SAR 40, 20 GB SAR 60; Zain and Mobily have similar packs.
If your phone supports eSIM, install Airalo or an STC eSIM before flying and you are online on landing. By law every SIM is tied to a passport, so do not use a SIM registered to someone else.
Tip: Nusuk and Uber need data; download Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah in Google Maps for offline use.
🚇Getting aroundJeddah has no metro yet — use Uber/Careem in town and the Haramain train to Makkah and Madinah.+
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Ride-hailing
Uber, Careem and Jeeny are everywhere and metered — easiest for Al-Balad, the Corniche and the malls. City buses exist but routes are hard for visitors.
From Jeddah Sulaymaniyah station, Makkah is ~25–35 minutes away (economy from SAR 49, business from SAR 99) and Madinah ~2 hours (from SAR 120). Children 2–11 get discounts; one large bag up to 25 kg. Non-Muslim passengers may not travel to the Makkah station.
Tip: Makkah station is about 4 km from the Haram, so you need a bus or taxi.
The riyal is pegged to the US dollar: $1 ≈ SAR 3.75. Cards and Apple Pay work almost everywhere, even small shops; withdraw cash at ATMs (Al Rajhi, SNB).
A cheap meal is ≈SAR 25–30 per person; a mid-range restaurant for two ≈SAR 225. Prices include 15% VAT. Hotel prices around Makkah multiply in Ramadan and the Hajj season.
🍜FoodHijazi and Red Sea cooking: fish, rice, beans and street food.+
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What to eat
Sayadiyah — onion rice with fish; ful — stewed beans with bread (breakfast); mutabbaq and balila — Al-Balad street food; and Jeddah's famous Al Baik fried chicken. Dates and cardamom Arabic coffee (gahwa) are everywhere.
Tip: The Al Baik queue is long but moves fast.
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Halal, alcohol, Ramadan
All food is halal and there is no pork. Alcohol is banned outright — bringing it, drinking or being drunk can mean prison. During Ramadan do not eat or drink in public by day, even in your car.
Police, ambulance and fire — all 911. Without a Saudi SIM, call 112. If you lose your passport, report it to the police and contact the Embassy of Mongolia in Riyadh.
Crime is low, but since July 2026 the Houthis in Yemen have fired missiles and drones at cities and airports including Riyadh and Jeddah and at Red Sea ships. If Civil Defence issues an alert, stay indoors in a room without windows; do not photograph or share images of incidents. Avoid the Yemen border region. Non-Muslims must not try to enter Makkah — it is against the law.
From May to October days top 37°C with high humidity — drink plenty and stay out of the midday sun. During Umrah, especially the last 10 nights of Ramadan, Masjid al-Haram is extremely crowded: keep children and elderly close and agree a meeting point. Some prescription medicines are controlled, so carry your prescription in English.
🙏Etiquette+
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Dress
Men and women wear loose clothing covering elbows and knees; women do not have to wear an abaya or headscarf (cover your hair in mosques). Swimwear should be modest even on the beach; bikinis only at some private clubs.
Hugging or kissing in public, swearing and loud music can lead to fines or arrest. Do not photograph people, especially women, without permission; military and government sites are off limits. Always carry your passport or a copy with your visa.
Some shops and markets close briefly at each of the five daily prayers. During Ramadan (from early February in 2027) do not eat, drink or smoke in public by day; accept an iftar invitation after sunset with pleasure.
Visit Saudi — official tourism site and e-visa. Nusuk — Umrah permits and Masjid al-Haram and Rawdah slots. HHR — Haramain train tickets. webook — Jeddah event tickets.
Check your terminal (Terminal 1 or the Hajj Terminal) in advance. Coming back from Makkah, the Haramain train runs straight to the airport station in ~30–35 minutes — book early at Umrah peaks.
Cancellations are possible because of the regional situation, so check your flight the day before and on the day. Check in Zamzam water in the sealed containers your airline allows, not inside your suitcase; dates are fine to take.
AI answer: double-check anything beyond our researched facts with an official source.
Free
Usually from ~18:00 after sunset until midnight (off on windy days)
The world's tallest fountain, shooting seawater up to 312 m. Watch from the Al-Hamra stretch of the Corniche or the seafront parks when it is lit up in the evening. Visible from much of the city at night.
CultureFreeExterior any time; interior at prayer times
A white mosque built on piles over the sea in 1985 — at high tide it seems to float. Popular with Muslim pilgrims from East Asia. Non-Muslims view it from outside; dress modestly, women cover their hair. Lovely at sunset.
A ~30 km promenade along the Red Sea: playgrounds, cycle paths, designated swimming areas, cafés and restaurants. Where families come out in the evening — the easiest outing with kids.
Obhur and Bayadah Island — snorkelling★ 4.6 (3,000)
BeachBayadah group boat trip ≈SAR 500 per person; private boat ≈SAR 1,500 (up to 5)Usually 5–6 hour trips from the morning
Obhur creek north of the city has beach clubs and dive centres. About an hour by boat, Bayadah Island has clear water with coral and fish. Free public beaches are few; most are paid clubs. Dive courses available.
KidsSat–Wed: adults SAR 69, children (2–9) SAR 57; Thu–Fri: SAR 75 / 65; under 2 free; dolphin show extraSat–Thu 10:00–23:00, Fri 13:30–23:00
More than 200 Red Sea species: sharks, tuna, coral reefs and a tunnel tank. Dolphin shows in the evening. On the Corniche — a good hot-day outing with kids.
A large Hijazi-style building on Islamic culture, Arabian history, costumes, weapons, manuscripts and old Jeddah life. Privately run, so hours and prices may change — call ahead.
CityPromenade free; restaurants and boats extraUsually evening until late
An upmarket marina on the North Corniche: yachts and seafront restaurants and cafés, next to the Jeddah Corniche Formula 1 circuit. Good for an evening stroll and dinner.
Makkah: Masjid al-Haram (Muslims only)★ 4.9 (200,000)
CultureFree; Umrah permit via the Nusuk app; Haramain train Jeddah–Makkah economy from SAR 49Mosque 24 hours; book Umrah times on Nusuk
Islam's holiest site — the Grand Mosque around the Kaaba. Non-Muslims are banned by law from entering Makkah. Mongolian Kazakh Muslims reach it from Jeddah by Haramain high-speed train in ~30 minutes to perform Umrah; know your miqat for ihram in advance. The Prophet's Mosque in Madinah (a Nusuk slot is needed for the Rawdah) is ~2 hours from Jeddah by train.
STC, Mobily and Zain counters in arrivals: register with your passport (fingerprints may be taken). STC Visitor from SAR 40 for 5 GB/2 weeks, 20 GB SAR 60. An eSIM (Airalo, STC eSIM) bought in advance gets you online on landing — the Nusuk app needs data.
