Wondering what should be on your agenda when you visit Jeddah? We’ve got you covered with our round-up of ten brilliant things to do in the buzzing city on the Red Sea coast.
Jeddah is the second biggest city in Saudi Arabia, and that status means there are plenty of things to do. It’s even home to an impressive number of Guinness World Records.
From theme parks and art galleries to iconic landmarks, there’s bound to be something to suit everyone. Enjoy these ten brilliant things to do in Jeddah.
Admire exhibitions in Athr Gallery
One of Jeddah’s leading contemporary art spaces – and the city has quite a few – you can check out various exhibitions of photographs, montages, ink drawings, scripture, sculpture, abstract work and more. It’s a top spot to see the work of Arabic artists.
Fifth Floor, Office Tower Serafi Mega Mall Street, Jeddah, www.athrart.com (012 284 5009).
Marvel at Al Rahma Mosque
There are plenty of mosques to see across the city, but this one is one of the most-visited and it’s easy to see why. It is situated at the edge of the Jeddah corniche and, during high tide, it appears to be floating on the Red Sea. Check out the traditional architecture and Islamic art at night when the light is streaming through the stained glass window.
Corniche Road, Jeddah (012 620 2424).
Enjoy the rides at Al Shallal Theme Park
Spread over 60,000 square meters on Jeddah’s Corniche, Al Shallal Theme Park is a must-visit for adrenaline-junkies of all ages. As well as plenty of hair-raising rides such as The Train (a speedy, twisty rollercoaster), arcade games and a dedicated zone for kids, the theme park houses an ice-rink. There’s something oddly magical about ice-skating in the desert.
4.30pm-1am Sat-Wed, 4.30pm-2am Fri & Sat, Ash Shati, Jeddag, www.alshallal.com.sa (012 606 3993).
Discover the Corniche
The corniche in northern Jeddah is a cool destination. Start the day with an early-morning run, finish it with an evening stroll. And, for everything in between there are swimming bays, children’s park, outdoor gyms, piers, fast-food spots and cafés. It gets quite busy, particularly at the weekends during the evening, but it’s worth battling the crowds.
Cruise out on a desert safari
You can’t visit Jeddah and not race off in to the desert in a 4×4… Well, you could, but we advise you don’t. A desert safari consisting of some adrenaline-inducing dune bashing followed by a dessert camp where you can sand board, quad bike and tuck into some hearty local food. Days out don’t come much more exciting. And I you don’t want to go home, don’t – you can opt for an overnight stay. You will be finding sand on your person for weeks to come… you’ve been warned.
Open daily 7am-10pm. Saudi Safari, Bahara, Jeddah, www.saudisafari.com (050 040 1788).
Snap pictures at King Fahd Fountain
The tallest fountain of its kind in the world, King Fahd Fountain blasts a stream of water from the Red Sea over 800 feet into the air. Beautiful during the day, but spectacular at night when its lit up by hundreds of spotlights. A definite must-see – and make sure your phone has charge for those selfies.
Learn about local history at Naseef House
One of Jeddah’s best-restored old coral houses, Naseef House belonged to one of Jeddah’s most powerful trading families and was later a royal residency for King Abdul Aziz. You’ll notice a number of ramps off the building, these were installed by the king so that his camel-mounted messengers could ride all the way up to the upper terrace. How cool is that? Also, the tree next to the house? That was the only tree in the whole of Jeddah until 1920.
8am-11.55pm Mon-Sat, 8am-noon and 6pm-midnight Sun. Al Dhahab, Al Balad, Jeddah.
Experience Jeddah’s open-air art gallery aesthetic
Hire a car, or jump in a taxi, and cruise around the city checking out the incredible – and some quite sizeable – sculptures that adorn many of the roundabouts. The huge works of art are by both local and international artists and collectively have turned Jeddah into the city with one of the largest collections of open-air art in the world.
Shop new scents at Perfumers Alley
No ambiguity over what you’ll find here. Discover a rabbit warren of alleyways where the city’s best perfume can be smelled and bought. It makes a great souvenir… although you may not want to actually give it away.
Al Balad, Jeddah.
Get underwater with scuba diving (or snorkelling) sessions
The crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea make it an underwater paradise if scuba diving is your thing. And if it’s not, a snorkel and mask will give you a pretty good idea of what is down there – and it’s pretty, very, very pretty. A short boat ride away from Jeddah’s port there are several perfect sites to check out the marine life including a couple of shipwrecks to explore.
Ocean Diving, Rehaily, Jeddah, www.oceandivingksa.com (012 288 0954).
